Fruit sweet and sugar free - pies, tarts and pastries #4

1 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient

Directions

Pies, Tarts and Pastries (cont'd) ********************************* Patrially Baking Pie, Tart or Tartlet Crusts: ********************************************* I have found from baking thousands of pies that partially baking single crusted pies and tarts is a must in avoiding soggy bottom crusts, especially when using custard fillings. Line the unbaked crust with a pieces of baking paper, aluminum foil, or a coffee filter, then fill with uncooked beans, rice or purchased aluminum pie weights. Bake the crust in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. The crust is ready when you can lift the baking paper and the pastry does not stick to it. Remove the weights (they can be used over and over again for weighting crusts). Then fill the pie shell and bake according to the recipes instructions.

For tartlets made in muffin tins, place another standard size muffin tin directly on top of the pastry lined tin. Turn both pans upside down and use light pressure to push the bottom pan into the dough of the top pan. Bake the pans upside down in the preheated 350 degree oven. Alternatively, the individual tarts can be filled with baking paper and pie weights, as with regular size tart pans.

Pre-Baking (or Blind Baking) Pie, Tart or Tartlet Crusts: ********************************************************* Any pie that has a completely precooked filling, such as cream pies and fresh fruit tarts, should have a completely prebaked crust. Let the pie, tart or tartlet shells cool completely before filling them. Follow the directions for a partially baked crust. Once you have removed the pie weights and baking paper, return the crust to the oven. Continue to bake for another 15 to 20 minutes until the crust is golden brown.

With tartlets, once you have removed the pie weights and baking paper, or the top muffin pan, bake them for another 15 to 20 minutes until the tart shells are golden brown.

Baking Filled Pies: ******************* A fully baked bottom crust requires sufficient bottom heat to bake the crust thoroughly (so it does not become soggy and almost inedible). With both single and double crusted pies, it is very important to position the pie on a baking sheet directly on the floor of a gas oven, or on the lowest shelf of electric oven. The baking sheet catches any drips, makes the hot pie easier to handle when removing it from the oven, and helps deflect the bottom heat. If your oven has excessive bottom heat, which is unfortunately true of many homes oves, you may need to experiment a bit to find the best way to get enough bottom heat to cook the crust without burning it. Try baking your paies on two baking sheets or in two pie pans, or bake them on the second lowest shelf in an electric oven or the lowest shelf in a gas oven (Don't try everything at once or you will end up with just what you are trying to avoid, a soggy bottom crust). Submitted By JANE KNOX On 03-11-95

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