The Pie Journey

No problems here for HIGH ALTITUDE BAKING, thank goodness, except maybe needing a bit more or less water depending on the flour you use and whether or not you use Butter. The key is to make sure your pie dough is moist enough to make a ball with it and be able to roll it out. without it crumbing. Use your judgement .

At the end of the day, the type of pie crust you make is personal preference. All of the Pie Crust recipes below work; it is up to you. All CRISCO, 1/2 CRISCO/1/2 BUTTER, ALL BUTTER, LEAF LARD

And ALWAYS REMEMBER: A RECIPE IS JUST A GUIDE!

INGREDIENTS NOTES:

• Always use Unsalted Butter so you can control the salt

• Make sure your butter is COLD

• If you are against using CRISCO for the Vegetable Shortening, there are organic options

  https://amzn.to/4eNIwCi

• Always use Kosher Salt; they are bigger pieces and less alty than Iodized Salt

• Try using LEAF LARD: It is a veyr pure form of Pork Fat that has no falvor and provides for, I have heard, the "flakiest" of pastries

https://amzn.to/4wf5ae4

RECIPES

Grandma Rose’s Crust

So glad to have figured out how to make my Grandma's Pie Crust "Up Here"!

YIELD: 2 Balls of Pie Dough Enough for 2 Crusts or 1 Pie with a Covered Top

1. ALL CRISCO Pie Crust

   
   

1 ½ Cups Crisco Vegetable Shortening

4 Cups of All Purpose Flour

2 Tsp. Kosher Salt

11 Tbsp. Ice Water

2. BUTTER/CRISCO Pie Crust

   
   

   1 1/2 Cups Unsalted Butter, COLD

 ½ Cup Crisco Vegetable Shortening

8 Tbsp. Ice Water

4 Cups All Purpose Flour

2 Tsp. Kosher Salt

NOTE: I used less water because of the increased fat in the butter and also because butter contains water on its own. But if your dough looks dry, sprinkle on a little more water.

3. ALL BUTTER

1 ½ Cups Unsalted Butter, COLD

4 Cups Einkorn Flour

2 Tsp. Kosher Salt

8 Tbsp Ice Water

NOTE: I ran out All Purpose Flour and used Einkorn Flour

DIRECTIONS FOR PIE CRUST

1. In a mixing bowl, add all dry ingredients

2. Start paddle to evenly mix ingredients

3. Cut in "fat", either Butter, Crisco or Lard

   What does this mean?

   Cutting in means adding in fat to dry ingredients little pieces at a time and mix until you get a crumbly mixture; you do NOT want to fully incorporate the fat into the dry ingredients

4. Add water slowly by "sprinkling' in; when full mixed and dough pulls off the sids of the bowl, remove from mixing bowl. If it does not "pull together" add a bit more water/

5. Divide and shape into 2 balls

6. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.

   WHY? The dough must rest or it will shrink in your pie pan

7. Remove dough from refrigerator and let sit until soft enough to rll out.

   Sprinkle your counter with flour to prevent the dough from sticking

8. Using a rolling pin, slowly wrap the dough around the pin, using a PLASTIC SCRAPER to help the dough wrap around the rolling pin

9. Carefully place at the edge of the pie tin and roll over pie tin and release into the pie tin.

10. Crimp the sides, poke holes with a fork at the bottom and chill.

11. Fill with pie filling and topping and freeze.

    WHY? Putting the pie in the oven with frozen fruit will help the fruit keep its shape and not get "mushy" and prevents pie crust from "shrinking" and "slipping" down.

12. Cover the top of your pie:

    1. Full cover with pie dough: Poke holes to let the steam release

    2. or...cover with Crumble Topping or do a Lattice

What I Learned

1. Einkorn Flour has less Gluten so it needs to be handled a bit gentler; not as much kneading

2. When you take your Einkorn Flour Pie Crust dough out of the refrigerator after let it warm up an soften; it will be harder than the rest and take longer to soften.

3. It requires less water; gradually add the water to make sure it does not get too wet

4. It provides a more flavorful pie crust:

   1. Nutty, Sweet

   2. More tender texture, not as flaky and a bit crumbly

I LOVE IT THE FLAVOR! Would be great with a Pumpkin Pie!

COMPARISON NOTES:

All Crisco Vetable Shortening

• Flakiest

  NOTE: I HAVE NOT TRIED LEAFR LARD YET; THAT IS UP NEXT

• Easiest to roll

• Least flavorful

  
  

  Butter + Crisco

  • Good flakiness

  • A little more flavor with the addition of butter

    
    

All Butter

• Obvious rich, butter flavor

• Good tenderness

• Moderate flakiness

Use of Einkorn Flour instead of All Purpose Flour

• Most delicate, tender bite

• Richest wheat flavor

• Least flaky and it crumbles in your mouth but it works!

• Most fragile dough

CRUMBLE TOPPING

1 Lb. Unsalted Butter

1 Lb. Granulated Sugar

(or 1/2 Lb. Brown Sugar/1/2 Lb. Granjulated Sugar)

1/2 Lb. Quick Oats

1 Lb. All Purpose Flour

2 Tsp. Kosher Salt

Cinnamon depending on what Fruit Pie you are making

1. In a separate bowl, mix the Oats and All Purpose Flour

2. Place the Butter and Sugar in the mixing bowl and cream with paddle attachment.

3. Add in Flour and Oats

4. Mix until fully incorporated.

   NOTE: This is my standard Crumble Topping that I use for Cobbles, Coffee Cakes...anything! I always keep some in the freezer.

FRUIT PIE FILLING MIXTURE:

1 1/2 Cups Granulated Sugar

3/4 Cup All Purpose Flour

DIRECTIONS TO MIX WITH FRUIT

1. Mix Sugar and Flour together

2. Toss with fruit for pie; use enough to coat fruit

   Estimate: 1 1/2 Cups for 8 Cups of Fruit

   NOTE: When making an Apple Pie, First toss with melted butter to let the sugar/flour mixture stick.

FRUIT PIE

8 Cups Fruit:

• Mixed Berries

• Peeled Apples, cut into 1 1/2 " chunks

1 1/2 Cup Sugar/Flour Mature

Crumble Topping or Pie Crust Top

ADDITIONS:

• Chopped Crystallized Ginger for:

  • Blueberry Pie, Apple Pie, Peach Pie

DIRECTIONS FOR BAKING PIE

1. Heat Convection Oven to 375 or 400 for Regular Oven

   NOTE: Convection Oven is better for pies becaue:

   1. Browns the bottom of the crust better

   2. Helps the moisture from the fruit to evaporate better

   3. Makes a flakier crust

   4. Provides for more even baking throughout the entire pie

   
   

2. Mix fruit and sugar/flour mixture in bowl and let sit and fruit will 'macerate" and sugar will "melt"

3. Place in pie tin

4. Cover with Topping

5. Bake approximately 1 1/2 hours

   1. NOTE: Your pie is done when:

      1. The fruit/syrup is boiling in the middle and not only on the edges of the pie

         NOTE: the heat starts at the outside and moves in while baking

      2. The internal temperature is around 200; at HIGH ALTITUDE it takes a lot longer for baked goods to reach their required temperature

         IF YOU ARE NOT SURE IF YOUR PIE IS DONE CALL ME!