The Everything Pie Cookbook (4 page)

made of shiny metal to reflect the heat away. If you do not wish to buy one,

you can easily make one with aluminum foil. Simply wrap the edge of the

pie in a 3-inch-wide strip of foil, shiny side out.

techniques for perfect pastry Crusts

For some the thought of making a pie from scratch can be daunting, but it

is truly easy with the right technique. Taking the time to make a properly

baked crust from scratch can be the difference between a good pie and a

pie that will become the star of the meal. Below are tips to help you make

delicious, perfectly formed pastry crusts.

rolling Out pastry

Rolling out pastry requires a little know-how. For many people, the

rolling-out process is the most frustrating. From crusts that stick to crusts that

crack or develop holes and tears, it is easy to understand why rolling out pie

dough can be intimidating, but it does not have to be. It is important to note

that much of the gluten in pie crust is formed during this stage, so working

with well-rested, cold pastry is a must. The following tips will make rolling out

your pie crusts much easier and prevent many common problems.

• Once the pastry dough is formed, be sure to let it rest in the refrigera-

tor for at least thirty minutes. This will help the gluten formed in the

initial mix relax so that when you roll out the dough, it will not spring

back.

8

• Dust your work surface evenly with all-purpose flour, but do not use

too much. You can always add more if the pastry begins to stick, but

if you add too much it can make your pastry tough.

• When rolling, use light, even pressure to avoid thin spots and never

roll the pin off the edge of the dough. Instead stop the pin just at the

edge. Do not worry if it looks thick; when you turn the dough, it will

flatten out.

• Roll from the middle out, meaning place the pin in the center of the

dough and roll once up to the top, then return to the center and roll

once back toward you. Do not roll the pin back and forth across the

dough as this will cause friction that will warm the dough and make

it tough.

• Turn the dough one-quarter turn after each series of strokes with the

rolling pin. This will help keep the dough round, even out thick spots,

and prevent sticking.

• Dust the bottom and top of the dough lightly throughout the rolling

process with flour, especially if things get sticky.

• If the dough starts to spring back, stop rolling and chill it, wrapped

in plastic, for thirty minutes. This will relax the gluten and prevent

shrinking.

Lining a pie pan

Lining your pie pan may sound easy, but this is an area where many

bakers run into trouble. The most important thing to remember is that you

should never pull the dough; rather you should press it into place. Pulling

the dough will stretch it, which can result in cracking and shrinking during

baking. Also, remember to roll the dough out at least 3 inches wider than

the pan it will go in so that you have enough overhand for a fluted edge.

Once the pan is lined, trim the overhanging dough to 1 inch of the pan’s

edge, then tuck the dough under so that you have a double thickness of

dough around the rim. Flute or crimp the dough as desired. To further pre-

vent shrinking and cracking, chill the dough for at least thirty minutes before

filling and baking.

C h a p t e r 1
  P i e  Bas iC s

9

Pie .crusts .can .be .made .up .and .frozen .before .baking .for .as .long .as .

two .months . .To .save .room .in .the .freezer, .you .can .stack .them . .Place .a .

piece .of .parchment .or .wax .paper .between .each .crust .to .help .prevent .

sticking . .When .you .are .ready .to .bake, .you .can .fill .the .frozen .crust .and .

proceed .per .the .recipe .directions, .adding .an .additional .five .minutes .to .

the .cooking .time . .This .is .a .great .get-ahead .tip .for .the .holidays!

Using pie Weights

Pie weights are used for weighing down crusts while
blind baking
, or

baking without the intended filling such as with cream pies. When blind

baking, be sure your weights fill the pie crust nearly to the top so that

the sides get adequate support, which will prevent slipping or collapse.

The easiest and least expensive options for pie weights are dry beans.

Beans heat evenly and are not too heavy, so the crust will not become

compressed.

Can I use my baking beans for soup later?

Sadly, .no . .Once .you .use .the .beans .for .pie .weights, .you .cannot .use .

them .for .any .other .purpose . .Happily, .if .you .store .them .properly, .you .

can .reuse .them .for .years . .Once .the .beans .are .cool, .store .them .in .an .

airtight .container .and .be .sure .to .mark .them .as .baking .beans . .Making .a .

soup .with .baking .beans .is .a .mistake .you .do .not .want .to .make .

Ceramic pie weights are available in kitchen and gourmet stores.

Ceramic weights hold down the crust well, and since they get hot while bak-

ing, they help ensure the crust cooks evenly. You will need at least 2 cups

of ceramic weights to weight down a pie and to hold the sides of the crust

in place. A third option is pie chains. Pie chains are metal beads on a thin

chain that are wound around the bottom of a pie crust. Pie chains will hold

the bottom of a pie crust down, but they do little to help support the sides of

the crust.

10

pie Varieties

If you can think of it, you can most likely make it into a pie. Pies come in

numerous flavors, textures, and sizes. Knowing, and understanding, the type

of pie you are making will help you to be successful. Since the certain types

of pies are generally cooked in the same way, knowing the pie type will also

help you know where you might run into problems and how to fix them.

•
Quiche
is an egg-based custard filling baked in an unbaked, or par-

baked, pastry crust. It can be filled with a variety of meats, vegeta-

bles, and cheeses. Quiche is popular for breakfast, brunch, and even

dinner, and can be made to suit any theme.

•
Potpies
are pastry-encased savory pies with creamy sauces. Most pot-

pies are filled with a kind of meat, typically chicken, turkey, or beef,

along with diced vegetables or rice. Potpies are an economical way to

feed a crowd and a good way to use up leftover meat and vegetables.

•
Fruit pies
can be filled with raw, preserved, or cooked fruit. These

pies can be topped with a full crust, a lattice, or a crumb topping, or

left open-faced. Fresh seasonal fruit makes delicious pies; however,

pies are a good place to use preserved or frozen fruit.

•
Cream pies
are pies with a pudding or pastry cream filling that is

cooked before being poured into a fully baked crust. Most of the fill-

ings used in cream pies are starch thickened, with either cornstarch

or flour. Meringues and whipped cream are traditional toppings for

cream pies.

•
Custard pies
are pies with an uncooked custard filling placed in an

uncooked or partially cooked crust and then baked. As the pie bakes,

the filling cooks until it sets and the crust bakes. Examples of cus-

tard pies include pecan pie, pumpkin pie, and chess pie. Beware of

overcooking custard pies. Overcooking can cause them to become

watery or grainy.

•
Chiffon pies
have a light, fluffy texture thanks to whipped egg whites,

and sometimes whipped cream, that are folded into a flavorful base.

Gelatin is typically used to help these pies set and retain their cloud-

like texture. Chiffon pies may contain raw egg whites, which can be

dangerous for people with certain health issues. If raw egg whites are

a concern, use pasteurized egg whites.

C h a p t e r 1
  P i e  Bas iC s

11

•
Hand pies
, or pocket pies, are simply large pies that have been scaled

down to a more portable size. They can be either sweet or savory and

can be either baked or deep-fried.

tips for Special Diets

More and more people are on special diets. Be it due to an allergy, a medi-

cal condition, or a healthy living preference, knowing how to make pies for

friends and family members with special dietary considerations is valuable.

Modern food science makes it possible to cook delicious pies for any diet

without missing a thing!

Sugar Substitutes

Over the last ten years, sugar substitutes have improved in flavor and

function. Granulated sucralose is an increasingly popular option in diabetic

cooking. Since sucralose can be measured cup for cup like sugar, it also

makes conversions easy. When using sucralose in fruit pies, there will be

less liquid released by the fruit before baking, but the juices will release

during cooking, so do not reduce the amount of thickener. In cream-pie fill-

ings cooked on the stove, reduce the heat used for cooking the custard to

medium-low. If the filling becomes lumpy while simmering, blend the filling

in a blender for a few seconds to release the lumps, then return to the stove

to cook for a minute or two.

Some pies, like custard pies or nut pies, contain corn syrup. Agave syrup

is a good substitute for corn syrup. While it contains natural sugars, it is low

on the glycemic index and does not cause spikes in blood sugar like regu-

lar sugar or corn syrup. To substitute agave syrup for corn syrup, you should

use half of the amount because agave syrup is sweeter. You may need to

increase the liquid in the recipe. In nut pies, an additional egg should do the

trick.

Gluten-Free Substitutes

Gluten intolerance and celiac disease are conditions where the body can-

not process gluten, causing pain and other physical symptoms. Gluten-free

baking requires mixing different types of gluten-free flours, such as brown or

12

white rice, sorghum, and potato flours. These flours are often available at nat-

ural food stores or on the Internet. Baking mixes for those with gluten intol-

erance are becoming readily available in grocery stores and can be used to

make crusts as well. For cookie crusts, gluten-free cookies can be easily used

with no significant changes. Cornstarch is naturally gluten-free and can be

used for thickening fruit pies and custards in place of flour. Fresh fruits and

vegetables, as well as fresh meat, eggs, and most fats, are also gluten-free. Be

sure to check processed foods, like sausages, for gluten content since pro-

cessed foods often contain wheat, gluten, or gluten by-products.

pies for Vegans

Vegan and vegetarian diets are very popular and the numbers of peo-

ple following them are on the rise. Knowing how to make pies that can be

enjoyed by everyone, regardless of dietary restrictions, may seem difficult

but it does not have to be. Happily there are a variety of products available

in most grocery stores that can make pie making for vegans a breeze!

• The easiest substitution for vegan baking is fat. Vegetable shortening

is a excellent option to replace butter or lard in pastry crusts, how-

ever if you want to use something with more flavor look into vegan

butter substitutes. Many are suitable for baking, but be sure to check

the label. Because vegan butter substitutes are softer than butter it is a

good idea to pop it in the freezer for a few minutes before use. Butter

in pie fillings can be replaced with vegan butter substitute, or with oils

such as coconut oil, olive oil, or canola oil.

• Soy milk and almond milk are good replacements for regular dairy

milk in pie fillings, while coconut cream, the thickened part of coco-

nut milk, is a good replacement for dairy cream in pie fillings. Cer-

tain products like sour cream and cream cheese can be replaced by

silken tofu blended with a little lemon juice for tang.

• Eggs are used in many pie recipes and can be a little tricky to replace

depending on their function in the recipe. In quiche and custard pies

where the eggs act as thickeners silken tofu can replace eggs in a

ratio of ¼ cup blended tofu mixed with 2 teaspoons of cornstarch per

egg. Another option is to use fruit or vegetable puree in place of eggs

where the function is flavor and texture. Applesauce, pureed banana,

C h a p t e r 1
  P i e  Bas iC s

13

and pureed squash can replace eggs but can also change the flavor of

the pie. They are used in a ratio of ¼ cup of puree per egg.

• For savory pies, such as potpies and quiche, meat and cheese are

easily replaced by soy products. Soy cheese, for example, is available

in most grocery stores and provides the flavor and melting qualities

of regular cheese. Soy cheese is frequently located in the produce

department in grocery stores. Chicken, beef, and pork products, such

as sausage and bacon, can be replaced with soy- or vegetable-based