In search of the perfect pastry crust

[sugarseattle]

yeah, the pre-baking is intended for quicker baking fillings like custard and curds.

perhaps you're rolling too thick? i roll them to about 1/8" thick...just about too thin to be able to transfer them. does your recipe have any sugar? that will help with the browning. also if it's all shortening, sometimes that takes longer to brown.

[jgm]

Here's an alternate idea:

When forming the crust, simply line the pie pan, and cut it around the edge. Don't do a fluted, stand up crust like you normally would.

Prebake, then add filling, and make an edge out of pieces of pie dough. You could cut out specific shapes with a small cookie cutter and overlap them, all around the edge of the pie. I think you could successfully adhere them with egg wash.

Then bake as normal. This way, the edge of the crust is going into the oven for the first time.

I've never tried this, but I see no reason why it wouldn't work. (But maybe someone else does!!)

[thock]

Has anyone used rendered tallow in place of lard? I have found myself in possession of a whole lot of tallow, and not much lard. The tallow is mildly flavored, and in my opinion, doesn't taste much like beef.

[David A. Goldfarb]

Has anyone used rendered tallow in place of lard? I have found myself in possession of a whole lot of tallow, and not much lard. The tallow is mildly flavored, and in my opinion, doesn't taste much like beef.

Yes, and it works very well. I've done it a few times now since posting about it here.

[thock]

Has anyone used rendered tallow in place of lard? I have found myself in possession of a whole lot of tallow, and not much lard. The tallow is mildly flavored, and in my opinion, doesn't taste much like beef.

Yes, and it works very well. I've done it a few times now since posting about it here.

Awesome! Thanks!

[rbenash]

Figured I would give this thread a bump instead of starting a new one. In my case I have had great success with the America's Test Kitchen "perfect pie crust recipe" as mentioned up thread.

 

Otherwise I use my Mother's tried and true oil crust from the ancient Betty Crocker Cookook.

 

That said. I have since rendered my own leaf lard and have a good stock in the freezer. I have subsituted with pretty good success but figured there should be a formula for substituing IN leaf leard vs replacing it as has been done in the past.

 

What I would like to know:

 

If the ATK recipe crust calls for:

 

1.5 sticks butter and 1/2 C vegetable shortening.

 

Would a pastry expert here be able to comment/give advice on the proper substituion of leaf lard into this recipe?

 

I have in the past measured the total weight and went 50/50 butter/lard.

 

Should I simply substitute all lard by weight or should I go by liquid state/volume?

 

Should I care about tranlating to a ratiou of butter/lard or just use all lard??

 

Thanks in advance!

[janeer]

I like all lard for tree fruit pies, half butter and lard for others

[rbenash]

Thanks - so if you are converting a recipe that uses butter and vegetable shortening as I mention above. Do you convert by measuring total weight and do a 50/50 split? This is a non tree fruit recipe for example.

 

If using tree fruit - just use the same wieght of total fat as lard to substitue??

 

Most interested in conversions :-)

 

Thanks again for getting back!

Edited August 25, 2014 by rbenash (log)

[rbenash]

So for example by known weights:

 

1 C Crisco would be 192 gm

1 Stick Butter would be 110 gm (Whole Foods 365)

 

So the fat by weight in the recipe above would be 302 gm

 

When subsituting IN lard to a recipe for pie dough in this case.

 

50/50 butter/lard by weight based on total fat in the recipe?

If all lard same wegiht of all fats in the original recipe?

 

Is their some other substituion method/ratio one should use?

 

Thanks,

Ray

Edited August 25, 2014 by rbenash (log)