13.2 Pie Recipes Using the Pastry Method
Objectives
- Develop skillful manipulative techniques in handling pastry.
- Identify the role of each ingredient in pastry.
- Apply the principles involved in making fruit-filled double-crust and cream-filled single-crust pies.
Pastry Recipe: Single Crust for Cream Pies
Ingredients
- ½ cup sifted flour
- ¼ tsp. salt
- 2 tbsp. lard OR
2 tbsp. + 1½ tsp. vegetable shortening - 1 tbsp. (approx.) cold water
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425°F. Mix flour and salt; cut in fat until the size of small peas. Sprinkle water over the flour mixture while tossing lightly with a fork. Work dough against the side of the bowl until it holds together. Shape the dough into a ball.
On a lightly floured board or countertop, roll dough into a circle about 8 inches in diameter, less than ⅛-inch thick, or until only a slight dent remains when a finger is pressed into the dough. Optional: use pastry guides to keep the thickness even.
Carefully lift and ease into a 6-inch pie pan without stretching. Trim off excess dough, leaving a ¼-1/2 inch overhang; fold this under itself and crimp crust without stretching.
Prick the bottom and side of the crust with a fork. Bake at 425°F for 8–10 minutes or until golden brown. If crust bubbles in the oven, prick with a fork. Cool before filling.
Follow the instructions to make the meringue with the egg white and cream filling with the egg yolk below.
Soft Meringue
Ingredients
- 1 egg white
- 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 2 Tablespoons and 1½ teaspoon sugar
Instructions
Separate one egg using an egg separator. Reserve the yolk for the cream filling.
Add the cream of tartar to the egg white.
Beat to the beginning of the soft peak stage.
Gradually add sugar by teaspoons while beating. Beat to the upper limit soft peak stage. Use immediately.
Vanilla Cream Pie
Ingredients
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 Tablespoons + 1½ teaspoon flour
- dash salt
- 1 cup milk
- 1 egg yolk, slightly beaten
- 2 teaspoons butter
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
Reduce oven temperature to 350° F.
Stir together sugar, flour, and salt in a saucepan. Combine milk and egg yolk and gradually stir into the sugar mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and boils. Boil while stirring for one minute.
Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla. Cover while making the meringue. See above.
Pour hot filling into the pie shell. Do not overfill; leave enough pie crust above the filling to allow the meringue to seal.
Spread all of the meringue evenly over the filling, sealing it to the crust. Make swirls with a spatula, but avoid making sharp peaks or ridges.
Bake at 350°F until golden brown, 10–15 minutes.
Chocolate Cream Pie
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 2 Tablespoons + 1½ teaspoons flour
- dash of salt
- 1 cup milk
- ⅓ oz. unsweetened chocolate, cut up
- 2 teaspoons butter
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
Combine sugar, flour, and salt in a saucepan. Stir in milk and chocolate. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture boils and the chocolate is melted. Boil while stirring for 1 minute.
Gradually add about half the hot mixture to the egg yolk while stirring; then add to the mixture in the saucepan. Stir while bringing to a boil.
Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla. Cover while making meringue.
Pour hot filling into the pie shell. Do not overfill; leave enough pie crust above the filling to allow the meringue to seal.
Spread all of the meringue evenly over the filling, sealing it to the crust. Make swirls with a spatula, but avoid making sharp peaks or ridges.
Bake at 350°F until golden brown, 10–15 minutes.
Lemon Meringue Pie
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 egg yolk, slightly beaten
- ½ cup water
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
Stir together sugar and cornstarch in a small saucepan. Blend egg yolk with water; gradually stir into sugar mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture boils. Boil while stirring for 1 minute.
Remove from heat; stir in butter, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Cover while making meringue.
Pour hot filling into the pie shell. Do not overfill; leave enough pie crust above the filling to allow the meringue to seal.
Spread all of the meringue evenly over the filling, sealing it to the crust. Make swirls with a spatula, but avoid making sharp peaks or ridges.
Bake at 350°F until golden brown, 10–15 minutes.
Butterscotch Cream Pie
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup milk
- 1 egg yolk, slightly beaten
- 2 teaspoons butter
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
Combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a saucepan. Mix water, milk, and egg yolk; gradually add to the starch-sugar mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and boils. Boil while stirring for one minute.
Remove from heat. Stir in butter and vanilla. Cover while making meringue.
Pour hot filling into the pie shell. Do not overfill; leave enough pie crust above the filling to allow the meringue to seal.
Spread all of the meringue evenly over the filling, sealing it to the crust. Make swirls with a spatula, but avoid making sharp peaks or ridges.
Bake at 350°F until golden brown, 10–15 minutes.
Fruit Pie Recipes
Pastry Recipe: Double Crust for Fruit Pies
Ingredients
- 1 cup sifted flour
- ½ tsp. salt
- ¼ cup lard OR
⅓ cup Vegetable shortening - 2 tbsp. (approx.) cold water
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450°F.
Mix flour and salt; cut in fat until the size of small peas. Sprinkle water over the flour mixture while tossing lightly with a fork. Work dough against the side of the bowl until it holds together. Shape the dough into a ball.
Divide dough in half. Roll one half into a circle 8 inches in diameter, less than ⅛ inch thick, or until only a slight dent remains when a finger is pressed into the dough. Optional: use pastry guides to keep the thickness even.
Fit into a 6-inch pie pan without stretching; trim off the excess close to the edge of the pan. Roll out the top crust and cut steam vents.
Place filling (based on recipes below) in the pie shell; moisten the edge of the bottom crust with water. Place the top crust on; press gently around the edge. Cut excess crust, leaving ¼–½-inch overhang; fold this under the bottom crust and crimp the edge.
Place the pie pan on a baking sheet and bake at 450°F for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 400°F and bake 20–30 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and fruit, if raw when placed in pie shell, is cooked.
Apple Pie
Ingredients
- Pastry for 6-inch double-crust pie
- 1½ cups sliced, peeled cooking apples
- 1¼ teaspoon flour
- ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon butter
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
Prepare the pastry recipe above.
Combine apples with dry ingredients and place in a pie shell.
Sprinkle with lemon juice and dot with butter (put small pieces of butter on top of the fruit) before placing the top crust on.
Proceed as directed for a double-crust pie.
Peach Pie
Ingredients
- Pastry for 6-inch double-crust pie
- 1½ teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- 1/6 teaspoon cinnamon
- dash nutmeg
- 2 Tablespoons peach juice from the can
- ¾ cup drained, canned, sliced freestone peaches
- 1 teaspoon butter
Instructions
Prepare the pastry recipe above.
Mix cornstarch, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Blend in peach juice.
Cook in a saucepan over medium heat until thickened. Remove from heat and add peaches and butter. Pour cooked filling into the pie shell.
Proceed as directed for a double-crust pie.
Blueberry Pie
Ingredients
- Pastry for 6-inch double-crust pie
- 1½ teaspoons cornstarch
- 3 Tablespoons sugar
- 2 Tablespoons of berry juice from the can
- ¾ cup drained, canned berries
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon butter
Instructions
Prepare the pastry recipe above.
Mix cornstarch and sugar; blend in berry juice.
Cook in a saucepan over medium heat until thickened. Remove from heat and add berries, lemon juice, and butter. Pour cooked filling into the pie shell.
Proceed as directed for a double-crust pie.
Cherry Pie
Ingredients
- ¾ cup drained, canned sour cherries
- ⅛ teaspoon almond extract
- 2 Tablespoons cherry juice from the can
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons quick-cooking tapioca
- Pastry for 6-inch double-crust pie
- 1 tsp. butter
Instructions
Prepare the pastry recipe above.
Combine all filling ingredients except butter. Let stand 20 minutes.
Pour filling into pie shell and dot with butter (put small pieces of butter on top of the fruit) before placing on top crust.
Proceed as directed for a double-crust pie.
Characteristics of the Standard Product
Pastry
| Appearance | Texture | Flavor |
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Fruit Filling
| Appearance | Texture | Flavor |
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Cream Filling
| Appearance | Texture | Flavor |
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Meringue
| Appearance | Texture | Flavor |
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Sensory Evaluation
| Kind of Pie | Pastry Fat Type | Pastry Appearance | Pastry Texture | Pastry Flavor | Filling Appearance | Filling Texture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vanilla Cream | ||||||
| Chocolate Cream | ||||||
| Lemon Meringue | ||||||
| Butterscotch Cream | ||||||
| Apple | ||||||
| Peach | ||||||
| Blueberry | ||||||
| Cherry |
