Read Online Pie and Pastry Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Rose Levy Beranbaum
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crimped edge, using half butter, half shortening (by volume) is a good compromise. Because the butter (which contains water) will make this crust less tender, replace 1½ teaspoons of the water with cider vinegar (1 tablespoon for the 2¼ cups flour formula).
I do not like the flavor of the butter-flavored shortening. I found the dough to have a bitter aftertaste when I tried it.
STORE
Refrigerated, up to 2 days; frozen, up to 3 months.
POINTERS FOR SUCCESS
Flour well when rolling.
UNDERSTANDING
Shortening is 100 percent fat, butter is 80 percent fat; 1 cup shortening is 191 grams, 1 cup butter is 227 grams. To replace 8 tablespoons (1 stick) of butter withshortening and maintain the same fat content, as in the Basic Flaky Pie Crust, page 22, you would need only 7½ tablespoons. As this is an awkward amount to measure, I call for 8 tablespoons, which makes the dough slightly more tender. Using pastry flour would therefore make the dough too fragile. Replacing the butter with an equal weight of shortening would require using 9½ tablespoons of shortening, which would result in a flakier but harder to handle dough.
The Basic Flaky Pie Crust, using the same amount of flour, has the equivalent of 5 tablespoons plus ½ teaspoon of liquid, including what is contained in the butter. This shortening crust has ½ teaspoon more to compensate for the tenderizing effects of the extra fat.
FLAKY CHEDDAR CHEESE PIE CRUST
C risper than a cream cheese crust, this crust is just as flaky and tender. The flavor of Cheddar is further enhanced by cayenne pepper, which stays in the background as a nice bite. This crust is so delicious, I bake the scraps to eat by themselves as snacks. This is the crust for a meatloaf (page 331) or the Roasted Red Pepper and Poblano Quiche (page 341).
PASTRY FOR A 9½- BY 1-INCH TART OR A 9-INCH PIE MAKES: 14.4 OUNCES/412 GRAMS
INGREDIENTS
MEASURE
WEIGHT
VOLUME
OUNCES
GRAMS
*Pastry flour makes the dough too weak for wrapping around a meat loaf but would add desirable tenderness if using it for a tart.
†For a tart shell, use only 2 tablespoons so it will be more tender. The pastry needs to be slightly stronger to hold together when wrapping a meat loaf.
unsalted butter, cold
8 tablespoons
4 ounces
113 grams
bleached all-purpose flour*
1cups (dip and sweep method)
6.5 ounces
184 grams
salt
¼ +teaspoon
•
•
optional: baking powder (if not using, double the salt)
teaspoon
•
•
cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon
•
•
sharp Cheddar cheese, grated, cold
¾ cup, medium packed
3 ounces
85 grams
ice water
2½ tablespoons†
1.3 ounces
36 grams
cider vinegar
1½ teaspoons
0.25 ounce
7 grams
FOOD PROCESSOR METHOD
Cut the butter into small (about ¾-inch) cubes. Wrap it in plastic wrap and freeze it until frozen solid, at least 30 minutes. Place the flour, salt, optional baking powder, and cayenne pepper in a reclosable gallon-size freezer bag and freeze it for at least 30 minutes.
Place the flour mixture in a food processor with the metal blade and process for a few seconds to combine. Set the bag aside. Add the Cheddar cheese and process for about 20 seconds or until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the frozen butter cubes and pulse until none of the butter is larger than the size of a pea. (Toss with a fork to see it better.) Remove the cover and add the water and vinegar. Pulse until most of the butter is reduced to the size of small peas. The mixture will be in particles and will not hold together. Spoon it into the plastic bag.
Holding both ends of the bag opening with your fingers, knead the mixture by alternately pressing it, from the outside of the bag, with the knuckles and heels of your hands until the mixture holds together in one piece and feels slightly stretchy when pulled.
Wrap the dough with plastic wrap, flatten it into a disc, and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes, preferably overnight.
HAND METHOD
Place a medium mixing bowl in the freezer to chill. Cut the butter into small
I do not like the flavor of the butter-flavored shortening. I found the dough to have a bitter aftertaste when I tried it.
STORE
Refrigerated, up to 2 days; frozen, up to 3 months.
POINTERS FOR SUCCESS
Flour well when rolling.
UNDERSTANDING
Shortening is 100 percent fat, butter is 80 percent fat; 1 cup shortening is 191 grams, 1 cup butter is 227 grams. To replace 8 tablespoons (1 stick) of butter withshortening and maintain the same fat content, as in the Basic Flaky Pie Crust, page 22, you would need only 7½ tablespoons. As this is an awkward amount to measure, I call for 8 tablespoons, which makes the dough slightly more tender. Using pastry flour would therefore make the dough too fragile. Replacing the butter with an equal weight of shortening would require using 9½ tablespoons of shortening, which would result in a flakier but harder to handle dough.
The Basic Flaky Pie Crust, using the same amount of flour, has the equivalent of 5 tablespoons plus ½ teaspoon of liquid, including what is contained in the butter. This shortening crust has ½ teaspoon more to compensate for the tenderizing effects of the extra fat.
FLAKY CHEDDAR CHEESE PIE CRUST
C risper than a cream cheese crust, this crust is just as flaky and tender. The flavor of Cheddar is further enhanced by cayenne pepper, which stays in the background as a nice bite. This crust is so delicious, I bake the scraps to eat by themselves as snacks. This is the crust for a meatloaf (page 331) or the Roasted Red Pepper and Poblano Quiche (page 341).
PASTRY FOR A 9½- BY 1-INCH TART OR A 9-INCH PIE MAKES: 14.4 OUNCES/412 GRAMS
INGREDIENTS
MEASURE
WEIGHT
VOLUME
OUNCES
GRAMS
*Pastry flour makes the dough too weak for wrapping around a meat loaf but would add desirable tenderness if using it for a tart.
†For a tart shell, use only 2 tablespoons so it will be more tender. The pastry needs to be slightly stronger to hold together when wrapping a meat loaf.
unsalted butter, cold
8 tablespoons
4 ounces
113 grams
bleached all-purpose flour*
1cups (dip and sweep method)
6.5 ounces
184 grams
salt
¼ +teaspoon
•
•
optional: baking powder (if not using, double the salt)
teaspoon
•
•
cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon
•
•
sharp Cheddar cheese, grated, cold
¾ cup, medium packed
3 ounces
85 grams
ice water
2½ tablespoons†
1.3 ounces
36 grams
cider vinegar
1½ teaspoons
0.25 ounce
7 grams
FOOD PROCESSOR METHOD
Cut the butter into small (about ¾-inch) cubes. Wrap it in plastic wrap and freeze it until frozen solid, at least 30 minutes. Place the flour, salt, optional baking powder, and cayenne pepper in a reclosable gallon-size freezer bag and freeze it for at least 30 minutes.
Place the flour mixture in a food processor with the metal blade and process for a few seconds to combine. Set the bag aside. Add the Cheddar cheese and process for about 20 seconds or until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the frozen butter cubes and pulse until none of the butter is larger than the size of a pea. (Toss with a fork to see it better.) Remove the cover and add the water and vinegar. Pulse until most of the butter is reduced to the size of small peas. The mixture will be in particles and will not hold together. Spoon it into the plastic bag.
Holding both ends of the bag opening with your fingers, knead the mixture by alternately pressing it, from the outside of the bag, with the knuckles and heels of your hands until the mixture holds together in one piece and feels slightly stretchy when pulled.
Wrap the dough with plastic wrap, flatten it into a disc, and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes, preferably overnight.
HAND METHOD
Place a medium mixing bowl in the freezer to chill. Cut the butter into small
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