Pies and Mini Pies (19 page)

Pie Crusts

These pie crusts are never-fail recipes that don’t require a cooking school certification to prepare. Don’t worry if you don’t have a rolling pin; you’ll be able to use your fingers to press the dough into your pie pan for a time-saving crust that’s sure to please.

Some of these recipes are prepared right in the pie plate, so cleanup is a snap. These recipes are perfect for impromptu gatherings and occasions when there just isn’t enough time for a major baking session. You’ll be amazed at how quickly you can prepare and serve a fresh-from-the-oven pie.

Pie Crust Tips

Just like many other abilities, good pie baking skill develops with experience and employing little tips and tricks you accumulate over the years. You may not be able to spend an afternoon baking with your county-fair-blue-ribbon-winning aunt or grandmother, but add a few of these time tested tips, and your pies will become ribbon worthy too.

Prepare Your Dough

Use ice water when making your pie dough. The shortening or butter needs to remain cold and the icy water helps keep it from melting.

Handle and mix the dough as little as possible. Overmixing will result in a tough crust.

Use a food processor to speed up mixing and minimize handling.

Chill your butter or shortening and cut into small chunks before blending with the flour.

Freeze your butter and shred with a cheese grater before blending with the flour.

After mixing your dough, divide it into two portions. The portion of the bottom crust should be a little larger than the top crust. Form into flattened balls, and cover with plastic wrap.

Allow the dough to rest for two hours in the refrigerator before rolling it out. After wrapping in plastic wrap, it can remain in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. You can also freeze the dough at this point for up to two months.

Tenderize Your Pie Dough

Replace one teaspoon of water with lemon juice or vinegar for each cup of flour used in your dough recipe. This won’t affect the flavor of your crust, but it keeps the gluten from forming strands that will make your crust tougher.

Rolling Out Your Dough

Rolling your dough on waxed paper makes life easy and clean up a breeze. Sprinkle a few drops of water on the counter, spread the moisture around with your hand, and place a sheet of wax paper over the wet area. Place your flattened ball of dough in the center and cover with a second sheet of paper.

Always roll from the center out when preparing a crust. Work equally around the circle, using firm, outward strokes. Keeping the perimeter as round and symmetrical as possible, work the dough in all directions.

A heavy rolling pin makes the job easier than a lightweight pin. A rolling pin with ball bearings rolls smoothly and easily. A marble rolling pin is a great investment if you bake a lot of pies.

Make the crust two inches larger in diameter than the pie plate.

Use the waxed paper to transfer the crust from the counter to the pan. Gently peel off the top piece of paper. Pick the crust up by the paper, fold in half and position over the pie pan with the paper on the top. Reposition the crust until it is centered, and allow it to settle into the pan. Carefully peel away the wax paper, and press the crust evenly into the pan. Use the same procedure for the top crust, and center it on top of the pie filling.

Use your kitchen scissors to cut away the excess crust after fitting it in the pie pan. You can also use the edge of a butter knife.

Use The Right Pie Pan

Don’t use dark metal or shiny aluminum pans. The dark metal may cause the crust to brown too much. Shiny aluminum reflects heat, which may prevent the crust from browning. Use a glass or dull metal pie pan for best results.

Prevent Edges Of The Crust From Burning

Cover the rim of the pie after the first 15 minutes to ensure the edge does not burn. You can purchase aluminum pie crust shields at kitchen supply stores, or cut strips of aluminum to gently shape around the rim.

Vent Your Pie

Cut several vents in the top crust of your pie. This allows the steam to escape. This will keep the top crust from getting soggy.

Glaze The Crust

There are several things you can use to glaze your pie crust. It’s certainly not necessary, but the glaze adds a beautiful finish to your pie that makes it a lovely presentation for your guests.

Use a very soft pastry brush to apply your glaze, and don’t apply so much that you end up with puddles of the liquid.

Use milk or cream, and your pie will bake to a matte, reddish-brown color.

Beat a whole egg to glaze your pie crust. This will give a shiny, golden yellow finish to your pie.

Beat only the egg yolk for a deep, golden brown color. This glaze has a rich, high gloss finish.

Brush the crust with egg white mixed with a teaspoon of water. It doesn’t change the color of the crust, but it gives the crust a sheen. You can also sprinkle a bit of sugar over the glaze before baking to give the pie a glittery appearance.

Prevent A Soggy Bottom Crust

If you are baking a single crust pie, brush it with egg white when it comes out of the oven. The egg will cook and seal the crust surface. Strained raspberry or apricot preserves, melted chocolate or clarified butter can be brushed over the surface of the crust. The coating solidifies and keeps the crust dry.

For a double crust, try baking your pie on a preheated baking stone or bake directly on the oven floor to help brown the bottom. This will help prevent a soggy crust.

Cool your pie on a wire rack. This allows the bottom to cool more rapidly and may prevent some sogginess.

Easy Pie Crust for Cream Pies

Put directly into pie pan:

1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

1 1/2 cups flour

Pour over the flour:

2 tablespoons milk

1/2 cup oil

Mix with a fork until well blended. Pat out with fingers into even covering. Bake at 425 degrees F for 12 to 15 minutes. Cool. Fill with any cream filling.

Mix and Press One-Crust Pastry

1 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup shortening

2 teaspoons butter

1 teaspoon cold water

Place all ingredients in small mixing bowl and mix until particles are fine. (If mixture seems a little dry, add a few drops of water.) Press the crumb mixture evenly and firmly over the bottom and sides of a 9” pie pan with floured fingers. Flute the edges, if desired. Do not prick the crust. Bake at 425 degrees F for 12 to 15 minutes or fill and bake as desired.

Never Roll Pie Crust

1 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 cup salad oil

2 tablespoons milk

Sift together flour, salt and sugar in glass pie plate. Mix milk and oil together and pour into pie plate with dry ingredients. Mix all together with a fork. Pat with fingers to form a pie shell. Bake at 350 degrees F until brown.

Baked Cookie Crust

1 cup flour

3 tablespoons sugar

1/2 cup butter

1 egg yolk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Pinch of salt

Combine flour, sugar, butter, egg yolk, vanilla, lemon juice and salt in a bowl. Blend with a pastry blender until a smooth ball forms. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Roll out dough and place in 9-inch pie plate. Prick bottom of dough with fork. Bake shell in a 400 degree F oven for 7 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool.

For chocolate crust: Omit lemon juice and add 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa and 1 additional tablespoon sugar.

Lo-Cal Graham Cracker Crust

2/3 cup graham cracker crumbs

1/4 teaspoon unflavored gelatin

2 1/2 tablespoons diet margarine

Blend crumbs, margarine and gelatin in a small bowl with a fork. Spray a 9-inch pie plate with non-stick cooking spray. Press crumb moisture against the side and bottom of the plate. Bake crust in a 425 degrees F oven for 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on wire rack.

Tarts

Party Mini Cheesecake Tarts

1 pound cream cheese, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 large eggs

3/4 cup sugar

Cherry pie filling

Small vanilla wafers

Small foil cups (paper-lined)

Beat cream cheese, vanilla, eggs and sugar together. Place 1 vanilla wafer in paper-lined foil cups and fill 3/4 full with creamed mixture. Bake 10 minutes at 375 degrees F. When cool, top with small portion of cherry pie filling.

Pecan Tarts

1 cup chopped pecans

16 unbaked tart shells

1 cup sugar

4 eggs

1 cup light corn syrup

1/4 cup melted butter or margarine

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Sprinkle the pecans into the tart shells. Mix the sugar and eggs in a medium bowl. Stir in the corn syrup, butter and vanilla. Spoon into the tart shells; place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 to 40 minutes or until set.

Cherry Tarts

Crust:

3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs

2 tablespoons melted butter

1 tablespoon powdered sugar

Mix the crust ingredients together with a fork. Place equally in bottom of 12 cupcake paper liners and press firmly with bottom of a glass. Bake 10 minutes at 350 degrees F.

Filling:

8 ounce package Philadelphia® cream cheese

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup powdered sugar

Mix all together with mixer until smooth. Divide equally in the 12 cupcake liners. Cool in refrigerator. When cool, place canned cherry pie filling in each cup. Refrigerate overnight for best flavor.

Eggnog Custard Tarts

4 eggs

3 cups eggnog

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons light rum

Ground nutmeg

4 1/2 inch tart pans

Make a double pie crust with one of our recipes or use the Pillsbury refrigerated pie crusts. Using just half of the pastry at a time, roll it out to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut out three 6 1/2 inch circles out of the pastry half. Line the pans with pastry. Flute or crimp the edge of the crust high and don’t prick it. Do the same with the other pastry half. Bake in 450 degrees F oven for 5 minutes. Cool on rack.

For filling, in mixing bowl beat eggs slightly with rotary beater or fork. Stir in the eggnog, sugar, salt, vanilla and light rum; mix well. Places tart pans on cookie sheet. Pour some filling into each partially baked tart shell. Add a little nutmeg sprinkled on each tart. Bake in 350 degrees F oven about 40 minutes or till knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on rack. Cover; store in refrigerator.

Makes 6 tarts.

Pie Toppings

Dry Up Your Weeping Meringues

To prevent your meringue pie from oozing liquid, you have several options for controlling the moisture. Try them all to see which works the best for you.