PIES Flashcards
What are the two types of pie dough?
Flaky and Mealy. The difference between the two is how the fat is blended with the four.
Flaky pie dough
Dough made by cutting or rubbing but not entirely blending fat into flour, leaving pieces of fat that contribute to a flaky texture.
Short-flake crust
Dough made by cutting or rubbing but not entirely blending fat into flour, leaving pieces of fat that contribute to a flaky texture.
Long-flake crust
The fat is left in pieces the size of walnuts and the flour is even less coated with shortening than in short-flake crust
Mealy Pie Dough
Dough for which the fat is blended into the flour until the mixture looks like coarse cornmeal.
What are 3 characteristics of mealy pie dough?
- The crust is very short and tender because less gluten can develop.
- Less water is needed in the mix because the flour won’t absorb as much as in flaky dough.
- The baked dough is less likely to absorb moisture from the filling and become soggy.
When would you use mealy pie dough vs. flaky pie dough?
Mealy dough is used for bottom crusts in baked fruit pies and soft or custard-type pies because it resists sogginess. Flaky doughs are used for top crusts and for prebaked pie shells.
3-2-1 Dough
A pie dough made of 3 parts flour, two parts fat, and one part water by weight.
Rubbed dough method
Mixing method for pie doughs that requires fat to be rubbed into the sifted dry ingredients.
Seven steps - Pie dough recipe
- Collect all equipment.
- Collect and scale ingredients.
- Dissolve salt in water. Set aside.
- Place flour and shortening in mixing bowl.
- Rub or cut shortening into flour to the proper degree:
- For mealy dough—until it resembles coarse cornmeal.
- For flaky dough—until fat particles are the size of peas or hazelnuts.
- Add salt and water. Mix very gently, just until water is absorbed. Do not overwork the dough.
- Place the dough in pans, cover with plastic film, and place in refrigerator or retarder for several hours.
Crumb crust
Pie crust made of cookie crumbs, butter, and sugar.
Short dough
A kind of pastry or cookie dough that is richer than regular pie pastry and contains butter, sugar, and eggs.
What are the two types pies
Baked pies and unbaked pies
Fruit pie
Pie that contains fruit filling; usually has a top crust.
Soft pie
Pie with custard-type filling, usually baked with a single crust.
Cream pie
Pie made with pudding or boiled custard-type filling.
Chiffon pie
Pie made with filling lightened by the addition of beaten egg white.
Baking blind
Baking a pie or tart shell without a filling.
How can you avoid a soggy bottom?
- Use mealy dough for bottom crusts. Mealy dough absorbs less liquid than flaky dough.
- Use high bottom heat, at least at the beginning of baking, to set the crust quickly. Bake the pies at the bottom of the oven.
- Do not add hot fillings to unbaked crusts.
- Use dark metal pie tins, which absorb heat. (If you use disposable aluminum pans, choose pans with the bottoms colored black.)
Proceducre for preparing unbaked pies
- Line a pie pan with pie dough as in the basic procedure.
- Dock the crust well with a fork to prevent blistering.
- Place another pan inside the first one so the dough is between 2 pans. This is called double-panning.
- Place the pans upside down in an oven preheated at 450°F (230°C). Baking upside down helps keep the dough from shrinking down into the pan. Some bakers like to chill the crusts before baking to relax the gluten and help reduce shrinkage.
- Bake at 450°F (230°C) for 10–15 minutes. The top pan may be removed during the last part of baking so the crust can brown.
- Cool the baked crust completely.
- Fill with cream or chiffon filling. Fill as close as possible to service time to prevent soaking the crust.
- Chill the pie until it is set enough to slice.
Pie filling starch: Cornstarch
Used for cream pies because it sets up into a firm gel that holds its shape when sliced. Cornstarch may also be used for fruit pies.
Pie filling starch: Waxy maize
Waxy maize and other modified starches are best for fruit pies because they are clear when set and make a soft paste rather than a firm gel. Waxy maize should be used for pies that are to be frozen because it is not broken down by freezing.
Instant starch - definition
Starch that has already been cooked and dried. Also called pregelatinized starch.
Pie filling starch - Instant Starch
Instant starch or pregelatinized starch needs no cooking because it has already been cooked. When used with certain fruit fillings, it eliminates the need to cook the filling before making up the pie. It has no advantage, however, if the filling contains such ingredients as raw fruit or eggs and so must be cooked.
Notes on cooking starches
To avoid lumping, starches must be mixed with a cold liquid or sugar before being added to a hot liquid.
Sugar and strong acids reduce the thickening power of starch. When possible, all or part of the sugar and strong acids like lemon juice should be added after the starch has thickened.
Pie filling: Cooked Juice method
Method for making fruit pie fillings, used when only the juice requires cooking.
The fruit retains better shape and flavor because it is subjected to less heat and handling. This method is used when the fruit requires little or no cooking before filling the pie. Examples: cherry, peach, most frozen or canned fruits. Fresh berries can also be prepared by this method. Some of the berries are cooked or puréed to provide juice. The remaining berries are mixed with the finished gel.
Pie filling: Cooked Fruit Method
Used when the fruit requires cooking or there is not enough liquid for the cooked juice method. Examples: fresh apple, raisin, rhubarb.
Pie filling: Old-Fashioned Method
This method is best suited to pies made with fresh apples or peaches. It is not as widely used in food service as the other methods because it is more difficult to control the thickening of the juices.
Pie filling: Old-Fashioned Method: Procedure
- Mix the starch and spices with the sugar until uniformly blended.
- Mix the fruit with the sugar mixture.
- Fill the unbaked pie shell with the fruit.
- Place lumps of butter on top of the filling.
- Cover with a top crust or with Streusel and bake.
Cream Pie fillings
Cream pie fillings are the same as puddings, which, in turn, are the same as basic pastry creams with added flavorings such as vanilla, chocolate, or coconut. Lemon filling is made by the same method, using water and lemon juice instead of milk.
The one difference between puddings and pie fillings you should note is that cream pie fillings are made with cornstarch so slices hold their shape when cut. Puddings may be made with flour, cornstarch, or other starches.
Chiffon Pies
Chiffon fillings are made by adding gelatin to a cream filling or to a thickened fruit and juice mixture and then folding in egg whites and/or whipped cream. The mixture is then poured into baked pie shells and allowed to set.
These preparations are the same as chiffon desserts, bavarians, and some mousses and cold soufflés.
