PIES IN HISTORY

If we take the word pie to mean any of a variety of foods enclosed in

pastry and baked, then there have been pies for nearly all of recorded history. In
ancient Greece and Rome, doughs made with olive oil were used to cover or
enclose various ingredients.
In English, the word pie used in this way dates back to at least
1300. It is probably a short form of magpie, a bird that collects a variety of things,
just as bakers do when they are assembling ingredients to bake in a pie. In the
Middle Ages, the word pie almost always referred to savory pies containing
meats, poultry, or game. Today, in England, the word is still used largely for
meat pies, both hot and cold (cold pies being similar to what we might call pâtés),
while in North America, savory pies, such as chicken “pot pie,” are still enjoyed.
North Americans, however, are responsible for turning the development of pies
firmly away from savory and toward sweet.
Fruit pies, especially apple, are perhaps still the most popular, but pastry
cooks have devised dessert pie fillings from many other ingredients as well.
Pies are so popular that across the continent they are the feature of annual
summer festivals. The little town of Braham, for example, which bills itself as
the Pie Capital of Minnesota, hosts a popular festival called Pie Day, featuring pie
sales, baking contests, art and craft shows, and daylong entertainment, all in
celebration of pies.
 Although we think of the pastry chef as one who
makes ALL of the bread, cakes, candies, and pies,
a true pastry is defined as a dough made from fat,
flour, and liquid that bakes in “layers”. The layers
create what we refer to as “flakiness”.
Fat particles In a pie crust
shown here in pastry, the fat
yellow, and flour is distributed in
is brown. pieces
throughout the
flour.

As the dough is
rolled out, the fat
and flour become
layered together.
As the pie crust bakes, the fat layer melts away and air
pockets form in their place. The new layers of air pockets
plus the flour layers form “flakes”.
 The layered or flaky
pastry doughs are used to
make a variety of breads,
candies, desserts, and of
course… pie crusts!

A pastry, whether it is a bread

such as croissants or a dessert
such as Napoleons, is considered
a challenge to many bakers. The
layers of fat and flour are delicate
and have to be handled with care.
II. Characteristics of Pastry
Should be TENDER and FLAKY.
III. Types of Pastry
Pies
 Fruit Pies – Cherry,
apple.
 Custard Pies –
pumpkin and egg
custard
 Cream Pies – contain
eggs and milk;
banana cream,
chocolate cream.
Types of Pastry (cont…)
 Meringue pies –
cream pie with a
meringue topping.

 Chiffon pies –
contain egg whites;
lemon chiffon pie.
Types of Pastry (cont…)
Turnovers Tarts
IV. Types of PIE pastry
One Crust – pan is Tart – an individual
lined with pastry serving of a one
(pumpkin pie). crust pie.

Two Crust – lining Turnover – two

and covering (apple crust pie just large
pie). enough for an
individual serving.
 Flour provides the
structure of the Liquids add the moisture
product. Over- and hold the dough
measuring flour together… part of the
creates “toughness”. structure. The most common
Flour contains a is water, milk adds flavor and
protein called gluten. nutrients. Too much liquid
This can also cause a causes the product to
tough product if over- become soggy or sticky.
worked.
Ingredients may include one or more kinds of fat… animal
fats such as lard or butter create the flakiest pastry; or
vegetable fats such as shortening or margarine that create
a mealy pastry. Even oils might be used, especially to cut
levels of cholesterol. Fat creates “tenderness”. Too much
fat makes the product crumbly or greasy. If using lard,
decrease the amount of fat by 15-20%.

Sugar, salt, or other spices

add flavor.
 Basic pie crust dough is called 3-2-1
dough, as the weight of the ingredients are
3 parts flour, 2 parts fat, and 1 part water.
1. Measure flour
and salt into a
3. Use a fork to
mixing bowl.
“toss” the flour
2. Use a pastry Put the solid
while very
blender to fat into the
gradually adding
“cut in” the bowl also.
water. Use your
shortening, eyes and hands to
making coarse judge consistency.
crumbs. Use It takes
1/3 cup approximately ¼
shortening per cup water per 1
1 cup of flour. cup flour.
Overworking the dough at steps 2, 3 or 4 causes the flour
protein (gluten) to form long, tough strands.

4. The flour mixture begins 5. Use your hands

to form clumps… clinging to form dough into
together as water is added. a soft, but not
sticky ball.
 Flatten the ball of dough
with your hands. Flour the
surface, both sides of the
dough, and the rolling pin.

The direction you roll out a

pie crust is very important!
Always start in the center
and roll outward. Pick up
the rolling pin and return to
the center before rolling in
an outward direction again.
A wooden rolling pin will
“spin” if you are doing it
correctly. Maintain circle
shape!
Fold the crust
in half; pick
up the dough
at the foldline,
and place it
across the
diameter of
the pie plate.

Unfold the dough, covering the

entire pie plate. Carefully lift and
coax the dough down into the
pan…don’t push or stretch it!
If using a metal pie pan, non-shiny is best for allowing
the bottom crust to brown. Glass (ceramic) pans come
in 8, 9, or 10 inch diameters. When using glass pans,
you may need to lower the oven temperature 25 degrees!
 Whether the pie has just a
single bottom crust, or has
a top crust also, the edges
must be “finished” prior to
baking. This pie shows
two common edge
presentations… one done
with a fork in the
foreground, and one being
In some pies, such as lemon fluted in the
meringue, the bottom crust is demonstration.
baked first and the cooked filling
is added later. This is called
‘baking blind’. Before baking an
empty crust, you must poke
holes in it with fork to allow
steam to escape and keep it
lying flat in the pan.
 What is Fluting?
Definition: Fluting is the Sealing of the Crust.

Fork: For a simple and attractive seal, press the rim of

the crust together all around the edges with the back
of the fork tines.

Pinch: Do not cut around the edges right away; after

pinching the crust up using your index and fore finger,
cut the excess pastry.

Roll: Roll the pastry under or over creating a sealed

edge to the pan.
Decorative edges
Fork Fluted
Decorative edges

Rope Braided
Decorative edges
Lattice topping Cut out
 This all-American apple pie
looks great, especially since
the top crust was glazed
with milk and sugar. The
glaze eliminates the dry-
flour look and allows it to
brown nicely. Glazing
improves flavor and
appearance.

The slashes in the

top of the pie
allow steam to
escape.
Covering options for two crust
pies.
V. Uses of Pies and Pastries
Desserts

Main Dishes – pot pies

Accompaniments – cheese or cinnamon sticks

Roll out the top Cut this top crust Lay part of the
crust of the pie in into strips, ½ inch strips across a
the usual manner. wide. colorful pie filling,
all going one
Weave the remaining
direction and
strips of pastry over
spaced ½ inch
and under the first
apart.
strips. Flute the
edges.
A roll-in dough method is used in making
puff pastries. The dough must be rolled,
folded, rolled again, layered with butter,
refolded and re-rolled numerous times to
create a very flaky product.

Puff pastry dough must be

kept cold, cut with a very sharp
knife, chilled before baking.

The famous Napoleon dessert

consists of layers of puff pastry and
sweetened creams.
 Phyllo (FEE-low)
dough consists of
paper-thin sheets of
pastry. As it bakes,
the layers separate
into delicate sheets.

Baklava is a
Greek dessert
made of phyllo
dough, nuts, and
honey.
 Pâte à choux (paht ah SHOE)
is made by combining liquid,
butter, flour, and eggs into a smooth
batter. The mixture is then used to
make éclairs, cream puffs, and
profiteroles (pro-FEET-uh-rolls).

Cream puffs filled with

sweetened cream or
pudding.
Profiteroles, or small
round pâte à choux
pastries, are filled with Eclairs: piped, baked,
ice cream. filled, and iced
 A tart is a plain or puff pastry
dish, usually filled with a sweet
filling. It is most often open,
without a top crust.

Large tarts are made with a shallow pastry. Individual

tarts are small and/or shallow. They commonly have a fruit
or custard filling. They may be made in mini-muffin tins.
 When making a fruit pie, add
sugar to fruit at the very last
minute. The sugar extracts
moisture from the fruit, causing
it to become juicy. A juicy filling
can cause a soggy bottom
crust.
Apple seeds are encased in
shiny, hard pods called
carpels. They resemble a
popcorn hull, and are
indigestible. Use care to
remove them when coring
and slicing the apple. They
never soften during baking.
 A red, Delicious apple is a
variety of apple grown for
‘eating’. They are quite
sweet, and the flesh is soft.
This apple would get very
mushy, if cooked.

Granny Smith (upper left) and the

smaller Jonathan apples (to the right) are
varieties grown for baking. The flesh is
firm, and retains its shape during baking.
All apples ‘oxidize’ or
These apples are tart. Apples, cherries, brown with exposure
blueberries, and peaches are common to air. Use care not to
fruits used in pies. peel them too early.
 Baking Tips!
For a well-browned crust, select heat resistant pans,
with a dull finish.
To prevent excessive browning of pastry, cover edge
with foil. Remove foil the last 15 mins of baking time.
Do not prick the bottom of a one-crust pie baked
with a filling such as custard of pumpkin.

Cut slits in the top of a fruit piecrust to allow steam

to escape.
 VI. Baking Tips & Etc…
“French” pastries
include cream puffs
and éclairs.

Éclair Cornstarch is usually

used to thicken
cream pies.
Cream puff
Baking Tips
Crumb crust – a
crust made by
crushing crackers or
cookies, then adding
sugar and melted
butter and patting
into the pie pan.
Use graham
crackers, wafer
cookies, Oreos.
 A Meringue is a
topping for pies
Baking Tips made of stiff beaten
egg whites and
sweetened with
sugar and lightly
browned in oven.

Fluting – making a
fancy edge on a pie.
 Custard pies (such
Baking Tips as pumpkin) are
baked at 425 ° F.
for 10 minutes ,
then reduced to
350° F. for the
remaining time.

Most pies are baked

at 425 degrees F.
 Good pastry is tender,
Baking Tips flaky and rich.

A well-baked pie will

be golden brown in
color when done.

Egg whites will not beat

or stand in stiff peaks if
any yolk has been
mixed into them.