Pies and Tarts

Pie Any dish that has a crust with a filling Types: fruit, cream, custard, and savory

Single Crust Pie The crust and the filling can be baked together Pumpkin and pecan pie The crust can be baked empty or blind Custard and cream pie

Double Crust Pie To make a two-crust pie, divide the dough into two portions, one slightly larger than the other Roll out the larger portion and fit into the pan Make a top crust as a solid piece or make a lattice top Double crust pies are fruit filled such as apple and cherry or savory such as chicken pot pie

Tarts A tart is a filled dessert with a single crust Tarts can be appetizers, entrees, or desserts Tarts are always removed from the pan before serving

Main Ingredients Flour Fat Salt Water

Flour Flour helps form the structure of the pie To create a light and delicate textured pie, pastry flour can be used Pastry flour is lower in gluten and higher in starch than all-purpose flour

Fat Fat tenderizes and adds flavor The melting point of the fat affects the texture of the crust Vegetable-based solid shortening has a high melting point that creates a flaky crust Types of fats commonly used in pies: butter, shortening, and lard

Salt Salt gives flavor to the pie crust Crusts used for sweet pies may have sugar added to the dry mixture to add sweetness

Water Water helps to form the structure by holding the ingredients together. Ice-cold water helps keep the fat from melting, which adds to flakiness of crust

Cream/Custard Pies The “cream” in cream pies is usually a pudding. It has eggs, milk, cornstarch, and flavoring The mixture is cooked until thick, then cooled and poured into a baked, cooled crust Popular flavors: lemon, banana, coconut, butterscotch, chocolate Needs to be refrigerated

Savory Pies Savory pies contain cooked meat, poultry, seafood, or vegetables in a thickened sauce Typically served as a main course Needs to be refrigerated

Fruit Pies Whole or sliced fruit is combined with sugar and a starch thickener Ratio of sugar to thickener depends on the type of fruit used Sugar and fruit juices form into a syrup and the thickener congeals the syrup to firm the filling as it bakes Common fruit pie thickeners: flour, cornstarch, tapioca Fruit pies can be stored at room temperature

Nutrition of Pies Pies can vary in healthiness and nutrition depending on the filling Fruit, vegetables, meat, mixture Generally the casing (crust) is high in fat Consume foods such as cakes, pies, and brownies as an occasional treat