Pie Love, page 1
Published in 2013 by Stewart, Tabori & Chang
An imprint of ABRAMS
Copyright © 2013 Warren Brown
Photographs copyright © 2013 Joshua Cogan
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ISBN: 978-1-58479-895-8
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Contents
Introduction: Enter the Pie
The Basics of Pie: Ingredients and Equipment
What Goes on in a Pie?
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
Galettes
Turnovers
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
Sauces, Toppings, Pastry Creams, and Glazes
CHAPTER FIVE
Index of Searchable Terms
Acknowledgments
About the Author
have this distinct memory of walking home from school sometime in the fourth or fifth grade. It was hot, and there was a hill, two streets to cross, and one yard before I was at my front door. The keys for the front door always got a little stuck, but I put up with that because it was faster than going around to the back. It was a straighter path to the kitchen—to the fridge—where the leftover pie was kept, waiting to become my after-school snack. Most of the time, there was enough for my sisters and me. But this lingering memory ends with an empty pie tin left out on the counter. I’ll never know who got to it first; it was probably my mom. She loves apple pie and always has it à la mode with Breyer’s vanilla ice cream. (“Made with real vanilla bean,” she would proudly say.) She’s the one who instilled in me my deep appreciation for real vanilla and all things gourmet. But that last slice, the delicious one I missed, I still want it.
There’s a drive that comes from not getting what you want that never goes away. Apple pie will always be that dessert for me. Who knows if any of these recipes are as good as the slice that got away, but I’m having fun figuring it out. I hope you do too!
FLOUR
Unless otherwise noted, my flour of choice is General Mills brand unbleached all-purpose flour. Unlike with cakes, I don’t bother to sift and weigh the flour; for crusts, we’re aiming to mix a dense pastry anyway. If you have any of my other books or have seen me speak, you already know how strongly I feel about using a scale to get an accurate amount of flour for cake recipes. While a scale is your best bet for success when hedging against packing too much flour into a cup measure, it’s okay to have a little more flour than called for when mixing pie dough. So if you don’t have a scale or just want to keep the measuring simple, stick with the cup measures to scoop and level—but only with pie dough!
There are a range of other grains called for with the different piecrusts covered in the first chapter of this book. Baking with a mix of grains creates a lovely balance of flavors and textures in each bite.
• I especially like working with whole-wheat flour—either pastry flour or all-purpose whole-wheat flour—for the earthy bite it brings to a pie.
• Flaxseed is great and brings a distinctly nutty flavor to the dough, but be sure to grind it immediately before use to take advantage of the healthful omega-3s found in the oils. These will have evaporated from preground store-bought flaxseed flour.
• I dedicate a kitchen coffee grinder as a spice mill and gristmill for my grains.
• Millet flour is great as a substitute for wheat flour in limited quantities to lower the gluten content. If it’s used exclusively in lieu of flour, the resulting crust will not have the same texture.
• Polenta is very finely ground cornmeal, which brings an oven-toasted crunch to the crusts.
SWEETENERS
Superfine granulated sugar is the default for each recipe. It’s a little bit smaller than the standard “granulated” sugar and yields a finer texture with baked goods. Again, with pies, scooping the sugar works just as well as using a scale because we have a lot more fudge room. One cup weighs a little less than 8 ounces if you’re using a very sensitive scale, but rounding up will do.
Occasionally, other sources of sweetness come into play. Here are a few alternatives to consider if you want to cut back on refined sugars in your baked goods.
Maple sugars and syrups are perfect substitutes for refined sugar. Note that the distinct maple flavor may compete with other ingredients, so choose this sweetener only if you’re a real fan of maple syrup.
Agave nectar, or syrup, is produced from the sap of the agave plant. Both light and dark versions are available. The light has a taste closer to honey; the dark, which is simply less filtered, is closer to maple syrup. The carbohydrate in agave nectar has a low glycemic index, making it a natural option for people who need to manage their blood sugar. It will work as a near one-for-one substitute for maple syrup and corn syrup, but the exact results can’t be guaranteed. When substituting for granulated sugar, add 1 tablespoon cornstarch per cup of agave (light or dark) and mix thoroughly in order to help thicken the syrup in the pie. Before you scoop the filling into the blind-baked piecrust, assess the texture of the filling. If it seems too runny, add more starch.
Cane syrups, known as treacle in the U.K., are made from refining cane sugars or boiling cane sugar with water. Golden Syrup is a popular brand that’s also available here in the United States. Different viscosities and colors reveal varying levels of sweetness and flavors; the darker ones taste more like caramelized sugar syrups. They’re suitable substitutes for corn syrup if that doesn’t appeal to you.
Honey works well, but add it after cooking the filling on the stove, especially if you’re using raw honey. The direct heat breaks down the sugars a bit, which dulls the sweetness and creates a slightly bitter flavor.
Corn syrups—both light and dark—have a role in pies that is difficult to replace with other syrups. Pecan pie just isn’t the same without it. Of course, pie is made with sugar, so we’re not going to fuss about whether or not we should eat sugars derived from corn, but there is no need for the high-fructose variety.
Molasses isn’t something I recommend using as the main sweetener in your pie, unless you’re making shoofly pie, such as the one on this page. Its flavor and characteristics are not interchangeable with cane sugar, maple sugar, or honey. And a little molasses goes a long way, so it can be added as a flavor accent by the teaspoon.
Unrefined brown sugars, muscovado and turbinado, are hard to beat in terms of flavor. Neither is essential to make a wonderful pie, but both can add a depth of flavor if swapped in for one quarter to one third of the cane sugar called for in the recipe.
BUTTER AND OTHER FATS
Piecrust requires a healthy dose of fat. As always, unsalted butter is my go-to option for baking. Piecrust made with butter tastes homemade and has flavor notes that you just can’t mistake for anything else. We don’t have to be so exact with measuring here, either, so a scale isn’t necessary. An extra teaspoon or so of butter will just mean a slightly flakier crust. But temperature matters a great deal. If the butter isn’t cold and in small pieces when it’s added, it won’t disperse properly into the dry ingredients, and everything will become soggy—a catastrophe for piecrust. For the best results, use cold butter; cut it and rechill it before mixing it into the dough.
I prefer 82 percent milk fat unsalted butter. I’m not particular to a specific brand; just be sure it’s not watery—some generic brands have an unhelpful amount of water.
Vegetable shortening lends a great dynamic to piecrust. The only thing it lacks is taste. When I tried a crust with 50 percent butter and 50 percent shortening, it was as flaky as my heart’s desire, but I just didn’t taste much. Not until I tipped the scale with a 60 percent butter and 40 percent shortening mix did I find what I was looking for. The 60/40 Crust is a reliable workhorse that does well with certain cream and nut pies. When starting with a pound of flour, the best combination I found is four ounces butter to three ounces vegetable shortening, roughly 60 percent butter to 40 percent shortening.
Vegan crusts are entirely feasible, whether made with plain vegetable shortening or a vegan shortening blend, but for the sake of taste, I highly recommend using a vegan shortening blend. The mix of oils helps create a background of flavors that gives the crust a better taste profile.
Other vegetable sources of fat can be used to keep the piecrusts tender, including coconut oil and cocoa butter. For the most part, they’re experimental—more to have fun with in the kitchen. They certainly work, but if you don’t have the ingredient on hand and want to make that crust, just substitute in unsalted butter or vegetable shortening, and you’ll be on your way.
Lard always has a place in pie making. There was a time when that place was probably first, but lard was eventually displaced with clever marketing ads promoting vegetable shortening and emphasizing the “ick” factor of baking with rendered pork fat. It makes a very tender, flaky crust that’s suitable for use with most pie fillings and doesn’t carry a detectable off flavor. Look for leaf lard, which is the highest quality, in international markets if it’s not available at your local grocer.
FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
Choose the best-looking, freshest fruits and vegetables for pies and tarts. Natural, organic, or pesticide-free foods look and taste better. Plus, it’s worth paying a little more for ingredients when you’ve made the choice to spend time in the kitchen. And when you can, shop locally so you can ask the farmers at local markets about their practices. Make sure that your efforts in the kitchen are matched with equally hardworking hands on the farms where they grow crops and raise livestock naturally, with your family’s health in mind. It may not be possible to shop entirely locally for everything you need to make the perfect pie, but source as much as you can from reputable vendors, and you won’t be let down.
For ripening fruits, it’s always helpful to keep at least two of a kind in an enclosed space. I place fresh fruits under a cake dome. This way fruit flies don’t become a problem, the fruits have plenty of air to breathe, and gases that facilitate ripening can be passed between them. Placing fruit in a brown paper bag works just as well. For tarts, it’s best to start with fruits at the peak of their ripeness and not much beyond that. Ripe fruit will taste best, especially berries, but handle them carefully, since they can bruise easily. Most fruit will be fine in a pie, even if it’s a little past its prime—especially where a double crust is indicated. Just watch for a total breakdown of very fragile fruit, like peaches, that shouldn’t be cooked down after they’ve ripened.
Thoroughly rinse your fruits and vegetables to remove as much dirt, debris, microbial pathogens, and chemicals used during cultivation as you can. Probably the best method for washing foods is to make a solution of three parts water and one part white vinegar. For fruits with lots of nooks and crannies, just soak them for a few minutes in the solution, then rinse them with cold water.
Pies are fantastic because they’re really simple: a great filling covered in a tasty pastry. Roll out the dough, line a pan with it, fill it, and bake. So long as there’s enough filling and it’s not watery, not much can go wrong. But there are a few things that will help you to achieve that simplicity every time.
When we’re talking about pies and equipment, it’s important to note that while traditional tools are great to have, they’re not essential. No matter what tools you use, making crust and filling is remarkably fast and easy. I like to turn to whatever is already on hand. For example, if you don’t have a rolling pin, grab a wine bottle or a straight-sided soda bottle. No food processor to cut the butter into the flour? No problem. It’s just a matter of about five to seven minutes to cut the butter in using a fork or your fingers. It’s more time consuming, but it’s not impossible.
PANS AND SMALL TOOLS
Pie pans: I regularly bake with 9- to 10-inch pie pans that are 1 to 1 ½ inches deep; that’s the standard depth. I like to use deep-dish pans for savory pies—they make a dramatic presentation. If you’re working with a smaller pan, simply save a portion of the crust or filling. If you have a larger pan, then double the recipe and save any unused crust or filling. Pie dough keeps very well in the freezer—for weeks—if well sealed. (And finish off small amounts of leftover filling in a ramekin as a mini pie just for yourself!)
I don’t really have a preference for one kind of pie pan material over another. Heatproof glass, metal, or ceramic all work equally well. Glass pie pans can be helpful because you can see whether the crust appears browned and well baked, but I also use disposable aluminum pans all the time and find they’re just as reliable.
Tart pans: I use regular tin tart pans with removable bottoms and fluted edges. I don’t use nonstick pans. The shiny surface of the tin is better suited for baking the crust to a nice golden brown. These pans rust easily, so don’t let them drip dry; instead, dry them in a warm oven.
Bench scraper: This is a totally helpful tool to have on hand. We use the bench scraper all the time at the bakery, and I keep one at home to cut cold butter, cut through dough, help form shapes, and assist with cleanup. I’ve even used it as a chisel on blocks of chocolate!
Pastry brush: Another helpful tool. I prefer natural hair bristles over nylon, but both work. I’m not a fan of the silicone bristle brushes—they don’t absorb anything and end up being a sloppy way to apply a wash. If you’re in a pinch, loosely wad up a paper towel, dip it in your egg (or other) wash, then dab it on the piecrust—the effect will be the same.
Pie weights: Actually, I don’t use pie weights or dry beans to prevent the crust from tenting during blind baking. When I used beans, they’d sink into the crust and then it was work to pluck them out. Heavier weights cratered the crust. I find that simply lining the crust with a round of parchment paper cut to fit and lightly pressing in a disposable pie pan works perfectly.
Parchment paper: This is one of those essential items; you just have to have it to keep life simple. Baking without parchment paper is like walking in the rain without an umbrella—totally doable, but life is so much nicer when you have one. Rolling out dough between sheets of parchment paper means nothing will stick to the rolling pin or the counter, and will easily transfer into the pie pan—all of which makes production remarkably easy.
Rolling pin: This item performs an essential piemaking function, but there are other items you can use instead. Broomsticks or wine bottles work as substitutes. If you do a lot of baking, though, you may want to buy one: I keep a few different rolling pins at home—I prefer French-style pins because their convex shape helps to form the dough into a nice, tight circle.
Rasp or plane zester: This is good for making very fine zest, grating cheese, or grating spices like nutmeg. Its versatile application makes it essential.
Sturdy forks, paring knives, peelers, baking sheets, and measuring cups and spoons are all must-have items, too.
LARGE TOOLS
Food processor: If you’re serious about cooking, then you probably already have a food processor. If you’ve been making do without one, consider changing your ways. A food processor makes short work out of mixing piecrust and does it better than a standing mixer. The steel blade is the only attachment we’ll use for making dough.
Standing mixer: They mix well, but I find that dough made with a standing mixer can be just a bit tougher than that mixed in a food processor or by hand. Most doughs—notably the Flaky Butter Crust—also require about 1 tablespoon more water. Use the paddle attachment for mixing pie dough.
Saucepans: High-quality saucepans are always helpful when making a delicate sauce, such as the béchamel for the Chicken Pot Pie or the custards for the cream pies. A heavy pan is not necessarily high quality just because of its weight, but the best ones I’ve used are all heavy. My wife hates lugging the pots from the stove to the sink, but we never burn anything!
Pies are a wonderfully simple way to showcase ingredients we treasure and enjoy. Their importance is revealed in the pride and passion bakers display when presenting them. Since they’re beautiful to look at and are greeted with eager anticipation, it’s critical that the dish live up to expectations. The first step in making sure that happens is to understand exactly what you’re doing when you assemble a pie.
Piecrusts are a great domain in and of themselves. There’s no shortage of recipes available to make the “perfect” crust. Generally a crust is made of grain ground into flour, butter, or vegetable shortening, or some of both, a dash or two of salt, and enough water to bring it all together. My recipes tend to include sugar—I guess that’s my background in cakes showing through. I think a little sugar helps to tenderize the crust and keeps it from becoming too doughy. But the key thing to understand about crust is the purpose of the fats and the ideal way to blend them into the grains.
