T
he turkey dinner may have been wonderful, but afterwards comes another indelible symbol of the Thanksgiving feast: pie. It doesn’t have to be pumpkin pie—it could be chocolate, apple, or pecan. You can serve other desserts, too, but don’t try to get away with leaving out the pie.
Desserts are chemistry that tastes good. More than other kinds of cooking, which can be instinctive, dessert making calls for a careful balance of the right ingredients. Use a quarter teaspoon too much baking soda (something that is very easy to do if you measure improperly), and the shortcake could be crumbly and flat instead of rising to tender, golden heights.
I don’t say this to intimidate you, but to let you in on a few not-so-secret secrets. The happiest bakers follow two basic rules:
1 Measure all ingredients properly.
When I cook at friends’ homes, I am surprised to see that many people only have one glass measuring cup to do all their measuring chores. These are the same people that are afraid of baking because they have had a few failures. Perhaps if they had measured properly, they would have had successes.
2 Use the right ingredients for the job.
This means butter (not margarine), the correct type of flour, and the right size eggs.
Here are some tips on techniques and ingredients to help you make blue-ribbon desserts every time:
- Measuring:
To measure accurately, use metal measuring cups for dry ingredients, glass measures for liquids, and measuring spoons for small amounts. You can never correctly measure a half-cup of milk in a
metal cup, because to get the full measure, the milk would probably overflow. Conversely, you can never get a level cup of flour in a glass measure.
I use the dip-and-sweep method to measure flour. Even though there are other ways to measure, I prefer dip-and-sweep because I am convinced it is the one that most home cooks use. Just dip the measuring cup or measuring spoon into the bag of flour or sugar to completely fill the cup without packing the ingredient. Using the flat side of a knife, sweep the excess from the top of the cup to get a level measurement. When following a recipe in other cookbooks, read the introductory remarks to see what dry-measuring method that cook prefers. Some bakers insist that you spoon the flour into the cup and level it off, but that makes a mess. Others like to weigh the flour on a kitchen scale.
Measure liquid ingredients in glass measuring cups. Plastic cups can warp when filled with hot ingredients. If necessary, hold the cup at eye level to check the measurement.
- Your Oven:
The position of the oven rack makes a difference. Foods cooked in the top third of the oven brown more efficiently. If you bake a pie in the lower third of a gas oven, nearest the heat source, the crust will crisp better. (For some of the savory recipes in the book, when you will no doubt be crowding many things into the oven to reheat them, I have left out the rack positions for practicality’s sake.) Position the rack as directed before preheating the oven. Preheat the oven for at least 15 minutes for it to reach the correct temperature. To verify the oven temperature, use an oven thermometer—oven thermostats are notoriously inaccurate.
- Mixers:
I use a handheld electric mixer in many of these recipes because it is what most cooks own. If you have a heavy-duty standing mixer, you can certainly use it, but remember that it has a stronger motor and the ingredients will mix in less time.
- Flour:
Supermarkets carry many different types of flour. Each flour is meant to do a specific job, even if the mills like to use the word “all-purpose.” Gluten is a substance found in wheat that gives a dough strength. The more gluten, the tougher the baked dough. Bakers call high-gluten flours “hard,” and low-gluten flours “soft.” If you are baking a yeast dough that will be kneaded, you want a strong, hard flour, like unbleached flour. If you are baking a pie with a tender crust, you want a moderately strong flour, like bleached “all-purpose,” as the bleaching process reduces the gluten’s strength (and removes some vitamins, too). Because the actual gluten content of unbleached all-purpose flour varies from brand to brand, many unbleached all-purpose flours aren’t versatile at all, and should be reserved for yeast doughs. If you are averse to using bleached flour, you can use the unbleached, but expect slightly less tender results. In this book, “all-purpose flour” means the
bleached
kind. Cake flour is the softest of all to give a delicate crumb, but should not be used unless indicated in the recipe or your baked goods will be too tender.
- Sugar Products:
Granulated sugar
is a generic product, and you can use any brand. However, check the label to be sure it is cane sugar.
Brown sugar
comes in two
varieties, light and dark. The dark sugar has a deeper flavor, but they are interchangeable. Brown sugar is always dry-measured in packed, level amounts.
Molasses
is a by-product of sugar refining. It is important to use the right kind, as the acidity changes in each of the three varieties and could react differently with the leavenings in the batter. I use unsulfured molasses, which has the most rounded flavor. The other two types are sulfured (sometimes labeled “robust”) and blackstrap (which is very bitter and found at natural food stores), but I only mention them so you don’t use them by accident. As with brown sugar, corn syrup comes in light and dark varieties, and can be switched according to taste. To measure molasses and corn syrup, use a glass cup sprayed lightly with nonstick vegetable oil so the liquid won’t stick to the cup.
- Butter:
Unsalted butter allows the baker to control the amount of salt in the recipe. Also, salting hides off flavors, so unsalted butter has a shorter shelf life and is therefore fresher. Do not substitute margarine for butter in any of these desserts. Margarine has a totally different consistency than butter, and the recipes, especially piecrusts, may not turn out well.
- Eggs:
Use USDA Grade A “large” eggs. There is a big difference between small and jumbo eggs, and using the wrong size will lead to problems.
- Decorating:
When it comes to decorating desserts, keep it simple. A few swirls of whipped cream or a dusting of confectioners’ sugar are all most desserts need. However, with very little trouble, you can pipe the cream through a pastry bag and give the dessert a professional, finished look.
Buy a moderately large-capacity pastry bag, so you only have to fill it once. A makeshift pastry bag can be created by clipping the corner from a heavy-duty plastic storage bag.
I have only a handful of decorating tips for almost all garnishing jobs. Large open-star tips, about ½ inch wide, are the most versatile, and their size allows you to cover a lot of surface quickly. With a small twist of the wrist, you can produce rosettes, stars, and curls. I don’t feel I even need to give instructions, because when you give it a try, your imagination will take over. Pastry bags and large decorating tips are available at restaurant supply outlets and most kitchenware stores.
- Cooking Desserts for a Crowd:
If you want to bake two or more cakes, you should make them one at a time, and don’t double the recipe. If the batter includes baking soda or baking powder, the leavening needs to change with the volume of batter. Pie fillings, cheesecakes, and other desserts are much more forgiving and can be multiplied as needed.
Perfect Piecrust 101
Granted, many Thanksgiving cooks rely on frozen or refrigerated piecrusts. But homemade piecrust tastes immeasurably better. Knowing how to make a good piecrust is one of those kitchen skills that make a cook’s reputation.
Leave behind any doubts you may have about making piecrust. I have taught hundreds of people how to make this dough. It has all of the qualities that make a perfect crust—it’s flaky yet crisp, tender, and golden. The recipe is lengthy, not because it’s difficult, but because the key to making good piecrust is understanding the details.
- Cold temperatures help a piecrust maintain its flakiness and shape. The fats should be chilled (in warm kitchens the flour can be chilled, as well) and the water ice-cold (but with ice cubes removed). The idea is to work the fat into the flour to create small, flour-coated pellets. The dough is held together with ice water, which helps keep the fat distinct—warm water would soften the fat. When the dough is rolled out, the fat is flattened into flakes. When baked, the fat creates steam, which lifts the dough into flaky layers. As vegetable shortening shouldn’t be stored in the refrigerator, place the cubes of shortening in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes to chill thoroughly.
- Handle the dough as little as possible. As dough is mixed, the gluten is activated and starts to strengthen, so use a light hand. Mix the dough just until it is completely moistened and begins to clump and hold together without crumbling when pressed between your thumb and forefinger.
- Dough likes to relax, and there are two key rest periods in the pie-making process. After the dough is mixed, refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes to allow the activated gluten to relax (a cool place also keeps the fat flakes chilled and distinct). If the dough is rolled out too soon, the gluten contracts and the crust shrinks. The optimum chilling period is 2 hours, which is long enough for the dough to chill throughout without becoming too hard to actually roll out. However, it can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. After the piecrust is fitted into the pan, freeze it for about 20 minutes for another rest period, again to discourage shrinkage.
- The type of fat used in the dough is another important factor. Americans love flaky piecrust, which is made with vegetable shortening or lard. Butter makes a crisp crust with a texture that resembles crisp and crumbly French tart crust or shortbread. This recipe benefits by using both fats. For an excellent crust with an old-fashioned flavor that works beautifully with apple or mincemeat pie, substitute lard for the shortening and butter. Measure shortening in a dry measure in level amounts. Or use the new stick-wrapped shortening—a real boon to the piecrust maker.
- Some recipes use only ice water to bind the dough. I add an egg yolk (a fatty protein that adds richness and color) and vinegar (an acid that tenderizes the gluten). I also use a little sugar for tenderness and for browning. A bit of salt is imperative to enhance the flavors.
- A pastry blender (usually made of flexible wire, but some models have stiff metal blades) is the best tool for cutting the fat into the flour. An electric hand mixer also works well, set at low speed. Or use a food processor, but freeze the fats first—the friction from the spinning metal blade can melt the fat. If you mix the dough in the work bowl, pulse it just until it clumps together. If overprocessed into a ball, the dough will be
tough. It’s safer to pour the dry fat/flour mixture from the processor bowl into a mixing bowl, and stir in the chilled liquids by hand. The old-fashioned “two-knife” method is awkward and takes too much time.
- The amount of liquid will always vary because of the humidity when you mix the dough. Stir in just enough liquid to make the dough clump together. If you need more liquid, use additional ice water.
- A large, heavy rolling pin is better than a small, light one, because its weight makes it easier to roll out the dough. If you have a smaller (12-inch) rolling pin, be careful that the edges of the pin don’t dig into the dough while rolling it out. Silicone rolling pins are especially useful because they discourage the dough from sticking to the pin.
- Allow enough space to roll out the dough—at least 2 feet square. When I had a small kitchen with no counter space, rolling out pie dough was a feat for a contortionist. I finally went out and bought a large wooden pastry board to set up on my dining room table and roll out the dough with some elbow room. My life as a baker was changed, and I have been happily baking pies ever since.
- The technique for rolling out the dough—starting at the center of the dough and moving it a quarter turn after each roll—gradually creates a well-shaped pastry round that doesn’t stick to the work surface. Sprinkle some flour on top of the dough to act as a barrier between the dough and the rolling pin. Flouring the rolling pin doesn’t do anything. To be sure it isn’t sticking, occasionally slide a long metal spatula or knife under the dough. If needed, sprinkle more flour under and on top of the dough.
- Pyrex pie pans give the best results. Their transparency allows the baker to see how the bottom crust is browning, and their thickness allows the heat to be more evenly distributed than metal pans. My second choice is a solid aluminum metal pan.
- These recipes yield generous amounts of dough. When I was a beginning baker, nothing was more exasperating than making recipes that provided barely enough dough to line the pan. After the pan is lined, simply trim the excess dough from the edges.
- Dough scraps can be cut into decorative shapes to garnish the top of a double-crust pie. Gather up the scraps, knead briefly, and reroll to
1
/8-inch thickness. Using cookie cutters or a cardboard template, cut out the desired shapes, such as leaves or stars. Arrange them on the glazed crust, then brush the shapes lightly with more glaze. Bake the pie as directed.
- To bake crisp bottom crusts, bake the pie on a preheated baking sheet. The pie will be sitting on a flat, hot surface, instead of the oven rack, and will crisp better.
- Baking an empty pie shell is called “baking blind.” Sometimes an unfilled crust is only partially baked, which sets the shape and dries the surface, discouraging a soggy bottom crust from developing when it comes in contact with a wet filling. Other recipes call for the pie to be completely baked until golden brown, usually to hold a finished filling, like the Dark Chocolate Cream Pie. In either case, the raw piecrust would collapse in the oven if not supported with aluminum foil and some kind of weights until it bakes long enough to hold its shape. The amount of fat in the piecrust keeps the foil from sticking, so there’s no need to grease it. Aluminum or ceramic pie weights are a very good investment, as they absorb the oven heat and help crisp the crust. They
aren’t cheap, but they last for years. Dried beans and raw rice are inexpensive alternatives, and can be saved in a jar to use a few subsequent times. But they will eventually spoil, so if they have an off smell, toss them out and use fresh beans and rice. You don’t have this problem with pie weights, which is why I think they are the better choice.
- As stated above, the dough can be prepared up to 2 days ahead, wrapped in wax paper, and refrigerated. Let stand at room temperature for 10 to 20 minutes to soften slightly before rolling out or it may crack.
- The dough can be frozen, wrapped in wax paper and an overwrap of aluminum foil, for up to 1 month. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight.
- Unbaked piecrusts can be kept in the freezer in metal pie pans, covered tightly with a double covering of plastic wrap, for up to 2 weeks. (I don’t recommend this for Pyrex pans, because even though they are supposed to be fine going from the freezer to the oven, I still think there is a risk of breakage.) Do not defrost before baking. Bake the frozen piecrusts as directed, allowing an extra 5 minutes. However, unless you have a big freezer, it may be more space-efficient to freeze the unrolled dough.