Shusshhhh....
Here's the Secret to Perfectly Flaky
(Not Soggy)
Pie or Tart Crusts...
Really and Truly.
Monet's Apple Tarts
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Several weeks ago, my friend Clarice, from Storybook Woods tagged me for a
"25 Random Things About Me" challenge on Facebook
(where I have two friends total...Clarice and Dana...
Hi Clarice and Dana!). I recently got to it and this is what happened.
---
Okay...
One of the random things I listed was the secret/ability to make a perfectly flaky pie crust. I offered to share it if anyone was interested and Clarice expressed a desire to know...
So...Shusshhhh...Here's the Secret.
Any pie crust recipe will do...I just use a basic recipe.
The trick is not in the crust ingredients, believe it or not. I have used basic all-purpose flour, expensive/fancy pastry flour and many flour grades in between...as well as butter/lard/shortening/ margarine/oil and multiple combinations of the above, all with great success.
The secret is in understanding the chemistry behind the process.
(Now...don't get discouraged by the word "chemistry" as it's just a technical term for "trick" :)
What happens is...
a chemical reaction occurs between the COLD butter/shortening, the flour, and the high heat of the oven.
Thus... the secret is to keep the butter/shortening cold as possible...
and ensure that your oven is pre-heated to at least 400 degrees when you first place your pie in the oven to be baked.
That's why everyone tells you not to overwork the dough.
Here's How I Keep Things Hot and Cold.
First. Roll out your dough and put it into the pie pan--then pop it, pan and all, into the freezer for at least 7 to 10 minutes. HINT: I often prepare several crusts and store them in the freezer (I nestle the dough-lined pans together, with wax paper in between). I store them in plastic bags (the gallon Zip Lock bags work well) they will keep nicely for about a year.
These make super quick and convenient pie crusts for future use...also...they allow you to give a home-made pie as a gift with minimal effort, time, and money, But I digress.
You cannot get the crust too cold.
Second. While you're rolling out the dough, or waiting for it to get super cold,
pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees.
This is very important.
Make sure it's at least 400 degrees before putting in your pie.
Third. Quickly fill your pie crust. If I'm using a dense filler like fruit and the like (as opposed to pumpkin etc.) I will fill the cold pie crust and then pop it into the freezer, filling and all, for a quick 5 to 10 minutes, just for insurance. After putting the chilled, filled pie into the pre-heated 400 degree oven I set the timer for 10 minutes. After the first ten minutes I then turn the oven temperature down to 350 degrees (this is important as a consistent high heat may cause the pie to burn if you leave it on longer than ten or 15 minutes) then continue baking as the recipe suggests. The first ten minutes are crucial. The high heat causes the fat molecules in the butter/shortening to fuse with the wheat molecules in the flour...thus creating a flaky crust. Yes. Really...it's true and quite amazing. NOTE: This chilling technique also works well when making shortbread cookies or any sort of butter cookie.Here's the Secret to Perfectly Flaky
(Not Soggy)
Pie or Tart Crusts...
Really and Truly.
Monet's Apple Tarts------------
Several weeks ago, my friend Clarice, from Storybook Woods tagged me for a
"25 Random Things About Me" challenge on Facebook
(where I have two friends total...Clarice and Dana...
Hi Clarice and Dana!). I recently got to it and this is what happened.
---
Okay...
One of the random things I listed was the secret/ability to make a perfectly flaky pie crust. I offered to share it if anyone was interested and Clarice expressed a desire to know...
So...Shusshhhh...Here's the Secret.
Any pie crust recipe will do...I just use a basic recipe.
The trick is not in the crust ingredients, believe it or not. I have used basic all-purpose flour, expensive/fancy pastry flour and many flour grades in between...as well as butter/lard/shortening/ margarine/oil and multiple combinations of the above, all with great success.
The secret is in understanding the chemistry behind the process.
(Now...don't get discouraged by the word "chemistry" as it's just a technical term for "trick" :)
What happens is...
a chemical reaction occurs between the COLD butter/shortening, the flour, and the high heat of the oven.
Thus... the secret is to keep the butter/shortening cold as possible...
and ensure that your oven is pre-heated to at least 400 degrees when you first place your pie in the oven to be baked.
That's why everyone tells you not to overwork the dough.
Here's How I Keep Things Hot and Cold.
First. Roll out your dough and put it into the pie pan--then pop it, pan and all, into the freezer for at least 7 to 10 minutes. HINT: I often prepare several crusts and store them in the freezer (I nestle the dough-lined pans together, with wax paper in between). I store them in plastic bags (the gallon Zip Lock bags work well) they will keep nicely for about a year.
These make super quick and convenient pie crusts for future use...also...they allow you to give a home-made pie as a gift with minimal effort, time, and money, But I digress.
You cannot get the crust too cold.
Second. While you're rolling out the dough, or waiting for it to get super cold,
pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees.
This is very important.
Make sure it's at least 400 degrees before putting in your pie.
Words of Warning: Beware!! Once you learn this trick you will want to bake pies all the time...and eat your own baking. This can be dangerous to your waistline. I am speaking from experience. I gained a LOT of weight after learning this trick because I was baking (and EATING) pies almost daily. In fact everything became a pie-filling to me! Because the crusts were so light and flaky, I just kept eating. The delicious taste & texture, along with the wonder and magic of turning ordinary butter/shortening and flour into this delicious new treat kept me going back for more! I now bake much less often. When I do bake, I serve it specifically as a dessert...and then quickly box the extras to give away. (Mike takes them to work for everyone to enjoy, or I share them with the neighbors). I'm still working at whittling my waistline down to a semblance of its former (smaller) size. Hind-sight is twenty-twenty, and I've learned it is a lot easier to abstain from eating than to lose the extra inches once they've arrived! Exercise helps. :) But then, you probably know this already!
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All Warnings Aside...
This is a Lovely Skill To Possess.
Please see below...
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STOCK YOUR GIFT PANTRY (TM) WITH TARTS & PIES.
Here's how...
