chapter 40

Chapter 40Chapter 40

Pies and Tarts Pies and Tarts

© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

ObjectiveObjective

• Explain how to prepare quality dough for pies and tarts


PiesPies

• The way in which ingredients are combined and baked can make the difference between a mediocre pie and a great one


DoughDough

• Pie dough is a simple mixture of flour, fat, liquid, and salt

• Selecting the right ingredients will help produce a better finished piecrust


FlourFlour

• Pastry flour produces a delicate piecrust, rather than dense and chewy, because it is lower in gluten and higher in starch


FatFat

• The choice of fat is the most important factor in creating a piecrust with an excellent texture

• Fats commonly used for piecrusts include butter, lard, and vegetable-based solid shortenings


FatFat

• Considerations when choosing a fat for piecrust– Butter

• good flavor• expensive• lower melting point produces crust that isn’t as

flaky


FatFat

• Considerations when choosing a fat for piecrust (continued)– Lard

• higher melting point creates flakier texture than butter

• flavor objectionable to some• dietary restrictions may prohibit its use


FatFat

• Considerations when choosing a fat for piecrust (continued)– Vegetable-based solid shortenings

• reasonably priced• neutral flavor• high melting point creates flaky crust


LiquidLiquid

• The liquid used in pie dough can be water or milk– Water is most common– Milk helps the crust brown more quickly

• Liquid should be ice cold


MixingMixing

• Mixing is important for developing a particular texture in a finished piecrust

• Two distinct textures of finished piecrust include– flaky pie dough: commonly used for fruit-filled

pies– mealy pie dough: used for pies with liquid

fillings because it resists becoming soggy


MixingMixing

• Do not overmix or overwork either type of dough to avoid developing too much gluten


Rolling and FormingRolling and Forming

• Allow the dough to chill before rolling

• Don’t try to roll out more dough at one time than is needed

• Once the piecrust is formed, the raw pie shell is ready for the filling



• After the filling is added, there are three options for finishing the pie– Uncovered: pies with liquid fillings generally

have no top crust– Solid top crust: cut holes or vents in the top

crust to allow steam to escape during baking– Lattice top: strips of dough are woven into a

sheet and placed on the pie to create a decorative top crust



• Egg wash is commonly used to seal the top and bottom crusts together and to give the top crust a brown shiny finish

• The edge of the pie dough can be crimped or decorated to seal it and add eye appeal


Technique: Forming a PiecrustTechnique: Forming a Piecrust

1. Dust work surface with flour to prevent dough from sticking. Place a 9-oz. piece of workable dough on the work surface and dust the top of dough with flour.



2. Apply even pressure with the rolling pin and periodically turn the dough 90 degrees to produce an even sheet of dough.



2. (continued) Dust the dough and work surface with more flour as needed to prevent sticking.



3. Roll dough to ⅛-inch (2 mm) thickness. Either fold the dough in quarters or roll it over the rolling pin to transfer it to the pie pan without tearing.



3. (continued) Lay the sheet of pie dough in the pie pan and gently press it into the corners.



4. Trim the excess dough from the edges by pressing the side of your hand against the rim of the pie pan.


ObjectiveObjective

• Classify traditional fillings for pies


Pie FillingsPie Fillings

• Come in a variety of flavors and textures


Pie FillingsPie Fillings

• Some are baked with the crust, while others are added after the crust is baked

• Must be properly thickened and paired with the appropriate piecrust


Fruit FillingsFruit Fillings

• Raw Fruit Fillings– Mixed with sugar, spices, and a starchy

thickener– As pie bakes, moisture from the fruit and

starch create a thickened filling– Rarely used in foodservice because

thickness of fillings are inconsistent– Underthickened fillings can result in a soggy

pie


Fruit FillingsFruit Fillings

• Cooked Fruit Fillings– Either the fruit or fruit juice is sweetened and

thickened on the stove top– Bakers can control the thickness of the filling

before the pie is baked– For delicate or frozen fruits, cook and thicken

the juice and then mix the fruit back into the thickened juice


Liquid FillingsLiquid Fillings

• Most contain eggs that coagulate and thicken the filling during baking

• Pies with liquid fillings are best baked with mealy pie dough

Can you name some examples of liquid pie fillings?


Cream and Chiffon FillingsCream and Chiffon Fillings

• Cream pies are made with a pudding or pastry cream filling

• Use a prebaked pie shell or a pie shell with a crumb crust

• The consistency of the filling should be thick, so slices hold their shape when cut

• Chiffon pies are a lighter version of cream pies with gelatin and whipped cream added to make it airy and firm


ObjectiveObjective

• Summarize how tarts differ from pies


TartsTarts

• Similar to pies because of the nature of their pastry crusts


TartsTarts

• Much shallower than pies at only ½ to ¾ inches (1.5 to 2 cm) deep

• The classical shape for tarts is round with fluted sides, but tarts can also be square, rectangular, or oval


TartsTarts

• Tartlets are small individual tarts of any shape


DoughDough

• Depending on the type of filling, short dough or sweet dough may be used for making tarts

• They are both rolled and formed in the same manner as pie dough


Short DoughShort Dough

• Short dough, also called pâte brisée (paht breez AY), is used with savory fillings for items such as quiche, hors d’oeuvres, and canapés


Sweet DoughSweet Dough

• Sweet dough, also called pâte sucrée (paht soo CRAY), often has flavorings such as ground nuts, extracts, and cocoa powder added to it


Blind BakingBlind Baking

• Tarts and tartlets are often filled with ingredients that do not need further cooking or baking


Blind BakingBlind Baking

• Before being filled, the tart shells are blind baked

• The dough is lined with parchment paper and then small, loose weights such as dried beans or ball bearings are placed on top of the paper


Filling and DecoratingFilling and Decorating

• Pastry cream is the most common filling for tarts made with sweet dough

• After filling with pastry cream, the tart can be decorated with fresh fruit


Filling and DecoratingFilling and Decorating

• A thin layer of apricot pastry glaze is brushed on the surface


ObjectiveObjective

• Recognize the characteristics and uses of puff pastry


Puff PastryPuff Pastry

• The texture of baked puff pastry is light, delicate, and extremely flaky



• Puff pastry is a roll-in or laminated dough like croissant and Danish dough

• Ready-made puff pastry is often used because it is time and labor intensive to make



1. A basic dough made with flour, butter, and water is prepared.

2. A layer of butter shortening is spread onto the dough.

3. The dough is folded and then rolled out.

4. The process of folding and rolling the dough is repeated multiple times.



• The process creates many very thin layers of fat in the dough that give it a flaky texture when baked



• Puff pastry is– layered with pastry cream to create a

napoleon– used for making pastry cases or containers

that can be filled with various savory or sweet fillings

– used to wrap various products before they are baked, called en croute (ehn KREWT)


ReviewReview

• Name the four ingredients used to make pie dough

– Flour– Fat– Liquid– Salt


ReviewReview

• How does the fat used to make the dough affect the texture of the finished crust?

– Fats with higher melting points create a flakier crust


ReviewReview

• What liquids are generally used to make pie dough?

– Water– Milk


ReviewReview

• Name the two textures of pie dough

– Flaky pie dough– Mealy pie dough


ReviewReview

• What are the three options for finishing a pie once it has been filled?

– Uncovered– Solid top crust– Lattice top


ReviewReview

• How are fruit fillings most commonly made in the foodservice industry?

– Fruit fillings are commonly thickened with cornstarch or arrowroot on the stove top before baking


ReviewReview

• What ingredient helps thicken liquid fillings?

– Eggs coagulate and thicken during the baking process


ReviewReview

• What are the two types of dough used to make tarts?

– Short dough (savory)– Sweet dough


ReviewReview

• Describe the process of blind baking

– Blind baking is the process of prebaking a pie or tart shell that is weighted down to help it keep its shape

chapter 40

Documents

flaky goodheartwillcox

tarts goodheartwillcox

filling goodheartwillcox

gluten goodheartwillcox

starch goodheartwillcox

use goodheartwillcox

soggy goodheartwillcox

cold goodheartwillcox