**Discover the Art of English Pie Crusts: A Culinary Journey Through Classic and Modern Recipes**
In the realm of baking, few things can match the versatility and sheer delight of a flaky, golden-brown pie crust. English pie crusts, renowned for their delicate texture and ability to complement a wide range of fillings, hold a special place in the culinary world. From the classic all-butter crust to the more modern rough puff pastry, this article presents a comprehensive guide to English pie crusts, featuring a collection of recipes that cater to every taste and skill level.
1. **All-Butter Pie Crust:** This classic recipe forms the foundation of many English pies. Made with just butter, flour, and a pinch of salt, it delivers a rich, buttery flavor and a melt-in-your-mouth texture.
2. **Shortcrust Pastry:** A versatile and easy-to-make crust, shortcrust pastry is perfect for both sweet and savory pies. Its crumbly texture and neutral flavor make it an ideal choice for a variety of fillings, from classic apple pie to hearty steak and kidney pie.
3. **Flaky Pie Crust:** As its name suggests, this crust is characterized by its delicate layers and flaky texture. Made with a combination of butter and shortening, it offers a light and airy crust that is perfect for fruit pies and tarts.
4. **Rough Puff Pastry:** This more advanced pastry technique creates a crust with a light, airy texture and a beautiful, layered appearance. While it requires a bit more effort, the results are well worth the time and effort.
5. **Hot Water Crust:** A unique and flavorful variation, hot water crust is made with boiling water instead of milk or eggs. This results in a crust that is sturdy and holds its shape well, making it ideal for pies that require a longer baking time, such as meat pies and pasties.
6. **Vegan Pie Crust:** For those with dietary restrictions or vegan preferences, this recipe offers a delicious and flaky crust made without butter or eggs. Using a combination of plant-based fats and flours, it delivers a satisfying crust that is perfect for a variety of pies.
With these recipes, you'll be able to elevate your pie-making skills and create stunning pastries that are sure to impress your family and friends. Let's dive into the world of English pie crusts and explore the endless possibilities they offer!
BRITISH SHORTCRUST PIE PASTRY
Many British recipes call for shortcrust pastry. This makes a great alternative to pre-made crusts. Because it is so easy to make in batches, I make extra to freeze for later use. This pastry dough can also be kept in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.
Provided by Piques
Categories Desserts Pies 100+ Pie Crust Recipes Pastry Crusts
Time 35m
Yield 2
Number Of Ingredients 4
Steps:
- Combine flour, butter, and shortening using a food processor until crumbly. Mix in water 1 tablespoon at at time until dough is soft and pliable.
- Wrap dough in plastic wrap; let rest in a refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before using.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 657.5 calories, Carbohydrate 47.7 g, Cholesterol 61 mg, Fat 49.3 g, Fiber 1.7 g, Protein 6.7 g, SaturatedFat 21.1 g, Sodium 165.6 mg, Sugar 0.2 g
PROPER ENGLISH COTTAGE PIE
Proper English Cottage Pie is a delicious, very traditional mince pie (beef) topped with mashed potato. Serve with garden peas.
Provided by Caroline
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European UK and Ireland English
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
- To Make Meat Filling: Place a large skillet over medium heat. Crumble in ground beef and saute 1 minute. Add onion and carrot, then continue to saute until meat is no longer pink and onion begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Mix in flour, cinnamon, mixed herbs, and parsley.
- In a small bowl, combine beef broth and tomato paste. Mix together, then add to beef mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste. Lower heat and simmer mixture for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until almost all of liquid has been absorbed. Spoon mixture into a 9 inch pie plate.
- To Make Potato Topping: Place diced potatoes in a medium saucepan. Cover with water and place over high heat. Allow to come to a boil. Boil for 15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Drain.
- Mash potatoes until smooth, then add butter or margarine, followed by milk. Whip until fluffy. Add salt and pepper to taste. Spread potatoes over beef filling. Sprinkle with grated Cheddar cheese.
- Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes, until top is browned and cheese is bubbly.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 512.5 calories, Carbohydrate 34.8 g, Cholesterol 100.2 mg, Fat 30.9 g, Fiber 4.9 g, Protein 24.1 g, SaturatedFat 15.8 g, Sodium 490.6 mg, Sugar 5.7 g
EASY PIE CRUST
Prep now and enjoy wonderful pies all season. Make the crust and topping in advance and keep them in the freezer for up to three months, then defrost fully before using.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Dessert & Treats Recipes Pie & Tarts Recipes
Time 1h40m
Yield Makes 2
Number Of Ingredients 4
Steps:
- To make the dough for the pie crust, mix 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour and 1 teaspoon each salt and sugar in a medium-size bowl. Cut 2 sticks chilled unsalted butter into pieces. With a pastry blender, cut in butter, working until mixture resembles coarse meal.
- Add 4 tablespoons ice water; work with hands until dough comes together. If dough is still crumbly, add more ice water a tablespoon at a time (up to 4 more tablespoons). Do not overwork.
- Divide dough in half, and flatten halves into disks. Wrap disks separately in plastic; refrigerate at least 1 hour.
- To form the pie shell, roll the dough on a floured surface into a 14-inch round. Wrap around rolling pin and carefully unroll over a 9-inch pie plate.
- Fit gently into bottom and side of plate. Use kitchen shears to trim dough to a 1-inch overhang; fold under, and seal to form a rim.
- Crimp rim with fingertips and knuckle. Repeat with remaining dough; wrap each with plastic, stack, and freeze.
PERFECT PIE CRUST
Intimidated by pie dough? This flaky pie crust recipe walks you through every step for the perfect pie. Use all butter or a combo of butter and shortening. Plus learn how to blind-bake a pie crust.
Provided by Elise Bauer
Categories Dessert Baking Pie Pie Crust Pie Dough
Time 1h15m
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- Mix the flour, sugar, and salt: Put flour, sugar, and salt into the bowl of a food processor and pulse a couple times to mix.
- Add the butter, half at a time, pulsing several times after each addition: Add about half of the butter to the food processor and pulse several times. Then add the rest of the butter and pulse 6 to 8 times until the largest pieces of butter are about the size of large peas.
- Slowly add the ice water: Sprinkle the mixture with 4 tablespoons of the ice water (make sure there are no ice cubes in the water!) and pulse again. Then add more ice water, a tablespoon at a time, pulsing once or twice after each addition until the dough just barely begins to hold together. You may not need all the water. The mixture is ready when a small handful of the crumbly dough holds together when you pinch it with your fingers.
- Make two dough discs: Carefully empty the crumbly dough mixture from the food processor on to a clean, dry, flat surface. Gather the mixture in a mound. Divide the dough mixture into two even-sized mounds. Use your hands and knead each mound just enough to form each one into a disc. Do not over-knead! Kneading develops gluten which will toughen the dough, not something you want in a pastry crust. You should just knead enough so that the dough holds together without cracks. If you started with cold butter you should be able to see small chunks of butter speckling the dough. This is a good thing. These small bits of butter will spread out into layers as the crust cooks so you have a flaky crust! Sprinkle each disc with a little flour, wrap each one in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for one hour or up to 2 days.
- Remove dough from refrigerator and let sit for a few minutes: Remove one crust disc from the refrigerator. Let sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes in order to soften just enough to make rolling out a bit easier.
- Roll out dough, place in pie dish: Roll out with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface to a 12-inch circle; about 1/8 of an inch thick. As you roll out the dough, check if the dough is sticking to the surface below. If necessary, add a few sprinkles of flour under the dough to keep the dough from sticking. Carefully place onto a 9-inch pie plate. Gently press the pie dough down so that it lines the bottom and sides of the pie plate. Use a pair of kitchen scissors to trim the dough to within 1/2 inch of the edge of the pie dish.
- Add filling to the pie
- Roll out second disc, place on top of filling: Roll out second disc of dough, as before. Gently place onto the top of the filling in the pie. Trim excess dough with kitchen shears, leaving a 3/4 inch overhang. Fold the edge of the top piece of dough over and under the edge of the bottom piece of dough, pressing together. Flute edges using thumb and forefinger or press with a fork. Score the top of the pie with four 2-inch long cuts, so that steam from the cooking pie can escape.
- Freeze the crust it for at least a half hour: until chilled. This is an important step in pre-baking. Otherwise the crust will slip down the sides. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Line pie crust with aluminum foil: When the pie crust is sufficiently chilled, line the pie crust with aluminum foil. Let the foil extend over by a few inches on two sides to make it easier to lift to remove the pie weights when the baking is done.
- Fill with pie weights: Fill the crust to the top with pie weights - dry beans, rice, or sugar. (Sugar works best.)
- Bake: Bake at 350°F for 45-50 minutes if making a crust for a pie that will require further cooking, for example a quiche. Bake for 60 to 75 minutes if making a crust for a pie that you don't need to bake further.
- Cool completely before filling: You may need to tent the edges of the pie with aluminum foil when you bake your pie, to keep the edges from getting too dried out and burnt. See more detailed instructions and photos for how to blind bake a crust here .
- Make the dough: Combine flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor; pulse to mix. Add the butter and pulse 4 times. Add shortening in tablespoon sized chunks, and pulse 4 more times. The mixture should resemble coarse cornmeal, with butter bits no bigger than peas. Sprinkle 6 tablespoons of ice water over flour mixture. Pulse a couple times. If you pinch some of the crumbly dough and it holds together, it's ready. If the dough doesn't hold together, keep adding water, a teaspoon at a time, pulsing once after each addition, until the mixture just begins to clump together.
- Form discs: Remove dough from machine and place in a mound on a clean surface. Divide the dough into 2 balls and flatten each into 4 inch wide disks. Do not over-knead the dough! Dust the discs lightly with flour, wrap each in plastic, and refrigerate for at least an hour, or up to 2 days before rolling out.
- Roll out the dough: After the dough has chilled in the refrigerator for an hour, you can take it out to roll. If it is too stiff, you may need to let it sit for 5-10 minutes at room temperature before rolling. Sprinkle a little flour on a flat, clean work surface and on top of the disc of dough you intend to roll out. (We use a Tupperware pastry sheet that has the pie circles already marked.) Using a rolling pin, apply light pressure while rolling outwards from the center of the dough. Every once in a while you may need to gently lift under the dough (a pastry scraper works great for this) to make sure it is not sticking. You have a big enough piece of dough when you place the pie tin or pie dish upside down on the dough and the dough extends by at least 2 inches all around.
- Place into pie dish: When the dough has reached the right size, gently fold it in half. Lift up the dough and place it so that the folded edge is along the center line of the pie dish. Gently unfold. Do not stretch the dough.
- If single crust pie: trim edges: If you are only making a single crust pie, use a pair of kitchen scissors to trim the dough to within 1/2 inch of the lip of the dish. Tuck the overhang underneath itself along the edge of the pie dish. Use your fingers in a pinching motion, or the tines of a fork to crimp the edge of the pie crust.
- If making double crust pie: roll the second crust: If you are making a double crust pie, roll out the second disc of dough. Gently place onto the top of the filling in the pie. Use a kitchen scissors to trim the overhang to an inch over. Fold the edge of the top piece of dough over and under the edge of the bottom piece of dough, pressing together. Finish the double crust by pressing against the edges of the pie with your finger tips or with a fork.
- Make vents in the top: Use a sharp knife to cut vents into the top of the pie crust, so the steam has a place to escape while the pie is cooking. Before scoring, you may want to paint the top of your crust with an egg wash (this will make a nice finish).
- Beat egg yolk with cream and brush on the surface of the pie with a pastry brush.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 370 kcal, Carbohydrate 31 g, Cholesterol 109 mg, Fiber 1 g, Protein 5 g, SaturatedFat 15 g, Sodium 279 mg, Sugar 1 g, Fat 25 g, UnsaturatedFat 0 g
PERFECT PIE CRUST
Try this recipe for Perfect Pie Crust from Food Network's Ina Garten.
Provided by Ina Garten
Categories dessert
Yield 2 (10-inch) crusts
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Dice the butter and return it to the refrigerator while you prepare the flour mixture. Place the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse a few times to mix. Add the butter and shortening. Pulse 8 to 12 times, until the butter is the size of peas. With the machine running, pour the ice water down the feed tube and pulse the machine until the dough begins to form a ball. Dump out on a floured board and roll into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Cut the dough in half. Roll each piece on a well-floured board into a circle, rolling from the center to the edge, turning and flouring the dough to make sure it doesn't stick to the board. Fold the dough in half, place in a pie pan, and unfold to fit the pan. Repeat with the top crust.
BEST EVER PIE CRUST
You can double or half the recipe without any problem. This is a simple recipe and very tasty! It will be very flaky.
Provided by Jean Haseloh
Categories Desserts Pies 100+ Pie Crust Recipes Pastry Crusts
Time 20m
Yield 16
Number Of Ingredients 4
Steps:
- In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in water until mixture forms a ball. Divide dough in half, and shape into balls. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
- Roll out dough on a floured counter. Don't over work it. Use as directed in pie recipe.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 170.1 calories, Carbohydrate 11.9 g, Fat 13 g, Fiber 0.4 g, Protein 1.6 g, SaturatedFat 3.2 g, Sodium 145.9 mg
CREAMY PINA COLADA PIE
This is a family favorite and super easy to make. Some like the consistency of this pina colada pie right out of the freezer and others prefer a softer pie-either way it's delicious! -Jenny Hales, Arcadia, Oklahoma
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Desserts
Time 15m
Yield 2 pies (8 servings each).
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- In a large bowl, combine first three ingredients until smooth. Fold in pineapple, coconut and nuts. Divide and pour mixture into prepared crusts. Refrigerate, covered, until firm, at least 4 hours. If desired, serve with additional whipped topping and cherries.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 299 calories, Fat 14g fat (7g saturated fat), Cholesterol 5mg cholesterol, Sodium 168mg sodium, Carbohydrate 41g carbohydrate (36g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 2g protein.
Tips
- Use high-quality ingredients. The better the ingredients, the better the pie crust will be.
- Make sure the butter is cold. This will help the pie crust stay flaky.
- Work the dough quickly and gently. Overworking the dough will make it tough.
- Chill the dough before rolling it out. This will help the dough stay firm and prevent it from sticking.
- When rolling out the dough, use a light touch. Don't press down too hard or the dough will be tough.
- Trim the edges of the dough evenly. This will help the pie crust look neat and professional.
- Bake the pie crust at a high temperature. This will help the crust brown and become crispy.
- Let the pie crust cool completely before filling it. This will help the crust stay firm and prevent it from becoming soggy.
Conclusion
Making pie crust from scratch is a rewarding experience. With a little practice, you can create delicious, flaky pie crusts that will impress your family and friends. So next time you're in the mood for a homemade pie, give one of these recipes a try. You won't be disappointed.
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