Rich Pastry For Custard Pies Food

THE BEST PASTRY CRUST

Steps:

• Mix flour and salt together in a large bowl. Cut in butter using a pastry blender until the mixture resembles fine cornmeal. Pour in water slowly; knead dough into a firm ball.
• Pour in additional water as needed if dough is too dry or additional flour if too moist. Divide batter into equal halves. Roll out dough halves into rounds on a lightly floured work surface using a lightly floured rolling pin to desired thickness.
• Press one round into the bottom of a 9-inch pie pan. Use the other round as a top crust or for a separate bottom crust. Bake according to desired filling instructions.

RICH SHORTCRUST PASTRY

Steps:

• Mix flour and salt together in a large bowl. Cut butter into the flour mixture until it is the consistency of breadcrumbs.
• Lightly beat eggs together in a separate bowl; stir into butter-flour mixture. Add water and mix just until incorporated, using your hands to bring dough together.
• Turn dough onto a floured work surface and cut into 4 portions. Refrigerate dough for 15 to 30 minutes before using.

CUSTARD PIE

Steps:

• In medium bowl, mix flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cut in shortening, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until particles are size of small peas. Sprinkle with water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost leaves side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons more water can be added if necessary).
• Gather pastry into a ball. Shape into flattened round on lightly floured surface. Wrap flattened round of pastry in plastic wrap; refrigerate about 45 minutes or until dough is firm and cold, yet pliable. This allows the shortening to become slightly firm, which helps make the baked pastry more flaky. If refrigerated longer, let pastry soften slightly before rolling.
• Heat oven to 425°F. Roll pastry on lightly floured surface, using floured rolling pin, into circle 2 inches larger than upside-down 9-inch glass pie plate. Fold pastry into fourths and place in pie plate; unfold pastry and ease into plate, pressing firmly against bottom and side and being careful not to stretch pastry, which will cause it to shrink when baked. Trim overhanging edge of pastry 1 inch from rim of pie plate. Fold and roll pastry under, even with edge of plate; flute.
• Carefully line pastry with a double thickness of foil, gently pressing foil to bottom and side of pastry. Let foil extend over edge to prevent excessive browning. Bake 10 minutes; carefully remove foil. Bake 2 to 4 minutes longer or until pastry just begins to brown and has become set. If crust bubbles, gently push bubbles down with back of spoon.
• Reduce oven temperature to 400°F. In medium bowl, beat eggs slightly with wire whisk. Add sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, the nutmeg and vanilla; mix well. Gradually blend in hot milk. Pour filling into hot crust (to prevent spilling the filling, place pie plate on oven rack before pouring filling into crust).
• Cover edge of pie crust with pie crust shield ring or 2- to 3-inch strip of foil to prevent excessive browning; remove shield or foil during last 15 minutes of baking. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until knife inserted halfway between center and edge comes out clean. Cool on cooling rack 1 hour. Serve slightly warm or cold. Store loosely covered in refrigerator.

CLASSIC CUSTARD PIE

Steps:

• Add the flour, powdered sugar, and salt to the bowl of a food processor, and pulse until well combined. Add in the butter and pulse 5-7 times, or until the butter is broken down into tiny pebbles.
• With the motor running, add in the egg and let the dough process until it forms together into a cohesive ball around the blade, about 1 minute.
• Transfer the dough to a work surface dusted with flour.
• Roll out the pie dough to an 11″ circle and line a 9" pie plate, crimp the edges as desired.
• Transfer the dough to the freezer to chill while you preheat the oven.
• Preheat the oven to 375 and place a rack on the lower and a rack in the middle part of the oven.
• Line the pie dough with a parchment round piece of paper and then add pie weights (or dry rice or beans or lentils), making sure to push pie weights to the edges. Bake for 25 minutes on the lower rack, then remove the parchment and pie weights and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until the bottom of the pie crust looks dry. Set aside until ready to use.
• Lower the heat to 325º.
• Whisk together the sugar, salt, eggs and yolks. Add in the milk, cream and vanilla and whisk to combine.
• Strain the mixture twice through a fine-mesh strainer, removing any coagulated bits of egg.
• Carefully pour the filling into the baked pie shell. Grate about ½ teaspoon nutmeg over the top of the pie.
• Bake on the middle rack for 40-45 minutes, or until the custard has set nearly all the way through, with a slight wobble in the middle. The pie should have a temperature of 180ºF.
• Remove the pie from the oven, and place it on a rack to cool. When it's completely cool, refrigerate until you're ready to serve.
• The pie can be baked up to 1 day ahead of time.

RICH PASTRY FOR CUSTARD PIES

Steps:

• Combine flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor.
• Cut the butter into chunks and distribute them over the flour. Mix with a spoon so each is coated. Process in six or seven short bursts until the butter pieces are a bit larger than peas.
• Beat yolk and ice water to combine thoroughly. Turn processor on and pour liquid through feed tube. Turn the processor off when the dough begins to clump up.
• Gather dough from blades, form into a ball, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill at least four hours before using.