I just can't cook __________!

[Smokeydoke]

^^ I have the same problem. I have better luck with leaf lard than with butter but not much.

[Lisa Shock]

8 hours ago, Jim D. said:

I can make a pie crust with a decent taste and flakiness (a Julia Child recipe), but I have never been able to make any sort of decorative edge on it. I can flute it beautifully, but once it gets in that oven, it loses all definition. Unlike the person who started this thread, I would very much like to have suggestions.

 

After you roll out the dough, chill it for about 15 minutes. This lets the gluten relax, so it isn't moving around during baking. Make sure that the dough isn't too moist. It should look really crumbly and not stick together until grabbed and compressed with your hands. (replacing 50% of the water with vodka helps, too) Use a wooden tart tamper to place the dough in the pie pan. Use a cold utensil to crimp, and chill for a few minutes after crimping.

 

That all said, an incorrect ratio of fat to flour could be the culprit. Make sure to weigh everything carefully. If you're not weighing, this is one example of why you should.

Hope this helps!

[Jim D.]

@Lisa Shock, Thanks for those tips. I do have the dough well chilled before placing it in the oven, and any time it softens during the whole process, I stop and refrigerate it. And, of course (!), I use scales to measure ingredients. The CI recipe for crust using vodka is quite moist; do you find that works for my issue? I do make a crust that goes a bit beyond being crumbly because I find the frustration of having a crust crack, develop holes, etc. when rolling it out to be too much to stand. The recipe (for a single crust) calls for 4 oz. AP flour, 1/2 tsp. salt, 2.5 oz. chilled butter, .5 oz. chilled shortening, and a maximum of 1/4 cup ice water. Since I almost always prebake crusts to help with the soggy bottom problem, the oven is at 425F when the crust goes in (Rose Levy Beranbaum's recommendation). I have the fat in small pieces in the freezer a short time before starting, mix the fat and flour in the food processor, then take the crumbs out and add the water with a fork in a large mixing bowl so that I can see how moist the dough is getting (it's amazing how the amount of water differs from one time to another).

[Lisa Shock]

Personally, I don't like food processors for making pie crust. I know that it's a hassle, but, I prefer the old fashioned pastry cutter. (I like THIS one, it doesn't bend and is easier on my wrists.) It's important, IMO, to have the lumps of fat be about the size of fat peas or a tad larger. I find that the food processor can mix too quickly, and bring the fat/flour mixture to a consistency like sand really fast. If I owned a food processor, I'd freeze my butter and use the processor to grate it for me, then dump into a bowl and do a quick mix with the pastry cutter.

 

There could be issues with your AP flour. In the Southern US, it's lower protein/gluten -more like cake flour. This isn't good for structure. Northerly/Western AP flour should be fine.

 

I notice that your formula does not have an egg in it. I've been using an egg in mine for years. I also recall asking around at World Pastry Forum in 2006, and everyone I spoke to uses an egg. Serious Eats agrees, although they don't use weight-based measurements for their recipe. (arrg!) It's not common in home recipes, but very common in professional recipes. Aside from being an emulsifier, and helping with texture, I suspect that the protein in the egg helps prevent spread. You mix the egg with the water, I generally hold back a teaspoon of plain water just in case adjustments need to be made.

 

Here's my formula, makes 2 9" crusts:

10oz AP or pastry flour

0.7 oz granulated sugar (tablespoon and a half)

0.1 oz salt (half teaspoon)

10 tablespoons cold butter (5 oz)

1 large egg

2 tablespoons water

 

If the kitchen is hot, I measure out the dry ingredients into the bowl and put them in the freezer for about ten minutes along with the pastry cutter tool.

If you wish to sub in some shortening or lard, remember that it's 100% fat while butter is 80% fat, 16% water, and 4% milk solids.

Hope this helps!

Edited January 10, 2018 by Lisa Shock
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[JeanneCake]

I'm late to the party, but for me, I can't make pork chops.  No matter what.  Or how (baked, braised, fried, whatever.  I stopped trying years ago)

Although, since I got an Instant Pot, I've mastered pot roast (to my husband's delight) so maybe I will try pork chops in an Instant Pot.....

 

or not.

[Kim Shook]

4 hours ago, JeanneCake said:

I'm late to the party, but for me, I can't make pork chops.  No matter what.  Or how (baked, braised, fried, whatever.  I stopped trying years ago)

Although, since I got an Instant Pot, I've mastered pot roast (to my husband's delight) so maybe I will try pork chops in an Instant Pot.....

 

or not.

I cannot make grocery store pork chops taste good.  Other people can - I know, I've had really good grocery store chops at other people's homes.  I can make great high-end butcher shop chops.  Because of the expense, they are a once in a while treat.  Other people can have pork chops whenever they want.  <pouting>