BASIC PIE CRUST (5 recipes)

This is a tribute to my mother in law Victoria, a true masterchef and my mother Helga, comfort food specialist. Included are all the recipes they prepared, some original recipes from professional chefs, my own creations/favorites, and several entries on knowledge I collected over the years about health/nutrition/medical conditions/home remedies. You will find answers to every common health issue browsing through my collection.

Mürbeteig

subheading: First (w/sour cream):

Flour "don't pack" 1½ cups 180 g

Powder Sugar 2 tsp

Salt ¼ tsp

Butter "frozen" 10 Tbs 142 g

Sour Cream ½ cup 113 g

subheading: Second (GERMAN 3 original variations) S-B-F 1 to 2-3:

see recipe Custard / Crumble / Fruit Tart = Mürbeteig with Pudding

subheading: Third (w/butter+water):

see recipe Almond Pear Tarte

sift flour + powder sugar + salt into bowl and gently combine with fork

grate the frozen butter into the flour+ GENTLY combine with fork

*don't overwork butter into the dough, be gentle

after couple of minutes when some sort of "crumbly consistency" is reached,

add sour cream + "fold under", GENTLY pressing the fork into the mixture until you get a fairly "crumbly uniform" dough.

then GENTLY kneed dough on lightly floured surface (by carefully "pressing" into the dough with your thumbball)

DO NOT OVERDO THE MIXING. This is a very sensitive dough.

wrap in cling film + chill 30 to 60 min (relaxes dough + prevents it from shrinking in the oven)

prep baking form: line w/wax paper or rub w/ butter + sprinkle w/flour all around + shake off extra flour

remove dough from refrigerator + roll out to desired size

*roll out between cling wrap or cover rollpin with stocking

gently lift/press dough into baking form + prep the edge (finger waves, pinch/twist, fork-, spoon imprint...)

swiftly hammer dough w/fork teeth to prevent air pockets forming (hold fork in hand like a little hammer)

OPTIONAL: Line crust w/ double thickness alu foil (all the way to edges of pan bottom)

Fill foil w/dry beans (distribute all across+partly up the sides of the foil-lined crust. Weight ensure the crust holds its shape during baking+doesn't slump in the pan or bubble up)

subheading: Pre-Bake (Blind Bake) Pie Crust:

Place a baking sheet on lower rack + preheat oven to 425°F (220 C)

*for custard/fruit pies (partially baking crust prevents soggy pie bottom before adding liquid filling)

Place weighted pie plate on the preheated baking sheet

reduce oven temp to 400°F + bake 10 to 12 min

*bake until the crust edges start to turn golden + crust bottom has lost translucent "raw" look = (carefully pull up foil edge to take a peek)

Remove pie pan from oven + foil w/beans from crust

subheading: Baked Pie Option..........e.g. Quiche, Pumpkin pie, Key lime pie:

return pre-baked crust to oven + bake until bottom is just beginning to color 6 to 8 min

subheading: Refrigerated Pie Option............e.g. cream pie, custard fruit pie:

return pre-baked crust to oven + bake crust until golden brown 20 to 25 min

subheading: Final Prep before filling crust (creates seal to prevent "soggy" bottom):

brush crust w/egg wash (beat 1 egg+ 1 Tbs water) + return to oven until egg wash is dry+shiny 3 min

then sprinkle crust w/Flour, Bread Crumbs or Powdered Nuts

Fill pre-cooked crust according to recipe (e.g. Quiche, Pumpkin pie, Key lime pie)

Page footer