PIES

Question 1

What are the two types of pie dough?

Answer 1

Flaky and Mealy. The difference between the two is how the fat is blended with the four.

Question 2

Flaky pie dough

Answer 2

Dough made by cutting or rubbing but not entirely blending fat into flour, leaving pieces of fat that contribute to a flaky texture.

Question 3

Short-flake crust

Answer 3

Dough made by cutting or rubbing but not entirely blending fat into flour, leaving pieces of fat that contribute to a flaky texture.

Question 4

Long-flake crust

Answer 4

The fat is left in pieces the size of walnuts and the flour is even less coated with shortening than in short-flake crust

Question 5

Mealy Pie Dough

Answer 5

Dough for which the fat is blended into the flour until the mixture looks like coarse cornmeal.

Question 6

What are 3 characteristics of mealy pie dough?

Answer 6

• 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.

Question 7

When would you use mealy pie dough vs. flaky pie dough?

Answer 7

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.

Question 8

3-2-1 Dough

Answer 8

A pie dough made of 3 parts flour, two parts fat, and one part water by weight.

Question 9

Rubbed dough method

Answer 9

Mixing method for pie doughs that requires fat to be rubbed into the sifted dry ingredients.

Question 10

Seven steps - Pie dough recipe

Answer 10

1. Collect all equipment.
2. Collect and scale ingredients.
3. Dissolve salt in water. Set aside.
4. Place flour and shortening in mixing bowl.
5. Rub or cut shortening into flour to the proper degree:
6. For mealy dough—until it resembles coarse cornmeal.
7. For flaky dough—until fat particles are the size of peas or hazelnuts.
8. Add salt and water. Mix very gently, just until water is absorbed. Do not overwork the dough.
9. Place the dough in pans, cover with plastic film, and place in refrigerator or retarder for several hours.

Question 11

Crumb crust

Answer 11

Pie crust made of cookie crumbs, butter, and sugar.

Question 12

Short dough

Answer 12

A kind of pastry or cookie dough that is richer than regular pie pastry and contains butter, sugar, and eggs.

Question 13

What are the two types pies

Answer 13

Baked pies and unbaked pies

Question 14

Fruit pie

Answer 14

Pie that contains fruit filling; usually has a top crust.

Question 15

Soft pie

Answer 15

Pie with custard-type filling, usually baked with a single crust.

Question 16

Cream pie

Answer 16

Pie made with pudding or boiled custard-type filling.

Question 17

Chiffon pie

Answer 17

Pie made with filling lightened by the addition of beaten egg white.

Question 18

Baking blind

Answer 18

Baking a pie or tart shell without a filling.

Question 19

How can you avoid a soggy bottom?

Answer 19

1. Use mealy dough for bottom crusts. Mealy dough absorbs less liquid than flaky dough.
2. 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.
3. Do not add hot fillings to unbaked crusts.
4. Use dark metal pie tins, which absorb heat. (If you use disposable aluminum pans, choose pans with the bottoms colored black.)

Question 20

Proceducre for preparing unbaked pies

Answer 20

1. Line a pie pan with pie dough as in the basic procedure.
2. Dock the crust well with a fork to prevent blistering.
3. Place another pan inside the first one so the dough is between 2 pans. This is called double-panning.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Cool the baked crust completely.
7. Fill with cream or chiffon filling. Fill as close as possible to service time to prevent soaking the crust.
8. Chill the pie until it is set enough to slice.

Question 21

Pie filling starch: Cornstarch

Answer 21

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.

Question 22

Pie filling starch: Waxy maize

Answer 22

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.

Question 23

Instant starch - definition

Answer 23

Starch that has already been cooked and dried. Also called pregelatinized starch.

Question 24

Pie filling starch - Instant Starch

Answer 24

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.

Question 25

Notes on cooking starches

Answer 25

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.

Question 26

Pie filling: Cooked Juice method

Answer 26

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.

Question 27

Pie filling: Cooked Fruit Method

Answer 27

Used when the fruit requires cooking or there is not enough liquid for the cooked juice method. Examples: fresh apple, raisin, rhubarb.

Question 28

Pie filling: Old-Fashioned Method

Answer 28

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.

Question 29

Pie filling: Old-Fashioned Method: Procedure

Answer 29

1. Mix the starch and spices with the sugar until uniformly blended. 2. Mix the fruit with the sugar mixture. 3. Fill the unbaked pie shell with the fruit. 4. Place lumps of butter on top of the filling. 5. Cover with a top crust or with Streusel and bake.

Question 30

Cream Pie fillings

Answer 30

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.

Question 31

Chiffon Pies

Answer 31

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.