The Everything Pie Cookbook (3 page)

purpose flour is usually a blend of flours with high and low gluten con-

tent.
Gluten
is a protein that is formed when the wheat proteins glutenin

and gliadin are mixed with water. Gluten gives baked goods their structure

and helps give pie crusts structure and flakiness. As dough is mixed and

kneaded, gluten forms, and the more you mix, the tougher the gluten will

become. For some baked goods, like breads, a lot of gluten development is

a good thing. In pies, reducing gluten development is preferred for tender-

ness, so it is important to use a light touch when kneading and rolling out

pastry. All-purpose flour can also be used as a thickening agent in some pie

fillings. The starch in the flour absorbs liquid, causing the filling to gel; how-

ever, flour takes some time to cook out the raw taste, making it less desir-

able for its thickening ability in cream-pie fillings. For fruit pies, where there

is a longer baking time, the raw taste of the flour will be cooked away by

the heat of the oven.

In .general, .ingredients .function .in .one .of .two .ways .in .recipes . .The .

first .is .as .a .strengthener . .Strengtheners .are .ingredients .that .help .build .

structure .in .baked .goods .and .include .flour, .milk, .whole .eggs, .and .

egg .whites . .The .second .is .as .a .tenderizer . .These .are .ingredients .that .

weaken .or .help .reduce .the .amount .of .gluten .in .baked .goods . .Some .

tenderizers .include .sugar, .fat, .egg .yolks, .and .leaveners .

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Fat

Fat serves many purposes in baked goods. In pie production, perhaps

the most important role it plays is in the crust. When fat is rubbed into flour,

it acts as a tenderizer, coating some of the flour and preventing the produc-

tion of gluten. As well as tenderizing the crust, fat acts to make pie crusts

flaky. As fat melts in the oven, the water in the fat evaporates, causing steam.

As the steam expands, it causes layers to be created, which results in flaki-

ness. In crumb or cookie crusts, fat is used as a binder to help the crumbs

keep their shape. It also serves to crisp the crumbs and inhibit moisture

absorption from the filling. Butter is the preferred fat for pie fillings since it

has a melt-in-your-mouth feel and superior taste. For pastry crusts, there are

more fats that can be used. Aside from butter, you can also use vegetable

shortening, lard, or even combinations of different fats.

eggs

Eggs are primarily composed of water, protein, and fat. In baked goods,

eggs perform a number of important functions. Beaten whole eggs can be

used as a glaze for pastries. The protein in the eggs will brown and become

shiny during baking, giving the finished product an appealing look. Beaten

eggs can also be used as pastry glue for applying decorative cutouts onto pies

and to seal top and bottom crusts. Egg whites can be whipped to provide

structure and volume in pie fillings. Beat those same egg whites with sugar

and you have a meringue topping for pies. In custard and cream pies, eggs

and egg yolks add flavor and function as thickeners. Egg yolks can also be

added to pie crusts to add flavor and color, and to assist in reducing the gluten.

When .working .with .raw .eggs, .it .is .important .to .avoid .cross .contami-

nation . .Eggs .can .contain .salmonella, .a .bacteria .that .can .cause .the .

foodborne .illness .salmonellosis . .Cross .contamination .happens .when .

ready-to-eat .food .comes .into .contact .with .contaminated .hands, .uten-

sils, .and .surfaces . .Always .wash .your .hands .with .hot .water .and .soap .

after .handling .raw .eggs, .use .a .fresh .whisk .or .spatula .for .cooked .fill-

ings, .and .never .pour .cooked .pie .fillings .into .bowls .that .contained .raw .

or .undercooked .eggs .

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thickeners

Starch thickeners are used to keep pie fillings from becoming runny.

Common starch thickeners in pie include flour, cornstarch, and tapioca.

Thickeners work by absorbing liquid and forming a gel. In fresh fruit pies,

simply toss the fruit with a starch thickener, such as flour or cornstarch,

before baking. The oven heat will activate the starch and thicken the filling.

When adding a starch thickener to a custard or sauce, mix the starch with a

cool liquid before cooking. If the starch is added once the liquid is hot, it will

form lumps. Once the thickener is added, cook only until the mixture begins

to bubble and is just thickened. Overcooking will cause most starches to

lose their thickening power, resulting in a runny filling.

Sugar

In baking, sugar helps aid in the browning of pie crusts and helps

extend the shelf life of your baked goods. There are two forms of sugar

used in baking. The first is granular sugar.
Granular sugars
, such as white,

brown, or powdered sugar, are sugars that come in a dry, or crystalline,

form. These sugars provide sweetness to pies, help control gluten develop-

ment, and help egg whites and heavy cream foam when whipped. The sec-

ond type of sugar comes in liquid form, such as corn syrup, honey, golden

syrup, and molasses. These sugars are classified as
invert sugars
, and they

are hygroscopic, which means they absorb moisture from the atmosphere.

Invert sugars extend the shelf life of baked goods and provide sweetness to

recipes.

Salt

As odd as it may seem, salt plays an important role in pie making.

Salt contributes to tenderizing the crust, but its biggest contribution is in

flavor. When adding salt to a pie crust, it is best to whisk it into the flour

to ensure even distribution. Free-flowing, or table, salt offers the best fla-

vor for most pie recipes, but if you prefer kosher, you will need to add 1½

times the amount of salt to the recipe. Salt is also a flavor component to

fillings, making sweet fillings taste more sweet and helping flavors like

chocolate and spice stand out. Omitting the salt will result in a pie with

lackluster flavor.

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Dairy

After water, milk is one of the most important liquids used in baking.

From whole milk, cream, evaporated milk, and cream cheese, dairy prod-

ucts play a prominent role in many sweet and savory pies. Whole milk is

preferred in pie making for its rich flavor and fat content. Low-fat and skim

milks have much less fat than whole milk, and it is not recommended that

they be used in pies unless specifically called for. Skim milk in particular is

tricky to work with because heating it too long or too vigorously can cause

splitting in custards. When it comes to cheeses, the same rule regarding fat

applies. To achieve the best results, the full-fat versions are preferred since

they do not contain additional emulsifiers or other products that can affect

overall flavor and texture.

A .pie .is .not .the .place .to .use .up .dairy .products .that .are .past .their .

prime . .When .using .dairy .products .in .pie .making, .it .is .best .to .use .the .

freshest .products .available . .If .you .use .old .milk, .cream, .or .cheese, .

the .quality .of .the .finished .product .will .be .affected . .Custards .may .not .

thicken .properly, .and .using .old .dairy .products .will .cause .pies .to .spoil .

more .quickly .

pie-Making tools

Ask any professional in any trade and they will tell you that having the right

tools makes your job easier, and pie making is no different. The type of pan

you bake in, the shape of your rolling pin, and what you use to create your

pie will all make a difference in the final product. This does not mean you

have to spend a fortune on tools, however. Some of the most valuable tools

in the kitchen are the least expensive. Once you have the right tools, the

next step is learning how to use them properly.

pie plates

Pie plates come in countless shapes, sizes, and materials. Among the

most common for home bakers are glass, or Pyrex, pie plates. Glass pans are

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valuable for pie making because they heat pies evenly and help crusts crisp.

Metal, or aluminum, pie pans are also common. These pans can be reusable

or disposable, which makes them good for travel. Since metal pans tend to

be shiny, it is important to keep an eye on baking times. The shine can actu-

ally reflect heat away from the pie, which will increase baking times. If your

oven has hot spots or cold spots, you may need to rotate pies baked in metal

pans halfway through baking to avoid overbrowning in those areas.

Should I use a pie pan with a nonstick coating?

Nonstick .coatings .are .great .on .a .variety .of .pans, .but .they .are .not .

usually .necessary .for .pies . .The .crust, .be .it .pastry .or .crumb, .will .have .

a .sufficient .amount .of .fat .in .it .to .prevent .sticking . .Sometimes .the .fill-

ing .of .a .pie .may .escape .under .the .crust, .and .in .that .case .the .pie .may .

stick .slightly, .but .it .is .nothing .a .pie .server .cannot .handle . .The .biggest .

drawback .to .a .nonstick .coating .is .scratching . .Since .most .pie .is .sliced .

and .served .from .the .pan .it .was .baked .in, .you .run .a .risk .of .marring .the .

nonstick .surface .

Tart pans come in two main varieties. The first are metal pans with

removable bottoms for freestanding tarts. These pans are available with

nonstick coatings, so releasing the tart is very easy. When buying one of

these pans, look for sturdy metal with a surface free from scratches. Ceramic

tart pans are also available and are good for tarts with softer crusts made

with graham crackers or cookies. These pans allow for even cooking, but

they make removing the whole tart almost impossible and are best used

when the tart is to be served in the pan.

rolling pins

What type of rolling pin you use depends, in large part, on personal

preference. For most jobs in the kitchen, a wooden rod-style rolling pin is

perfect. These are good all-purpose pins, and when selecting one, it is best

to choose one that is heavy for its size and at least 20 inches wide and 2

inches thick. Ball bearing rolling pins are also common, and what most peo-

ple think of when they think of a rolling pin. These make a good all-purpose

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rolling pin and are especially helpful when large quantities of dough need

rolling out. The heavier the better when it comes to this type of pin since

the goal is to have the pin do most of the work. The last style of pin is the

tapered, or French, rolling pin. This type of pin does an excellent job of roll-

ing out round dough, such as pie dough. Again, you want a pin that is at

least 20 inches wide and 2 to 3 inches thick in the center.

Other helpful tools

Good pans and rolling pins are important, but the small tools are impor-

tant, too. The following is a list of very helpful hand tools for pie making.

None of these tools are strictly necessary, but having them can take some

of the stress out of baking. Since these tools are fairly common, and can be

used for other kitchen tasks, a small investment now will pay off in a variety

of ways later.

pastry Brush

Pastry brushes are very helpful when making pies. It is a good idea to

have two types. Natural bristle brushes are good for dusting excess flour

off of pie dough and puff pastry. Purchase brushes with natural (not nylon

or plastic) bristles that are at least 1 inch wide. Natural brushes should be

hand washed only and allowed to air-dry. The second type of pastry brush

is silicone. These brushes are good for brushing liquids, like egg washes,

onto pies. Since silicone is dishwasher-safe, they are also easy to clean and

sanitize.

pizza Wheel

A pizza wheel or pizza cutter is a good tool to use when cutting pastry

strips for lattice tops or trimming pastry before placing it into the pan. The

wheel should be sharp and no smaller than 2 inches wide.

Bench Scraper

A bench scraper is a metal scraper with a handle that is good for trans-

porting chopped food from a cutting board to a bowl. Bench scrapers are

also helpful for releasing pastry crusts that become stuck to the work sur-

face. Look for a bench scraper that is 5 to 6 inches wide and made of sturdy

metal.

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heatproof Spatula

When stirring custards or toasting nuts, a heatproof spatula is invalu-

able. Silicone spatulas are available in many shapes and sizes. Be sure that

the spatula is rated for temperatures over at least 450°F.

pie Shield or Foil rings

Pie shields are designed to protect the edges of the pie crust from burn-

ing. Commercial pie shields are available in kitchen stores and should be