So now that I have this pie crust thing down cold (and I really do. Exact same results every single time!) I've been playing with fillings. As you can see from the previous post, the apple thing is good to go. However, I also love berry pie, which is a lot more challenging. It's either too tart or too sweet. Too runny or too gelatinous. And so on. This weekend I set myself to work on the problem.
It seems to me that the biggest problem with berry pie is that it's too much of a good thing. All that flavor comes with a lot of tartness; all that juice requires too much thickener. A lot of fruit juices are mixed into a foundation of apple juice, which supports the main flavor without diluting it too much. So I chopped up a bunch of apples into blueberry-sized chunks, threw them into a saucepan with lemon juice, and started them cooking. I mixed together flour, cornstarch, white and brown sugar, a dash of salt, and spices--cinnamon and nutmeg--and stirred that into the cooking apples. It started to get too thick to cook the fruit properly, so I added some frozen berries to increase the liquid content. I didn't want to add them all since they'd cook down and lose their shape, and I wanted to preserve as much berry texture as possible. Once the apples were nicely soft, I removed them from the heat, let them cool just a bit, stirred in the rest of the frozen berries (1/2 bag blueberries and 1/2 bag mixed berries--blueberry/raspberry/strawberry/blackberry), and set the filling aside.
I rolled out the crust and assembled the pie, dotting the filling with butter before adding the top crust. Since the berries are so juicy I crimped the crust as carefully as possible to keep juice from leaking out the edges (I should have still put a pan or sheet of foil beneath the pie in the oven since it found a crack to flow through). After slashing a starburst pattern in the top I pulled out my cookie cutters and with the leftover bits of crust dough I made a dragonfly and applied it with a little milk to the center of the starburst. Since I still had a lot of dough I cut out some strawberries, dusted them with milk and sugar and scattered them around the top. I decided they looked dorky but left them there.
I baked the pie until golden. It took a loooong time to cool. Finally we got hungry and went ahead and sliced into it--yum yum yum. It was still a bit runny but the strawberry decorations helped soak up the juice.
The next morning, the pie was oh so perfect. The filling had properly set, and offered everything you'd want in a berry pie--lots of rich flavor, not too sweet or tart. Nice texture, stable and silky but not at all gooey. The berries held up well enough to be recognizable, and the apple chunks had soaked up so much purple juice they blended right in. I'd never had berry pie quite that satisfying.
I'd love to give an exact recipe here, but I can't swear to all the proportions. I'll have to repeat the recipe a couple of times to give reliable amounts.
What I do know is the secret to great berry pie. It's apples.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Now, it really is easy as pie
When I'm out working in my yard I hook my iPod to some little computer speakers and catch up on my Fresh Air podcasts. So there I am, mucking around in the dirt laying cement slab chunks to create a little patio transition from the cement stoop, when Terry Gross starts interviewing a couple of chefs from America's Test Kitchen/Cook's Illustrated. It doesn't get any better than this--an afternoon of dirt and food.
Among the various gems of culinary information these two chefs imparted, came the Answer to My Greatest Baking Deficiency: pie. Actually, pie crust. That phrase "easy as pie" has always annoyed me a bit because in Carmen World pie ain't all that easy. I'm fairly good with the filling part (sometimes my fruit pies are a little watery) but crust is nothing but a chore and most of the time either it isn't tender and flaky enough, or doesn't turn out very visually appealing, which in my mind defeats an important purpose of food--to delight the eye as well as the palate.
Apparently I'm not the only person not up to that challenge. The chefs said pie crust is notoriously inconsistent, so they set out to find the secret to a beautiful flaky crust that could be consistently produced each time. And they claimed success. So what was the big secret?
Vodka, my friend.
And while a quick hit of icy cold Ketel 1 (along with a bite of bakery bread slathered in sweet butter--the Russians know how to do it right) can improve any baking experience, it's what goes into the pastry dough, not down your throat, that makes it so so great.
Vodka, really?
The problem with pastry dough is that as the water mixes into the flour it develops gluten. Undermix your dough, and it's inconsistent, too dry here, too sticky there, impossible to roll out properly. Overmix, and you have tough (glutenous) crust. Alcohol does not develop the gluten, and vodka adds no flavor so it's perfect for the job. The basic rule is replace half the water with vodka. However, I wanted what these culinary geniuses (just ask any Cook's Illustrated subscriber) thought was the perfect recipe, so when I was all done with my little yard project I went online and dug up their recipe (Cook's Illustrated doesn't hand most stuff out for free, but I'm good with the Google).
I made an apple-blueberry pie. Took it to friends' the next day and tucked it in among the others on the dessert table. Pretty soon the accolades started coming--and here's the thing: my filling was only good, definitely not great. I'd been so focused on the crust that the apples were too chunky and the whole thing a bit soupy, but the crust was so good it just didn't matter as much. I was amazed at what a difference a great crust can make! I had a slice of another pie, and made sure to dissect the filling because it was superb--that filling, my crust: truly the perfect pie.
Made another pie. Again, perfect crust (and got the filling right). Made another one. Exact same results.
I am now the Pie Queen.
Unlike Cook's Illustrated, I won't make you subscribe or resort to Google subterfuge for the recipe. Here it is, in all its turn-out-the-same-every-dang-time glory:
2 1/2 cups (12 1/2 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon table salt
2 tablespoons sugar
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/2 cup cold vegetable shortening, cut into 4 pieces
1/4 cup cold vodka
1/4 cup cold water
Process 1 1/2 cups flour, salt, and sugar in food processor until combined, about 2 one-second pulses. Add butter and shortening and process until homogeneous dough just starts to collect in uneven clumps, about 15 seconds (dough will resemble cottage cheese curds and there should be no uncoated flour). Scrape bowl with rubber spatula and redistribute dough evenly around processor blade. Add remaining cup flour and pulse until mixture is evenly distributed around bowl and mass of dough has been broken up, 4 to 6 quick pulses. Empty mixture into medium bowl.
Sprinkle vodka and water over mixture. With rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix, pressing down on dough until dough is slightly tacky and sticks together [I dumped the dough back into the food processor and pulsed a few times to get it really consistent. I actually had tried just sprinkling the water/vodka through the feeder tube while pulsing, but the liquid didn't distribute as well as I wanted. It isn't much hassle to dump the mixture into a bowl, then back into the processor, and the dough comes out perfect]. Divide dough into two even balls and flatten each into 4-inch disk. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 45 minutes or up to 2 days.
So that's the Great Vodka Crust Recipe. Here's how I turned it into Great Apple Blueberry Pie:
While pie crust dough is chilling in the fridge, mix together and set aside:
about 3/4 cup sugar (I like to mix 1/2 cup white, 1/4 cup brown together)
about 2 Tbl flour
a pinch of salt
about 3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
Notice that the amounts are all approximate. Go with your preference and the tartness of the apples.
Core and peel 5 apples (I prefer Macintosh). Slice each apple into quarters, then slice the quarters crosswise into pieces about 1/6" thick (picky, huh? but 1/4" is too thick, 1/8" too thin and will make apple mush. It doesn't matter if some pieces are a little thinner or thicker--what you're looking for is that 1/6" average, which will deliver the perfect filling texture and consistency). Toss with a squeeze or two of fresh lemon (preferably a Meyer lemon), a few dashes of Tabasco, and most of the sugar mixture--reserve a couple of tablespoons to toss separately into a cup of fresh blueberries, so they don't crush and mush into the apples.
Roll out one of the dough disks (use lots of flour) and place into a nice deep pie dish. Pour in the apple filling and press down a bit, then sprinkle the blueberries on top.
Roll out the other disk of dough (see how easy it was to make a perfect round?) and place over the top. Fold and crimp to your heart's delight, have fun arranging little pastry cutouts around the rim or on top (I made a pie in an oval baking dish and lined the rim with pastry apple leaves. It was so pretty!) and cut a few slits in the crust. Brush the top with a little milk or cream and sprinkle sugar on it (I use either raw sugar for texture, or superfine baker's sugar for a glistening surface).
Bake according to your oven's capabilities. I have a convection oven, so I start it at 415, then turn down to about 350. It takes probably about 45 minutes, but I'm not sure because I haven't kept track. I just keep an eye on it. When the crust is nicely golden it is done and ready to delight your eyes, your mouth, and your tummy.
What's Russian for Bon Appetit?
Among the various gems of culinary information these two chefs imparted, came the Answer to My Greatest Baking Deficiency: pie. Actually, pie crust. That phrase "easy as pie" has always annoyed me a bit because in Carmen World pie ain't all that easy. I'm fairly good with the filling part (sometimes my fruit pies are a little watery) but crust is nothing but a chore and most of the time either it isn't tender and flaky enough, or doesn't turn out very visually appealing, which in my mind defeats an important purpose of food--to delight the eye as well as the palate.
Apparently I'm not the only person not up to that challenge. The chefs said pie crust is notoriously inconsistent, so they set out to find the secret to a beautiful flaky crust that could be consistently produced each time. And they claimed success. So what was the big secret?
Vodka, my friend.
And while a quick hit of icy cold Ketel 1 (along with a bite of bakery bread slathered in sweet butter--the Russians know how to do it right) can improve any baking experience, it's what goes into the pastry dough, not down your throat, that makes it so so great.
Vodka, really?
The problem with pastry dough is that as the water mixes into the flour it develops gluten. Undermix your dough, and it's inconsistent, too dry here, too sticky there, impossible to roll out properly. Overmix, and you have tough (glutenous) crust. Alcohol does not develop the gluten, and vodka adds no flavor so it's perfect for the job. The basic rule is replace half the water with vodka. However, I wanted what these culinary geniuses (just ask any Cook's Illustrated subscriber) thought was the perfect recipe, so when I was all done with my little yard project I went online and dug up their recipe (Cook's Illustrated doesn't hand most stuff out for free, but I'm good with the Google).
I made an apple-blueberry pie. Took it to friends' the next day and tucked it in among the others on the dessert table. Pretty soon the accolades started coming--and here's the thing: my filling was only good, definitely not great. I'd been so focused on the crust that the apples were too chunky and the whole thing a bit soupy, but the crust was so good it just didn't matter as much. I was amazed at what a difference a great crust can make! I had a slice of another pie, and made sure to dissect the filling because it was superb--that filling, my crust: truly the perfect pie.
Made another pie. Again, perfect crust (and got the filling right). Made another one. Exact same results.
I am now the Pie Queen.
Unlike Cook's Illustrated, I won't make you subscribe or resort to Google subterfuge for the recipe. Here it is, in all its turn-out-the-same-every-dang-time glory:
2 1/2 cups (12 1/2 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon table salt
2 tablespoons sugar
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/2 cup cold vegetable shortening, cut into 4 pieces
1/4 cup cold vodka
1/4 cup cold water
Process 1 1/2 cups flour, salt, and sugar in food processor until combined, about 2 one-second pulses. Add butter and shortening and process until homogeneous dough just starts to collect in uneven clumps, about 15 seconds (dough will resemble cottage cheese curds and there should be no uncoated flour). Scrape bowl with rubber spatula and redistribute dough evenly around processor blade. Add remaining cup flour and pulse until mixture is evenly distributed around bowl and mass of dough has been broken up, 4 to 6 quick pulses. Empty mixture into medium bowl.
Sprinkle vodka and water over mixture. With rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix, pressing down on dough until dough is slightly tacky and sticks together [I dumped the dough back into the food processor and pulsed a few times to get it really consistent. I actually had tried just sprinkling the water/vodka through the feeder tube while pulsing, but the liquid didn't distribute as well as I wanted. It isn't much hassle to dump the mixture into a bowl, then back into the processor, and the dough comes out perfect]. Divide dough into two even balls and flatten each into 4-inch disk. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 45 minutes or up to 2 days.
So that's the Great Vodka Crust Recipe. Here's how I turned it into Great Apple Blueberry Pie:
While pie crust dough is chilling in the fridge, mix together and set aside:
about 3/4 cup sugar (I like to mix 1/2 cup white, 1/4 cup brown together)
about 2 Tbl flour
a pinch of salt
about 3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
Notice that the amounts are all approximate. Go with your preference and the tartness of the apples.
Core and peel 5 apples (I prefer Macintosh). Slice each apple into quarters, then slice the quarters crosswise into pieces about 1/6" thick (picky, huh? but 1/4" is too thick, 1/8" too thin and will make apple mush. It doesn't matter if some pieces are a little thinner or thicker--what you're looking for is that 1/6" average, which will deliver the perfect filling texture and consistency). Toss with a squeeze or two of fresh lemon (preferably a Meyer lemon), a few dashes of Tabasco, and most of the sugar mixture--reserve a couple of tablespoons to toss separately into a cup of fresh blueberries, so they don't crush and mush into the apples.
Roll out one of the dough disks (use lots of flour) and place into a nice deep pie dish. Pour in the apple filling and press down a bit, then sprinkle the blueberries on top.
Roll out the other disk of dough (see how easy it was to make a perfect round?) and place over the top. Fold and crimp to your heart's delight, have fun arranging little pastry cutouts around the rim or on top (I made a pie in an oval baking dish and lined the rim with pastry apple leaves. It was so pretty!) and cut a few slits in the crust. Brush the top with a little milk or cream and sprinkle sugar on it (I use either raw sugar for texture, or superfine baker's sugar for a glistening surface).
Bake according to your oven's capabilities. I have a convection oven, so I start it at 415, then turn down to about 350. It takes probably about 45 minutes, but I'm not sure because I haven't kept track. I just keep an eye on it. When the crust is nicely golden it is done and ready to delight your eyes, your mouth, and your tummy.
What's Russian for Bon Appetit?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)