"Vox Humana" > wrote in message >.. .
> "N. Thornton" > wrote in message
> m...

> > > I think you are making this more difficult that need be.
> >
> > I'm all ears to an effective method.
> >
> > > I also don't
> > > understand why someone would choose to make a giant pie with a filling
> so
> > > viscous that it would hold up to being sliced into 30 pieces rather than
> > > making several pies with a pleasing consistency. While it would be more
> > > work, I would consider making 30 tarts that don't have to be sliced into
> > > portions rather than one industrial size pie.
> >
> > Maing lots of litluns would be way more work and yield a mere fraction
> > of the final pie volume. Quadrupling ones workload per serving is
> > clearly not the way to do it.
> >
> > Regarding the consistency I think a pie that is just about set enough
> > to cut and handle can be pleasing, without being in any way hard. But
> > we shall see once I figure it out, I could be wrong.


> You have already been given an effective method. I never bake lemon pies
> made with curd. Curd is made on the range top and poured into a baked pie
> shell, then refrigerated. You can only make curd so viscous. Heating it
> beyond about 180 will scramble the eggs. You have a window between about
> 160F and 180F. Above or below that you will have problems. You need to get
> a thermometer. The suggestion about the plastic wrap involved putting it on
> the curd before refrigerating it. Again, the pie doesn't go into the oven,
> with or without plastic. The plastic helps prevent a skin from forming on
> the curd. Personally, I think that the rough surface left when you pull off
> the plastic ruins the appearance of the filling, so you have to balance the
> absence of a surface skin with the aftermath of pulling off the plastic
> film.
>
> If you are making a huge round pie, the problem is that the slices are going
> to be very long and narrow. If each slice is 2 inches wide, the
> circumference of the pie would be 60 inches requiring a pie with a 19 inch
> diameter. A three inch slice would be 14 inches long and require a pie with
> a 28 inch diameter. A 3 x 14 inch piece of pie would be very hard to remove
> from the pan, require a huge serving plate, and would be too large a
> serving. No edible pie pastry will hold together over a 9 or 14 inch
> length, let alone the issue with the filling. Most home ovens are too small
> to hold a 19 or 28 inch diameter pan. So, unless you are a professional
> baker, you wouldn't be able to produce the large pie. I would just make 4,
> 9 inch pies and be done with it. Four pies will be less work, quicker, and
> have fewer problems than one huge pie. The crust will be edible and the
> filling won't have to be the consistency of a gum eraser. On the other
> hand, if you are just trying to set some record or impress someone with a
> size fixation, then the quality of the product is going to be secondary or
> you will have a large pie that disintegrates upon serving.


I am much amused by the mental picture this conjures up, of enormously
long shards of pie Seriously though, I will be baking a rectangular
pie and cutting into square portions, and freezing the end result.
This will not be fridged. I have the equipment to do this, at least I
have the kit to cook the filling in situ: I cant think of anything I
could do a giant bain marie with. No, I definitely dont have the
equipment for a 3 litre bain marie.

I accept bain marie-ing the curd might possibly be the only way to go,
but not only do I not have the kit, it also does not really fit very
well with my aims here.

Before giving in too easily I am going to try and see if this can
work, ie by filling raw and baking whole. I propose to use a mix of
pineapple juice, fresh lemon juice and peel, eggs, and oats. Perhaps a
tub of cream cheese too would be nice. I'll cut back on the eggs as
far as I dare to get a weak set, maybe 8 eggs in 2.5 litres of mix,
with a little oats to add a bit more of a soft set as well.

I figured out I can cover the pie top with oiled paper to help avoid
crusting, and bake as usual.

Do you think this could work?


Regards, NT