Pie Night With Kristen St. Jeor

Thanksgiving Pies

Tips for perfecting your favorite pie crust:

1. Start with cold ingredients. Your goal is to cut butter into flour without melting it.

2. Handle with care.  Over working the dough can make it tough.

3. Add ice water gradually.  Too much makes the crust tough; not enough makes it crack.  The dough should just form clumps.

4. Use as little flour as possible when rolling out the dough. It can change the flour to fat ratio and make the dough tough.

5. Turn the dough every few rolls of the pin. Then gently ease it into the plate (without stretching, which will cause it to shrink).

6. Chill 1 hour before baking.  This will prevent shrinkage, and relax any gluten that may have developed.

Perfect Pie Crust

Kristen St . Jeor  

*For best results chill butter and shortening

2 1/2 c. all purpose flour

1 t. salt 

1t. sugar

3/4 c. cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1/4 c. chilled shortening

1/2 c. cold water

1 T. white vinegar

    In a food processor, pulse together flour, salt and sugar. Add butter and shortening; pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs and some of the butter is the size of peas. (Or use traditional method of cutting  fats in with a pastry cutter).

    In a measuring cup, combine water and vinegar. While processor is running, drizzle in just enough water-vinegar mixture to form dough (may be slightly dry, but should hold together when pressed between fingers).

    Halve dough, wrap each piece in plastic wrap and press into disks. Refrigerate or freeze until ready to use. Freeze up to 2 months. Makes 2, eight-nine inch or larger pie crusts.

    Back at 400 degrees for 16-20min until golden brown. 

Pie Glazes:

1. For a glossy top crust, brush with slightly beaten egg white, for a deep golden color brush with a beaten whole egg or egg yolk. Sprinkle with granulated sugar for sparkle.

2. When making crust for cream pies as soon as pie shell come out of the oven brush lightly with beaten egg white, making sure to cover areas pricked with a fork. This will seal the crust and prevent sogginess. Cool Completely before filling.

Southern Pecan Pie

   Kristen St. Jeor

1-9 inch pie shell

Combine on low heat in a saucepan:

1 c. sugar

1 c. light Karo syrup

1/2 c. butter

Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Cool.

Add:

4 eggs

1 t. vanilla

1/4 t. salt

Mix well and add:

1 c. chopped pecans (less if using lots on top)

Pour into unbaked pie shell. Decorate the top of the pie with whole pecans as desired. Bake at 350 degrees for about 55-60 min. Cover edge of pie crust after 30-45 min with foil round.

French Apple Pie

Kristen St. Jeor

*Also great for a double crust apple pie.

" This slightly cooked apple filling insures that the apples are done and the juice thickened."

8-9 inch unbaked pie crust, chilled

In a covered saucepan bring to a boil:

2 Heaping quarts of peeled thinly sliced apples (I prefer Golden Delicious).

1/4-1/3 c. water

Reduce to med low heat. Cook 5-8 min. until partially done. Stir occasionally with a rubber spatula.

Meanwhile; mix together

3/4 c. sugar

3 T. cornstarch

1 t. cinnamon

Add to cooked apples and continue cooking 30 seconds to 1 minute. Until juice thickens. Remove from heat and add: 1 t. lemon juice

Cool and pour into chilled pie crust. Spoon streusel topping evenly over the apples.

Streusel Topping:

Mix together with a fork or pastry cutter until blended but crumbly.

1/2 c. sugar

3/4 c. flour

1/3 c. butter (slightly softened)

Bake 400 degrees on a cookie sheet for 40-50 min. Watch topping to not over brown. Cool on a baking rack.

*For a 2 crust pie: use 1c. sugar (instead of 3/4 c.) in the thickening part of the pie filling. Cover with a top crust, crimp edges. Sprinkle top with sugar or brush with desired milk or egg wash and bake 50-60 min. until pie is bubbling and top crust is golden brown. Cool on baking rack.

Basic Cream Pie

(Revised from Lion House)

8-9 in baked pie shell

5 T. cornstarch

1 c. sugar

1/4 t. salt 

2 1/2 c. milk

3/4 c. half & half

3 egg yolks

2 T. butter

1 t. vanilla

Mix cornstarch, sugar and salt in a glass bowl or glass measuring cup. Add milk and half & half stirring with a wire whip until smooth. Cook in microwave on high power stirring frequently with wire whip until mixture begins to thicken (8-10 min.) Add a small amount of mixture to egg yolks and blend thoroughly with whip, then pour back into bowl and continue cooking another 1-2 min., stirring frequently until mixture is completely thickened. Remove from microwave, add butter and vanilla and mix thoroughly. Pour  into baked pie shell, Press plastic wrap lightly on surface and chill 3-4 hours.

Coconut Cream: Add 1/2 c. coconut to filling. Pour into shell. Cool 3-4 hours and top with whipped cream and another 1/2 c. coconut. (I like to toast coconut for the top).

Chocolate Cream: Melt 6 oz Milk Chocolate Hershey Bar, or Symphony Bar in the microwave on very low power. Add to the filling when adding the butter and vanilla. Chill and top with real whipped cream and chocolate curls from remaining chocolate bar.

German Chocolate Cream: Make like the Chocolate Cream recipe, but use 6 oz. Symphony Milk Chocolate Bar, pour about 1/2 inch of cooked filling into the crust, add 1/2 c. chocolate chunks( from chocolate bar) 1/3 c. chopped pecans and 1/4c. coconut. Cover with plastic wrap, chill and top with cream and chocolate curls.

Banana Cream: Make basic cream pie, before serving top with sliced bananas and whipped cream.