PROJECT PATISSERIE: Adventure #9
Pie is an American icon- right up there with George
Washington and baseball and the Statue of Liberty. Pie crust is to me what a blank canvas is to a
painter: it represents possibility and creativity, hemmed in only by the limits
of one’s imagination.
Over breakfast I was thinking about what dessert to make for
this weekend’s big family dinner and pie quickly became a strong contender. I
recently bought an Amish cookbook at a local country store. What caught my attention
were the dessert sections, and specifically the pie section, which had no fewer
than 75 recipes alone! All the
traditional staples were represented- apple, blueberry, pecan, and custard
pies- with more than a few that I’d never heard of- including Rice Crispie ice
cream pie, chocolate mocha pie, and oatmeal pie. I bet that some of these Amish
ladies would certainly understand the pie crust- blank canvas analogy!
Eventually my morning musings went from Amish pies to the
sad state of pies in this country. What our mass culture- with its penchant for
“fast” and “convenient” – has done to pies is downright criminal! The once
lovingly homemade pie crust filled with fresh fruit, that wholesome pie of
yore, has been replaced by store-bought dough filled with canned fruit in a
gelatinous mixture perhaps better suited for a science laboratory than a dinner
table. It’s awful.
Philosophical musings aside, let’s get back to the issue at
hand. There seems to be a rumor
circulating that pie crust is difficult and time consuming to make. I am here
to attest otherwise. In the amount of time that it will take to run to the
store, purchase pre-made pie crust, and unthaw it, you can, dear reader, have a
beautiful homemade pie crust for a fraction of the cost.
While perusing the Amish cookbook’s pie section, the Cream
Cheese Pecan pie caught my attention; it sounded like a cheesecake base with a
praline topping- yum. In the end, the Cream Cheese Pecan pie was very sweet and
maybe a bit too wet for my liking, but I’ll still take a homemade pie over a factory
made one any day of the week. After all, pie is an exercise in love, in
wholesomeness, and in all things homemade, and handmade.
Cream Cheese Pecan
Pie
Crust (I urge all bakers to try a homemade crust at least
once!)
Sift together 1 1/3 c. of all-purpose flour, 1 Tbsp. sugar,
and ¼ tsp. of salt into a large mixing bowl. Cut 5 Tbsp. of cold unsalted
butter and 3 Tbsp. cold vegetable shortening into the flour mixture until the
mixture forms large, coarse crumbs the size of peas. Drizzle 4 Tbsp. of ice
water over the mixture and toss with a fork until the dough is evenly moist and
starts to come together into a mass but does not form a ball.
Transfer the dough to a work surface dusted with a bit of
flour and shape it into a 6 inch disk; wrap it tightly, and refrigerate for 1
hour.
When chilled, unwrap the dough and return it to the dusted
work surface. Sprinkle the top of the dough with a little extra flour (not too
much, just enough to keep the rolling pin from sticking to it) and roll it out
into a 12 inch round, lifting and turning the dough several times during the
process to keep it from sticking to the board. If it starts to stick, loosen it
with a bench scraper.
Line the pie plate/tin with the dough, taking care not to
stretch it. Once lined, trim the edge of the dough, leaving a ¾ inch overhang,
and tuck the overhang under itself to create a high edge on the pan rim. Using
your index finger and thumb, pinch the dough around the rim to form a fluted
edge or other decorative finish. Put it
in the freezer for 30 minutes and pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
The filling:
Mix together 8 ounces of softened cream cheese, ½ c. of
sugar, 1 beaten egg, and ½ tsp of vanilla extract. Spread this on the bottom of the unbaked pie
shell. Top with 1 c. of chopped pecans.
Mix 3 eggs, ¼ cup of sugar, 1 tsp of vanilla extract, and 1
cup of light corn syrup. (Yes, I know- the irony does not escape me that I
spent the better part of this article ranting against processed pie and pie
ingredients and here I am listing corn syrup as an ingredient! ) If I ever make
this again I will use ½ cup as the full cup made the filling very wet. Beat until smooth and pour over the
pecan/cream cheese layer. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown.
Cream Cheese Pecan Pie
No comments:
Post a Comment