Shut your pie hole!!

After the drama last week, I've decided to keep my mouth shut. All of us were assigned cleaning tasks according to a duty roaster - a small triumph for me. This week, we are going to learn everything about pies and tarts! So putting everything behind, I am ready to learn new stuff. However, this week lesson also means something that I've always dreaded...making pie pastry. I hate that I don't have a nifty fingers to roll a proper pastry. This week lesson also means something very new to me since I am not a huge fan of pies or tarts. 

Success or failure of pie pastry depends on how the flour and fat (butter, shortening or margerine) are mixed and how gluten is developed. We learnt about the two mixing methods two weeks ago:

1. Creaming - mixing butter and sugar before adding any liquid such as eggs, milk etc followed by flour.
2. Rub in - butter is mixed into flour until particles of fat are about the size of pea formed. Water is added in to form some gluten in the flour.

We also learnt two types of pie dough (difference between the two is in how the fat is blended with the flour):

1. Flaky pie dough - fat is rubbed into the flour until the particles of fat is about the size of peas/walnuts depends on how flaky the crusts required after baking. The bigger the fat particles, the flakier the crusts. When water is added, the flour absorbs it and develops gluten. When the dough is rolled out, the lumps of fat and moistened flour are flattened and become flakes of dough separated by layers of fat.
2. Mealy pie dough - fat is blended into the flour more thoroughly, until the mixture look like coarse cornmeal. The crust is very 'short' and tender because less gluten can develop. Less water is needed in the mix because the flour won't absorb as much as in flaky dough. The baked dough is less likely to absorb moisture form the filling.

Mealy dough is used for bottom crust, especially in baked fruit pies and soft or custard type pies, because it resists sogginess. Flaky doughs are used for top crusts and sometimes for pre-baked shells.

Sweet Short Pastry (Creaming Method)

Butter................................................125g
Sugar................................................ 45g
Salt.................................................... 1g
Egg.................................................... 35g
Cake Flour........................................ 200g

1. Using paddle attachment, mix the butter, sugar and salt until evenly blended.
2. Add egg and mix just until absorbed.
3. Add flour into the mixture and mix just evenly blended.
4. Wrap the dough in cling film and chill a few hours before using.

Pie Dough (Rub In Method)

Butter................................................ 113g
Flour.................................................. 200g
Salt.................................................... 6g
Sugar................................................ 2g
Water (cold)..................................... 68g

1. Combine salt and sugar with water and set aside.
2. Rub butter into flour until mixture resembles crumble.
3. Add water to flour mixture and mix until water is absorbed (check the consistency- not sticky).
4. Wrap and chill in cling film a few hours before using.

Amazingly, after making some pies and tarts I started to like them but gosh! Not easy to make since it involves lots of steps especially those small little fruit tartlets!!!