Chef John

I don't know why but I really like this guy, Chef John. He has this random cooking show on youtube that I found while searching pie crust recipes. His crust actually looks really easy, here is the link. But there's just something about this guy!! I like his friendly voice and goofy sense of humor. And there's something a little mysterious about not being able to see his face in any of the videos. I have to check out his website and see if he has any good recipes to steal.

My First Pie: Fin

It's doooooone! Took almost an hour, and we ended up turning it up to 375 to finish because the fruit was still not bubbling. But then I heard the sizzle of it boiling over onto the bottom of he oven and we knew it was over. Pulled it out and now it's cooling.

So my impressions of this crust recipe is that it's not quite what I want in the end. Light and flakey but it was kind of hard to roll and it's not sweet enough. I will be experimenting for the next one but otherwise- nice first try!

My First Pie: Part Deux

So the pie is in the oven and here's how we did it:

I cut up 5 apples: 3 granny smith and 2 fjui (each apple cut into 12 pieces), and a quart of strawberries (each cut in half). To that I added:

zest from one orange
2/3 C Sugar
1/4 AP Flour
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice

Mix up that mixture and then toss the fruit in it and set aside.
Then take your pie doughs out of the fridge and let stand for 5-10 minutes. Put a little whole wheat flour on your counter and dust your rolling pin and your work space. Using the weight of the rolling pin roll from the center out moving your dough clockwise until it is big enough to cover the bottom of your pie plate with plenty of room for the sides and the crimping around the edges. This lady on youtube does a good demo. Roll the dough over your rolling pin and use it to get it on the pie plate. Make sure that it's slightly pressed into the bottom corners and use egg whites to glue any pieces that fell off. Throw that baby back in the fridge and roll out your top using the same method- or make a crumble for the top and save that other half of dough for another pie with a crumble top. Once your top is rolled take the bottom from the fridge and pour in the fruit. Make sure that you don't have a mountain of fruit- make it kind of level or it will never cook all the way through. Using the rolling pin again roll the top layer onto the pie and crimp the edges. Here's a demo on crimping. Then, I scored the top to get 9 slices so it will be easier to cut later. I also cut 2 little holes in each top to let the steam out. Then it went in the oven at 450 for 10 minutes and then I reduced the heat to 350 for 35 minutes, or until the fruit is bubbling and the apples are tender but still have a bite to them.

Let cool then cut or your fruit will not be set and will run everywhere.

My First Pie

Today I am attempting my first pie. I just made the dough and it is chilling in the fridge. Her is the recipe I used- it's a combo of some stuff I found on the interweb and my mom's pie recipe.

Ingredients:

2 Sticks Butter

1/3 C Ice Cold Water
2 Egg Yolks
3 Tbsp White Vinegar or Lemon Juice

3 1/2 C AP Flour
1 Tsp Salt
2 Tsp Sugar

Method:

Cut the butter into 1/2 squares and throw then back in the fridge/ freezer to keep cold. Then measure the water and break the yolks right into the measuring cup and add the vinegar in there too- save yourself some dishes. Put the wet in the freezer to keep cold until you're ready to use it. Then SIFT the flour into the bowl of your stand mixer and throw in the salt and sugar. Mix it real quick just so the dry is combined. Then throw in your butter and mix for a few minutes (flour might get all over you)- until the butter has broken into pea-sized pieces and flour has turned a little yellow. Don't over mix!! Then take the wet out of the freezer and add to the mixer on low. Mix and stop and mix and stop for like 20 sec intervals until it has juuuuuust come together. We had to add about 2 Tbsp more cold water to get it to come together. For real though, don't over mix this. It has to just come together when you squeeze it with your fingers. Once combined- dump the dough onto saran wrap and divide it into two discs- don't handle it too much or you'll melt it damnit. If you're going to bake today, throw the discs into the fridge for 1/2 hour. If you're going to bake at a later date throw them in the freezer and they will last indefinitely.

Next post after I get back from the gym: the filling (strawberry and apples), rolling out the dough, and baking.