Comments on: Making Pie Crust http://lizjohnson.lohudblogs.com/2006/10/10/making-pie-crust/ Food Finds in the Lower Hudson Valley Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:49:42 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Charlene http://lizjohnson.lohudblogs.com/2006/10/10/making-pie-crust/comment-page-1/#comment-809 Charlene Mon, 20 Nov 2006 00:58:33 +0000 http://lizjohnson.lohudblogs.com/2006/10/10/making-pie-crust/#comment-809 I did it!!! I made the pie crusts twice....and they have worked out wonderfully. Thanks for giving me the encouragement,inspiration, recipe, and pictures necessary to be a successful pie crust maker. My family also says a great big THANKS!!!! I did it!!! I made the pie crusts twice….and they have worked out wonderfully. Thanks for giving me the encouragement,inspiration, recipe, and pictures necessary to be a successful pie crust maker. My family also says a great big THANKS!!!!

]]> By: Liz Johnson http://lizjohnson.lohudblogs.com/2006/10/10/making-pie-crust/comment-page-1/#comment-312 Liz Johnson Sat, 28 Oct 2006 18:54:00 +0000 http://lizjohnson.lohudblogs.com/2006/10/10/making-pie-crust/#comment-312 Dolores, That is a great suggestion about making believe it's too hot! Thank you for sharing it. Liz Dolores,
That is a great suggestion about making believe it’s too hot! Thank you for sharing it.
Liz

]]> By: dolores http://lizjohnson.lohudblogs.com/2006/10/10/making-pie-crust/comment-page-1/#comment-311 dolores Sat, 28 Oct 2006 18:43:39 +0000 http://lizjohnson.lohudblogs.com/2006/10/10/making-pie-crust/#comment-311 Ah...thanks Liz. I was about to ask where the full recipe was, but I see you've included it. Interesting on the cream cheese addition. I have recently discovered the wonders of lard (I have been baking pies for 41 years) added to butter. So I would halve the butter and add lard. I've also never used baking powder in my pie crusts, so this will be a new one for me. Ditto on the cake flour vs all purpose. But you are correct on the handling of the dough. Make believe it is hot to the touch when you make pie dough, i.e., always use your hands in mixing it and touch it only enough to incorporate all the ingredients. Then, let it rest a bit in the refrig, let it warm to room temperature, and voila a crust better than anything you can buy in a bakery. Any bakery. I promise you. Ah…thanks Liz. I was about to ask where the full recipe was, but I see you’ve included it.

Interesting on the cream cheese addition. I have recently discovered the wonders of lard (I have been baking pies for 41 years) added to butter. So I would halve the butter and add lard.

I’ve also never used baking powder in my pie crusts, so this will be a new one for me. Ditto on the cake flour vs all purpose.

But you are correct on the handling of the dough. Make believe it is hot to the touch when you make pie dough, i.e., always use your hands in mixing it and touch it only enough to incorporate all the ingredients. Then, let it rest a bit in the refrig, let it warm to room temperature, and voila a crust better than anything you can buy in a bakery. Any bakery. I promise you.

]]> By: Liz Johnson http://lizjohnson.lohudblogs.com/2006/10/10/making-pie-crust/comment-page-1/#comment-152 Liz Johnson Wed, 11 Oct 2006 19:37:08 +0000 http://lizjohnson.lohudblogs.com/2006/10/10/making-pie-crust/#comment-152 Oh and by the way, for the recipe in full, go to www.lohud.com/food and click on Thanksgiving on the right-hand column. You'll see the article from today's paper: "A crust that's easy as pie." Oh and by the way, for the recipe in full, go to http://www.lohud.com/food and click on Thanksgiving on the right-hand column. You’ll see the article from today’s paper: “A crust that’s easy as pie.”

]]> By: Liz Johnson http://lizjohnson.lohudblogs.com/2006/10/10/making-pie-crust/comment-page-1/#comment-151 Liz Johnson Wed, 11 Oct 2006 19:22:20 +0000 http://lizjohnson.lohudblogs.com/2006/10/10/making-pie-crust/#comment-151 Hi Tracey, The recipe actually calls for pastry flour, but I use cake flour because it's easier to find. The difference is the level of gluten. Gluten is what holds bread or pastry together, so the less of it you have, the flakier — or less held together — your crust will be. Cake flour has the least, pastry flour has more, and all-purpose flour has a little more. Gluten is kind of like chewing gum. You know how the longer you chew, the harder it gets? The more you knead dough, the more the gluten develops and the toughter the dough gets. That's why you don't want to handle pie dough too much. Think of the difference between a bagel (high gluten and chewy) and a pie crust (low gluten and flaky). This crust is going to go GREAT with apples. I hope you like it. Hi Tracey,
The recipe actually calls for pastry flour, but I use cake flour because it’s easier to find. The difference is the level of gluten. Gluten is what holds bread or pastry together, so the less of it you have, the flakier — or less held together — your crust will be. Cake flour has the least, pastry flour has more, and all-purpose flour has a little more.

Gluten is kind of like chewing gum. You know how the longer you chew, the harder it gets? The more you knead dough, the more the gluten develops and the toughter the dough gets.

That’s why you don’t want to handle pie dough too much. Think of the difference between a bagel (high gluten and chewy) and a pie crust (low gluten and flaky).

This crust is going to go GREAT with apples. I hope you like it.

]]> By: Tracey Princiotta http://lizjohnson.lohudblogs.com/2006/10/10/making-pie-crust/comment-page-1/#comment-150 Tracey Princiotta Wed, 11 Oct 2006 17:45:36 +0000 http://lizjohnson.lohudblogs.com/2006/10/10/making-pie-crust/#comment-150 great visuals and explanation liz! quick question -- why cake flour vs. regular flour? can't wait to try this recipe in my apple pie marathon. each year my husband & I go to Salingers and get tons of apples and make about 10 apple pies to have for thanksgiving and the holidays. we end up freezing some to pull out if we need last-minute treats to bring to holiday parties and neighborhood open houses. great visuals and explanation liz!

quick question—why cake flour vs. regular flour?

can’t wait to try this recipe in my apple pie marathon. each year my husband & I go to Salingers and get tons of apples and make about 10 apple pies to have for thanksgiving and the holidays. we end up freezing some to pull out if we need last-minute treats to bring to holiday parties and neighborhood open houses.

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