Advanced Baking Hpmgt #135

Key Topic Discussion:  PIES & TARTS

 

 

v       Know difference between a pie and a tart!

 

CRUSTS

 

v       Pie crusts:

ü        Flaky

ü        Mealy

ü        Crumb

 

v       Tart crust = sweet dough

 

v       FLAKY AND MEALY DOUGHS (pies only, not tarts)

 

ü      Quick, easy and versatile, aka pâte brisée.

 

ü      Flaky vs. mealy.  Amount of flakiness depends on size and type of fat.

 

ü      Hand mixing and refrigeration.

 

 

CLASSIFICATION OF PIE AND TART DOUGHS

 

 

 

 

DOUGH

FRENCH NAME

CHARACTERISTICS AFTER BAKING

USE

 

 

 

 

Flaky dough

Pâte brisée

Very flaky; not sweet

Prebaked pie shells; pie top crusts

 

 

 

 

Mealy dough

Pâte brisée

Moderately flaky; not sweet

Custard, cream or fruit pie crusts; quiche crusts

 

 

 

 

Sweet tart dough

Pâte sucrée

Very rich; crisp; not flaky

Tart and tartlet shells

 

 

 

 

Shortbread tart dough

Pâte sablée

Very rich; fragile; not flaky

Tart and tartlet shells; cookies

 

 

 

v       SWEET TART DOUGH (pâte sucrée or sablée)

 

ü      Sturdier than pie dough.  Raw dough may be kept refrigerated up to 2 weeks or frozen up to 3 months.

 

 

 

 

v       CRUMB CRUSTS

 

ü      Finely ground crumbs moistened with melted butter. 

 

ü      Chocolate cookies, graham crackers, gingersnaps, vanilla wafers, macaroons, corn flakes or bran flakes.  Ground nuts and spices can be added for flavor.  Whatever cookies or other ingredients are used, be sure they are ground to a fine, even crumb.

 

ü      Typical ratio for a crumb crust is one part melted butter, two parts sugar and four parts crumbs.  The amount of sugar may need to be adjusted depending on the type of crumbs used.

 

v       SHAPING CRUSTS

 

ü      Easier to roll out and work with if well chilled.  Roll out from the center, working toward the edges.  Periodically, lift the dough gently and rotate it.   Too much flour, however, makes the crust dry, tough and crumbly and causes gray streaks.

 

v       BAKING CRUSTS

 

ü      Unfilled baked crusts can be stored at room temperature 2 to 3 days or wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen as long as 3 months.

 

ü      Baked blind and docking.

 

 

 

TROUBLESHOOTING CHART FOR PIES

 

 

 

PROBLEM

CAUSE

SOLUTION

 

 

 

Crust shrinks

Overmixing

Overworking dough

Not enough fat

Dough was stretched or rolled incorrectly

Adjust mixing technique

Adjust rolling technique

Adjust formula

Improve technique

 

 

 

Soggy crust

Wrong dough was used

Oven temperature too low

Not baked long enough

Filing too moist

Use mealier dough

Adjust oven

Adjust baking time

Adjust formula

 

 

 

Crumbly crust

Not enough liquid

Not enough fat

Improper mixing

Adjust formula

Adjust mixing technique

Correct technique

 

 

 

Tough crust

Not enough fat

Overmixing

Adjust formula

Adjust mixing technique

 

 

 

Runny filling

Insufficient starch

Starch insufficiently cooked

Adjust formula

Cook longer

 

 

 

Lumpy cream filling

Starch not incorporated properly

 

Filling overcooked

Blend starch with sugar before adding liquid; stir filling

while cooking

Adjust cooking time

 

 

 

Custard filling “weeps”

or separates

Too many eggs

Eggs overcooked

Reduce egg content or add starch to the filling

Reduce oven temperature or baking time