Pie Making Secrets

Wow. We had a great pie-making class last night at RS. I just went for the company, because I like my pies. But now... I have the pie-making bug!

Practically Perfect Pie Crust

Almost 1/2 c water (Secret: About 7 T. Put in metal measuring cup and set in fridge while you do the rest. Add this last!)

2-1/2 c flour (Secret: Stir flour and lightly spoon into measuring cup. Level top with a knife. Do not scoop or shake down or press flour. We want the very least amount that will legally fill 2-1/2 cups.)

1 c butter flavor Crisco shortening. (Secret: butter flavor makes a difference. So does using actual Crisco brand. Press shortening firmly into the measuring cup. We want the most shortening we can possibly pack into the cup.)

1 T sugar (Secret: for flavor and browning)

1/2 to 1 t salt - depending on your taste

Mix flour, shortening, sugar and salt with cookie paddles in Bosch or Kitchenaid, or cut in using two knives or a pastry cutter. (Secrets: Don't worry about overworking it at this point. Add the chilled water all at once and mix as little as possible until you have pencil-eraser-sized crumbles. We are trying to end up with layers of flour between layers of shortening when we roll it out. You don't want a uniform color/texture ball at this point, but it should stick together when you shape it. It is important that the shortening be cool, about 60 degrees, so the shortening and flour don't mix. This is why we want the water super cold.)

Roll out into 12-inch circle for 9-inch pie crust. (Secrets: Use a textured surface; canvas is perfect. It holds the flour well and you don't end up rolling more flour into the crust. Try to roll as few times as you can. If it tears, wet the edge with cold water and stick together.)

When it's ready, roll the crust onto your (lightly floured) rolling pin, carefully holding the edges so they don't break.

More secrets: Don't cut off the excess pie crust right up to the edge of the plate, leave 1/2 inch or so to fold out so you can make a pretty wavy crust. If you are baking the pie shell before making a cream pie, prick with a fork all over and make sure your crust is a little taller than the edge of the pie dish, because it will shrink. If you are making a double pie crust, you can cut the first crust right to the edge of the dish and use the bigger top crust for your pretty edge. Wet the bottom crust at the edge where it meets the top crust and it will stick together and not leak!

Vanilla Pudding for cream pies

3 c milk (or half and half!)
1/4 c cornstarch (she suggested Clabber Girl)
1/4 c flour (fluff before measuring and do not press or shake to level cup)
1-1/4 c sugar
1/2 t salt
4 eggs
1-2 t vanilla (use real!)
2-3 T butter

Secret mixing instructions: Heat milk in 1 qt measure. Combine dry ingredients in a heavy saucepan. Whisk in milk. Cook on medium high, whisking often (you don't have to stir as much if you have a HEAVY saucepan). Whisk eggs in the 1 qt measure you just emptied. When pudding boils, pour 1/2 c or so into the eggs while whisking. This tempers the eggs, or warms them enough so that when you add to the hot pudding, they don't cook into lumps. Whisk eggs mixture into pudding and bring back to rolling boil. This will start to thicken. Remove from heat. Add vanilla and butter and whisk. Cover pudding in saucepan with plastic wrap and cool in a cool water bath. (Why? The plastic will prevent a skin from forming. Cooling the pudding before you put into the crust keeps your crust from getting soggy, and makes it look prettier when you put into the shell.)

Banana Cream Secrets: Put 1 c pudding in the bottom of the crust (these are pre-baked!) and then put your sliced bananas in a layer on the pudding, pushing them into the pudding so the edges are covered. Top with the rest of the bananas. (Why? The bananas won't stick to the bottom crust and they won't turn brown this way.) Cut bananas thicker if you like chunky banana cream pie, thinner for not-so-chunky.

Coconut Cream Secrets: 1/2 c coconut in the pudding, then toasted coconut on top for decoration.

Chocolate Cream Secrets: 1/2 c. cocoa mixed into dry ingredients when making the pudding (before cooking or adding liquid).

Butterscotch Secrets: Use brown sugar instead of white.

Pumpkin Pie Secrets: Use the Libby's pumpkin recipe, BUT: double (or more) the spices. Add 2 T flour to the pumpkin and whisk it in before mixing anything else into it. Use brown sugar for 1/2 to 2/3 of the sugar called for. (Why? Spices taste good! Flour makes it so the filling doesn't weep when it's done! Brown sugar tastes richer!)

Fun Fact: Pumpkin in a can is actually hubbard squash or a mixture of winter squashes! If you make a pumpkin pie with real pumpkin, it tastes different!