curran@barnum.DEC (Karen Curran 231-5233) (10/01/85)
I would like to get a discussion going on the making of pie crusts. What makes them turn out great ?? I've made a successful pie crust only a couple of times out of many many tries. What I would consider successful is, it rolls out without breaking, crumbling, and after baking is flaky and melts in your mouth !!! The rolling is definitely made easier by using a pastry cloth and a sock for your rolling pin. I have a feeling that temperature makes a difference. What temperature works best for the shortening and what for the water. I know there are cold water pastries and hot water pastries, is one easier to work with than the other ? thanks Karen Curran
davidh@utrc-2at.UUCP (David M Haynes) (10/06/85)
> > I would like to get a discussion going on the making of pie crusts. > What makes them turn out great ?? I've made a successful pie crust > only a couple of times out of many many tries. What I would consider > successful is, it rolls out without breaking, crumbling, and > after baking is flaky and melts in your mouth !!! > > The rolling is definitely made easier by using a pastry cloth and > a sock for your rolling pin. > > I have a feeling that temperature makes a difference. What temperature > works best for the shortening and what for the water. I know there > are cold water pastries and hot water pastries, is one easier to > work with than the other ? > > thanks > > Karen Curran One of the best tricks I know with pie crusts is to pinch to flour and shortening (lard, whatever) together with your fingers. This produces the "flake" effect you want. (never fails with me anyway) -david- ...!utzoo!yetti!utrc-2at!david or ..!utzoo!ecrhub!david
stryker@dicomed.UUCP (d. j. stryker) (10/14/85)
<<>> The best explanation of making a good pie crust I've found is in Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. There's a detailed recipe with pictures for every step of the way. The important thing is to not overwork the dough when you are first mixing in the butter and shortening. just quickly work it together with your fingers until it gets oatmeal-like. You don't want to homoginize the fat in too much, or the crust won't have a flakey texture. And take it easy with the water. I tried my hand at a couple of apple pies yesterday. Harrelson apples fresh from the Orchard. Yum, yum. Don
dianet@iddic.UUCP (Diane Tierney) (10/15/85)
> The rolling is definitely made easier by using a pastry cloth and > a sock for your rolling pin. If you don't want to mess with pastry cloth or a sock, use 2 sheets of floured wax paper....works great!!
strickln@ihlpa.UUCP (stricklen) (10/16/85)
Noticing the interest in pie crust recipes, I felt compelled to add this note. Never having had any success at making pie crusts, I asked a chef at one of my favorite restaurants for tips on how to make them. He answered that he thought pies were the most difficult pastries to make, and he never attempted them! Steve Stricklen AT&T Bell Laboratories ihnp4!ihlpa!strickln