I would like to know if anyone has any advice on how to make a pie
crust that is flaky and easy to prepare. I've just starting to do
more baking and I am not familiar with many tips on pie crust recipes.
Thanks

"michele" wrote in message
om...
I would like to know if anyone has any advice on how to make a pie
crust that is flaky and easy to prepare. I've just starting to do
more baking and I am not familiar with many tips on pie crust recipes.
Thanks

There are two qualities that people look for in pie pastry. It should be
flaky and tender. Flakiness comes from bits of fat in the dough.
Tenderness comes from low gluten development. Both of these qualities are
enhanced from keeping mixing to a minimum. I prefer to make pie pastry in
the food processor, although you can make it in a bowl using a pastry cutter
or two knives to cut the fat into the flour. I like to use 6 oz ( 14
tablespoons) of butter and 4 tablespoons of shortening for the fat. It is
important to keep the fat (especially the butter) very cold. I use 1 1/2
cups of all purpose flour and 1/2 cup cake flour. The cake flour is low in
proteins that produce gluten.

For the food processor method:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cake flour
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks butter) very cold (preferably frozen) cut into
small pieces
4 tablespoons shortening, very cold
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg yolk - optional
2 tablespoons of sugar if making a sweet pastry
1/4 cup water, and more if need

Put the flour, salt, and sugar if using, into the FP bowl and pulse a few
times. Add the cold butter and pulse about 6 times. Add the shortening and
egg yolk. With the FP running, slowly add the water until the dough forms
lumps about the size of walnuts. Stop the FP and dump the mixture onto the
counter. Bring the dough together. Divide into two pieces and flatten each
into a disk. Wrap with plastic film and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to
2 days. May be frozen at this point.

If making by hand, mix the flour and salt. Using a pasty blender (pasty
cutter) or two knives, cut the butter and shortening into the flour. It
should resemble coarse meal. Slowly add the water while mixing with a fork.
When it is uniformly moist, bring it together and proceed as above.

Making pie pastry takes some practice so don't be discouraged if it isn't
perfect at first.

michele wrote:
I would like to know if anyone has any advice on how to make a pie
crust that is flaky and easy to prepare. I've just starting to do
more baking and I am not familiar with many tips on pie crust recipes.
Thanks

http://www.cmcchef.com/piedough.html

Disregard the recipes, Michele.

It will explain why a piecrust becomes mealy and why flaky.
--=20
Sincerly,

C=3D=A6-)=A7 H. W. Hans Kuntze, CMC, S.g.K. (_o_)
http://www.cmcchef.com ,
"Don't cry because it's over, Smile because it Happened"
_/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/

-------------- * Easy Recipe Deluxe Export Format 1.3 * --------------

Title: My Never Fail Pastry
Recipe By:
Category: Pastry; Peagram; Family
Main Ingredient:
Cuisine Style:
Yield: 4 Servings
Preparation Time: 0:00
Cooking Time: 0:00

[Amount] [Measure] [Ingredient (or Header)] -- [Preparation]
---------- ------------ ----------------------------------------------
*********************** MMMMMMM BY H. PEAGRAM ***********************
1 lb Shortening
5 cup Flour
2 tsp Salt
1 medium Egg
1 tbsp Vinegar
;Cold water

[Preparation]
Beat egg in measuring cup. Add cold water to measure 1 cup. Add 1
tbsp vinegar. Put 1/2 dry ingredients in processor. Add liquid,
about 1/2 cup while processing til mixture forms a lump. Repeat.
Combine 2 lots and let rest for 30 minutes or more. Make pie crusts
as usual. I prefer using a heavy pastry cloth.

- - - - - - - - - - - http://www.wensoftware.com - - - - - - - - - - -




--
Helen

Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith that
saves is faith in Him

www.peagramfamily.com
http://www.mompeagram.homestead.com/

225/207/145
"michele" wrote in message
om...
I would like to know if anyone has any advice on how to make a pie
crust that is flaky and easy to prepare. I've just starting to do
more baking and I am not familiar with many tips on pie crust recipes.
Thanks

My family has loved my pie crust for years. I use a 50/50 mix of cake
and AP flour.....and I use only LARD. I just don't tell them! The
secret is Frozen cut lard pieces going into the food processor, and Ice
Water. I divide into 2, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at
least a full hour before working.
If making a fruit pie, like apple, cherry, etc; before putting the
fruit into the crust, lay down a thin layer or peach or apricot
preserves. This will keep the fruit juice from going down into your
crust, making it soggy, before it bakes.

wrote in message
...
My family has loved my pie crust for years. I use a 50/50 mix of cake
and AP flour.....and I use only LARD. I just don't tell them! The
secret is Frozen cut lard pieces going into the food processor, and Ice
Water. I divide into 2, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at
least a full hour before working.
If making a fruit pie, like apple, cherry, etc; before putting the
fruit into the crust, lay down a thin layer or peach or apricot
preserves. This will keep the fruit juice from going down into your
crust, making it soggy, before it bakes.


I tired lard and it did go well. The only lard I could find was some in a
box like butter comes in. Maybe if the lard was frozen it would have worked
better, but the stuff was at room temperature and melted virtually upon
touching it. I know that I had elderly family members who make lard crusts
and I doubt that they froze the lard first. Did I buy the wrong type of
lard or were the problems due to my technique? I make a pretty good crust
with butter.

"Vox Humana" wrote in
:


"michele" wrote in message
om...
I would like to know if anyone has any advice on how to make a pie
crust that is flaky and easy to prepare. I've just starting to do
more baking and I am not familiar with many tips on pie crust
recipes.
Thanks

There are two qualities that people look for in pie pastry. It should
be flaky and tender. Flakiness comes from bits of fat in the dough.
Tenderness comes from low gluten development. Both of these qualities
are enhanced from keeping mixing to a minimum. I prefer to make pie
pastry in the food processor, although you can make it in a bowl using
a pastry cutter or two knives to cut the fat into the flour. I like
to use 6 oz ( 14 tablespoons) of butter and 4 tablespoons of
shortening for the fat. It is important to keep the fat (especially
the butter) very cold. I use 1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour and 1/2
cup cake flour. The cake flour is low in proteins that produce
gluten.

For the food processor method:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cake flour
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks butter) very cold (preferably frozen) cut
into small pieces
4 tablespoons shortening, very cold
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg yolk - optional
2 tablespoons of sugar if making a sweet pastry
1/4 cup water, and more if need

Put the flour, salt, and sugar if using, into the FP bowl and pulse a
few times. Add the cold butter and pulse about 6 times. Add the
shortening and egg yolk. With the FP running, slowly add the water
until the dough forms lumps about the size of walnuts. Stop the FP
and dump the mixture onto the counter. Bring the dough together.
Divide into two pieces and flatten each into a disk. Wrap with
plastic film and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 2 days. May be
frozen at this point.

If making by hand, mix the flour and salt. Using a pasty blender
(pasty cutter) or two knives, cut the butter and shortening into the
flour. It should resemble coarse meal. Slowly add the water while
mixing with a fork. When it is uniformly moist, bring it together and
proceed as above.

Making pie pastry takes some practice so don't be discouraged if it
isn't perfect at first.



Vox, you always offer such wonderful and detailed advice. I recall you
having posting this before and, although I've always made great pie
crust, began following your method. Now my crusts are even better!

Wayne

"Vox Humana" wrote in
:


wrote in message
...
My family has loved my pie crust for years. I use a 50/50 mix of
cake and AP flour.....and I use only LARD. I just don't tell them!
The secret is Frozen cut lard pieces going into the food processor,
and Ice Water. I divide into 2, wrap in plastic wrap and
refrigerate for at least a full hour before working.
If making a fruit pie, like apple, cherry, etc; before putting
the
fruit into the crust, lay down a thin layer or peach or apricot
preserves. This will keep the fruit juice from going down into your
crust, making it soggy, before it bakes.


I tired lard and it did go well. The only lard I could find was some
in a box like butter comes in. Maybe if the lard was frozen it would
have worked better, but the stuff was at room temperature and melted
virtually upon touching it. I know that I had elderly family members
who make lard crusts and I doubt that they froze the lard first. Did
I buy the wrong type of lard or were the problems due to my technique?
I make a pretty good crust with butter.

You're correct that our elders would not have frozen the lard. However,
they were probably using a somewhat different type of lard called "leaf
lard". It has a much firmer texture and, aside from that, simply make a
better crust. Unfortunately, leaf lard is rather difficult to find. You
might check with you butcher and ask if they can get it for you.

Wayne

On Wed, 15 Oct 2003 05:04:32 GMT
Wayne Boatwright wrote:

"Vox Humana" wrote in
:


wrote in message
...
My family has loved my pie crust for years. I use a 50/50 mix of
cake and AP flour.....and I use only LARD. I just don't tell
them! The secret is Frozen cut lard pieces going into the food
processor, and Ice Water. I divide into 2, wrap in plastic wrap
and refrigerate for at least a full hour before working.
If making a fruit pie, like apple, cherry, etc; before putting
the
fruit into the crust, lay down a thin layer or peach or apricot
preserves. This will keep the fruit juice from going down into
your crust, making it soggy, before it bakes.


I tired lard and it did go well. The only lard I could find was
some in a box like butter comes in. Maybe if the lard was frozen it
would have worked better, but the stuff was at room temperature and
melted virtually upon touching it. I know that I had elderly family
members who make lard crusts and I doubt that they froze the lard
first. Did I buy the wrong type of lard or were the problems due to
my technique?
I make a pretty good crust with butter.

You're correct that our elders would not have frozen the lard.
However, they were probably using a somewhat different type of lard
called "leaf lard". It has a much firmer texture and, aside from
that, simply make a better crust. Unfortunately, leaf lard is rather
difficult to find. You might check with you butcher and ask if they
can get it for you.


What about Manteca?

Eric Jorgensen wrote in
:

On Wed, 15 Oct 2003 05:04:32 GMT
Wayne Boatwright wrote:

"Vox Humana" wrote in
:


wrote in message
...
My family has loved my pie crust for years. I use a 50/50 mix of
cake and AP flour.....and I use only LARD. I just don't tell
them! The secret is Frozen cut lard pieces going into the food
processor, and Ice Water. I divide into 2, wrap in plastic wrap
and refrigerate for at least a full hour before working.
If making a fruit pie, like apple, cherry, etc; before putting
the
fruit into the crust, lay down a thin layer or peach or apricot
preserves. This will keep the fruit juice from going down into
your crust, making it soggy, before it bakes.


I tired lard and it did go well. The only lard I could find was
some in a box like butter comes in. Maybe if the lard was frozen it
would have worked better, but the stuff was at room temperature and
melted virtually upon touching it. I know that I had elderly family
members who make lard crusts and I doubt that they froze the lard
first. Did I buy the wrong type of lard or were the problems due to
my technique?
I make a pretty good crust with butter.

You're correct that our elders would not have frozen the lard.
However, they were probably using a somewhat different type of lard
called "leaf lard". It has a much firmer texture and, aside from
that, simply make a better crust. Unfortunately, leaf lard is rather
difficult to find. You might check with you butcher and ask if they
can get it for you.


What about Manteca?



I'm unfamiliar with Manteca. What is it?

"michele" wrote in message
om...
I would like to know if anyone has any advice on how to make a pie
crust that is flaky and easy to prepare.

My grandmother taught me to cut your fat in twice: first time like cornmeal
(for tenderness) and the second time to pea-size (for flakiness).
Everything (even flour if possible) should be cold, cold, cold.

I like to use 1/3 butter, 1/3 shortening and 1/3 lard. Lard makes the
flakiest crust, so I add it in for the second cut.

BTW, remember if using margarine to use the stick kind, not the whipped.

"Wayne Boatwright" wrote in message
. ..
"Vox Humana" wrote in
:


wrote in message
...
My family has loved my pie crust for years. I use a 50/50 mix of
cake and AP flour.....and I use only LARD. I just don't tell them!
The secret is Frozen cut lard pieces going into the food processor,
and Ice Water. I divide into 2, wrap in plastic wrap and
refrigerate for at least a full hour before working.
If making a fruit pie, like apple, cherry, etc; before putting
the
fruit into the crust, lay down a thin layer or peach or apricot
preserves. This will keep the fruit juice from going down into your
crust, making it soggy, before it bakes.


I tired lard and it did go well. The only lard I could find was some
in a box like butter comes in. Maybe if the lard was frozen it would
have worked better, but the stuff was at room temperature and melted
virtually upon touching it. I know that I had elderly family members
who make lard crusts and I doubt that they froze the lard first. Did
I buy the wrong type of lard or were the problems due to my technique?
I make a pretty good crust with butter.

You're correct that our elders would not have frozen the lard. However,
they were probably using a somewhat different type of lard called "leaf
lard". It has a much firmer texture and, aside from that, simply make a
better crust. Unfortunately, leaf lard is rather difficult to find. You
might check with you butcher and ask if they can get it for you.

Wayne

You are probably right about the lard. The relatives I am thinking of lived
on farms and butchered their own pigs.

"Wayne Boatwright" wrote in message
. ..
"Vox Humana" wrote in
:


"michele" wrote in message
om...
I would like to know if anyone has any advice on how to make a pie
crust that is flaky and easy to prepare. I've just starting to do
more baking and I am not familiar with many tips on pie crust
recipes.
Thanks

There are two qualities that people look for in pie pastry. It should
be flaky and tender. Flakiness comes from bits of fat in the dough.
Tenderness comes from low gluten development. Both of these qualities
are enhanced from keeping mixing to a minimum. I prefer to make pie
pastry in the food processor, although you can make it in a bowl using
a pastry cutter or two knives to cut the fat into the flour. I like
to use 6 oz ( 14 tablespoons) of butter and 4 tablespoons of
shortening for the fat. It is important to keep the fat (especially
the butter) very cold. I use 1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour and 1/2
cup cake flour. The cake flour is low in proteins that produce
gluten.

For the food processor method:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cake flour
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks butter) very cold (preferably frozen) cut
into small pieces
4 tablespoons shortening, very cold
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg yolk - optional
2 tablespoons of sugar if making a sweet pastry
1/4 cup water, and more if need

Put the flour, salt, and sugar if using, into the FP bowl and pulse a
few times. Add the cold butter and pulse about 6 times. Add the
shortening and egg yolk. With the FP running, slowly add the water
until the dough forms lumps about the size of walnuts. Stop the FP
and dump the mixture onto the counter. Bring the dough together.
Divide into two pieces and flatten each into a disk. Wrap with
plastic film and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 2 days. May be
frozen at this point.

If making by hand, mix the flour and salt. Using a pasty blender
(pasty cutter) or two knives, cut the butter and shortening into the
flour. It should resemble coarse meal. Slowly add the water while
mixing with a fork. When it is uniformly moist, bring it together and
proceed as above.

Making pie pastry takes some practice so don't be discouraged if it
isn't perfect at first.



Vox, you always offer such wonderful and detailed advice. I recall you
having posting this before and, although I've always made great pie
crust, began following your method. Now my crusts are even better!

Wayne

Thanks. I can't take much credit for this as it is basically Julia Child's
recipe from "The Way to Cook." I have tried a lot of different recipes and
techniques and this one seems to have the best combination of flavor,
flakiness, tenderness, and ease of handling.

"CG" wrote in message
...

"michele" wrote in message
om...
I would like to know if anyone has any advice on how to make a pie
crust that is flaky and easy to prepare.

My grandmother taught me to cut your fat in twice: first time like
cornmeal
(for tenderness) and the second time to pea-size (for flakiness).
Everything (even flour if possible) should be cold, cold, cold.

I like to use 1/3 butter, 1/3 shortening and 1/3 lard. Lard makes the
flakiest crust, so I add it in for the second cut.

BTW, remember if using margarine to use the stick kind, not the whipped.

I would add that not all stick margarine is equal. Some is only 65% fat
while butter is about 80% fat. That said, I can't see any reason to use
margarine. I would just use shortening (regular or butter flavored) since
margarine is basically shortening with water, color, flavoring, and other
assorted things added depending on the brand.

On Wed, 15 Oct 2003 05:43:24 GMT
Wayne Boatwright wrote:

Eric Jorgensen wrote in
:

On Wed, 15 Oct 2003 05:04:32 GMT
Wayne Boatwright wrote:

"Vox Humana" wrote in
:


wrote in message
...
My family has loved my pie crust for years. I use a 50/50 mix
of cake and AP flour.....and I use only LARD. I just don't tell
them! The secret is Frozen cut lard pieces going into the food
processor, and Ice Water. I divide into 2, wrap in plastic wrap
and refrigerate for at least a full hour before working.
If making a fruit pie, like apple, cherry, etc; before
putting the
fruit into the crust, lay down a thin layer or peach or apricot
preserves. This will keep the fruit juice from going down into
your crust, making it soggy, before it bakes.


I tired lard and it did go well. The only lard I could find was
some in a box like butter comes in. Maybe if the lard was frozen
it would have worked better, but the stuff was at room temperature
and melted virtually upon touching it. I know that I had elderly
family members who make lard crusts and I doubt that they froze
the lard first. Did I buy the wrong type of lard or were the
problems due to my technique?
I make a pretty good crust with butter.

You're correct that our elders would not have frozen the lard.
However, they were probably using a somewhat different type of lard
called "leaf lard". It has a much firmer texture and, aside from
that, simply make a better crust. Unfortunately, leaf lard is
rather difficult to find. You might check with you butcher and ask
if they can get it for you.


What about Manteca?



I'm unfamiliar with Manteca. What is it?

Manteca is 'stabalized' lard. In summary, it's hydrogenated so it's
more solid at room temperature, and somehow treated so that it doesn't
require refrigeration either. It's common in mexican food. Or at least
it used to be. I know a lot of people who argue that flour tortillas
just aren't the same without it.

- Eric