Think back to grade school. Do you remember getting those fun little assignments with a list of… say, twelve instructions listed? The teacher has been hinting all week that you should ALWAYS read through the instructions first before beginning anything; now you are being tested. They were all the same; I vividly recall having this lesson multiple times… tell me I am not the only one. Items 1-11 would be telling you to write out or draw something, only to get to item 12 that told you to completely disregard all prior instructions. You should have read the instructions and then sat patiently with a blank sheet of paper. What child were you; the one sitting smugly with a blank sheet or the one scrubbing furiously at the paper with your big pink eraser?

Did you take this lesson learned into adulthood? If you didn’t it is high time you did. Why? Because you need to make Kouign Amann. No, really you do. I admit I was completely ignorant as to what the heck it was when I read about it on David Lebovitz’s blog Click Here a few months back, but after finding out that it was a caramelized, butter filled pastry I was a woman on a mission. The roll-in and folding is similar to  making croissant dough with the addition of sugar in the Kouigan Amann. I cannot stress enough the importance of reading through the full recipe and instructions a few times before beginning. David’s pictures are great and the instructions are easy to follow. Just prepare yourself for the time that will be involved. (it’s worth it!)

This is my finished Kouigan Amann.

 I made it in a silicone cake pan. I think this helped consideralbly with clean-up.

Croissants

Croissant dough is a wet or soft, bland laminated yeast dough containing 25 to 50 percent roll-in fat. A classic croissant uses unsalted sweet butter for the roll-in fat. Croissants should be light and flaky, with a moderately open grain and a distinctly layered texture. Well-developed doughs that are rich in fat will provide these characteristics. The ingredients for croissants include bread flour, to keep the dough strong enough for shaping; cold water or milk, to retard yeast action and keep gluten relaxed; yeast, as the primary leavening mechanism; and salt, for flavor, for gluten strengthening, and to retard yeast action. Dry milk solids are used when milk is not, and along with granulated sugar; both soften the curst and give it color. Butter or shortening is adde3d in the cough stage to lubricate gluten strands. Eggs may be used for additional color and richness, although they are not used classically

Croissants usually receive an initial threefold, or single turn, and then three more threefolds to complete the roll-in procedure. Too many folds in a croissant can make the pastry heavy and chewy, rather than light and flaky.

Danish pastry

Danish pastry was originally made in Denmark and was brought to the United States by Scandinavian pastry chefs around 1919. There are five basic differences between Danish and croissants. Danish is flakier, has more flavor, has more roll-in fat, is more tender, and is softer.

The amount of roll-in fat in Danish dough is of great importance in terms of appearance of the finished product. In the production of real, high-quality Danish pastry, the mixed dough is weighed, and then enough roll-in fat is used to equal half the dough’s weight.

Danish, like croissant, is a wet dough- both use between 50 to 60 percent liquid in their formulas. Danish dough is semisweet to sweet; the dough is rich in eggs and further enriched with the use of milk. Cardamom is characteristically used to flavor Danish dough.

Types of Danish

The three types of Danish are American, Scandinavian, and European. The basic difference among these types is the amount of roll-in fat used in their production. American Danish is 10 to 20 percent roll-in fat; European Danish is 25 to 40 percent roll-in fat; and Scandinavian Danish, which is considered to be the best Danish, is 45 to 55 percent roll-in fat.

American Danish

Because there is a low amount of roll-in fat in American Danish, the flavor of the dough must be obtained through other ingredients. American Danish generally has a large amount of sugar and salt and an increased amount of yeast. Spices, shortening or margarine, and eggs are added to the dough for added flavor. American Danish is baked at 375 because the oven spring is not as important given the low percentage of roll-in fat.

Scandinavian Danish

Scandinavian Danish is a wet (soft), bland, laminated yeast dough containing between 45 and 55 percent roll-in fat. Butter, or sometimes puff-pastry shortening, is usually used as the roll-in fat, to produce very crispy, flaky dough. Scandinavian Danish should be baked between 425F and 450F.

European Danish

European Danish is less crisp than Scandinavian. European Danish is baked at moderate temperatures, slightly above 400F.

Croissants and Danish

Many of the same procedures and guidelines used for making a puff pastry are used for making croissants and Danish- the main difference is the yeast and in how they are folded and made up into individual pastries.

Guidelines for Laminated Yeast Doughs

• Laminated doughs should not be over mixed. The ingredients should be mixed into a smooth mass of dough without overdeveloping the gluten. Gluten development takes place mainly during the rolling-in process, rather than in mixing. If the dough is mixed too much, gluten is developed, and the dough will be hard to roll out. The final product will be tough and chewy. Laminated doughs can be mixed by hand or by machine on low speed with the paddle or hook. The paddle implement incorporates fats in the dough better. If using a dough hook, the gluten should be allowed to form a little, and then the fat is added.
• Laminated dough should be kept cold during folding and makeup for three important reasons: to keep the yeast activity down (making the dough easier to handle), to help relax the gluten strands, and to keep the roll-in fat in condition and maintained in its appropriate place. If the dough becomes warm, the roll-in fat will melt out from between the layers when laminating.
• As with puff dough, the dough and roll-inn fat should be of the same consistency. The reason for maintaining the same consistency is that when the product is baked, the layers of dough and roll-in fat should move together. If the dough is too stiff, the fat will melt, and the product will lose its flakiness.
• Enough dusting flour must be used to prevent dough from sticking to the table during the roll-in process, but it is important to brush the excess off the dough between each fold. If the flour is not removed, the dough will be tougher and not rise properly in the oven.
• When rolling the dough care must be taken that the structure of the layers is not ruptured with the use of too much force- the dough should be handled very gently during rolling and folding.
• Both croissant and Danish dough will be easier to work with if the dough is allowed to rest for several hours between the roll-in procedure and the actual makeup of the individual pastries.
• Knives and other tools needed to cut croissants and Danish must have sharp edges to cut the dough. A dull knife or cutter will press edges together and result in lower volume and uneven baking. The knife or cutter should be held at a sharp 90 degree angle so the edges of the dough remain perfectly straight for baking.

Puff Pastry is a non-yeast, laminated dough composed of hundreds of layers of butter and dough that when baked create a light, buttery-flavored pastry. There are many stories as to the dough’s origin, but the most popular is the story of the chef’s apprentice who forgot to add the butter to his dough. Fearing the chef’s wrath, but not wanting to go to the trouble of remaking the dough, he spread the butter on the dough and flattened and turned it several times to hide his mistake. The chef was so pleased with the flaky result that he insisted on knowing the method by which the apprentice created the dough.

Puff pastry is a basic mixture of water, salt, butter, and flour. The flour used can be a mixture of hard and soft wheat flours or hard flour such as bread flour. The flour must be strong to support the high percentage of roll-in fat and to withstand the repeated rolling and folding done to create the flaky layers of the dough. Salt as well as providing flavor, strengthens gluten strands. The fat used as roll-in in puff pastry is one of great importance. Butter is the most widely accepted fat used for this type of pastry due to its incomparable taste. It halso0 has a lot of moisture that creates steam when the pastry begins to bake. But because of its low melting point- 80F- some feel it best to use a combination of shortening and butter. This insures that the fat will not melt out of the pastry when it cooks.

Making the dough correctly is of great concern. If the dough has too much flour or is worked too much the dough will be rubbery and difficult to work with. The dough should always be rested for at least 30 minutes before the first fold is put into it.

A small amount of flour is added to the roll-in fat to make it easier to handle. When rolled out properly puff pastry dough will have a layer of butter between each layer of dough and, depending on the number of folds given, these layers can number 500 to 1500.

Guidelines for puff pastry

Enough dusting flour must be used to prevent the dough from sticking to the table during the roll-in process; however, it is important to brush the excess off the dough between each fold. If the flour is not removed, the dough will be tough and will not rise properly in the oven.

When rolling the dough take care not to use excess force as it will rupture the structure of the layers. The dough should be handled very gently during rolling and folding.

It is extremely important that puff-pastry dough have adequate rest periods between folds to maintain ad good finished product. After the initial dough is made it needs to rest as long as 30 min before the initial fold is done so that the gluten has time to relax. The dough should also rest for 10-15 min between each fold, and some rest period is required before the actual formation of the pastry item. When the dough is resting, cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap to prevent crusting.

Knives and other tools needed to form puff pastry must have sharp edges to cut the dough. A dull knife or cutter will press the edges together and result in lower volume and uneven baking. Hold the knife at a 90 degree angle so the edges of the dough remain straight for baking.

If egg wash is used for puff items, the wash should never drip over the sides. It could seal the dough and cause it to rise unevenly.

Puff pastry items should be rested again before being placed in the oven. Items should also be refrigerated during resting.

Puff pastry should ideally be made with all the folds during one production periods and left refrigerated overnight before makeup of the items the next day. This will prevent the butter from becoming too hard and breaking the layers folds and turns are done on separate days.

Oven temperatures

Low oven temperature leads to problems with puff pastry; if the oven is not hot enough, the butter will melt before it has a chance to create steam needed for flakiness. Opening the oven door frequently can will lead to uneven temperatures and should be avoided. Small puff pastry items should be baked at 415 f to 424 f, and slightly lower temperature can be used for larger items. The oven temperature should never go below 400f.

Storage of puff pastry

After the dough is made up, it should be kept no longer than a week. As in pie dough, the flour and water will begin to ferment and oxidize, turning the dough gray and giving it an off-taste. The dough should be keep well covered at all times. Puff pastry dough freeze very well in either dough form or as finished pieces, as long as it is well wrapped.

Scraps

Scraps of puff-pastry dough will not be as flaky as fresh. When using scraps, the pieces should never be kneaded together as it will destroy its structure. They should be laid on top of each other and gently rolled together.

Ah the dreaded laminated dough; Puff pastry and croissants and Danishes. This dough will make even the most seasoned of cooks shake in their boots. I have to say that when I was learning this technique at school it was terrifying. The mixers we used would make your kitchen aids look like novelty toys. I could take a bath in the bowls- quite comfortably I might add. It was a two day process. And the sheer size of the dough was intimidating. So making it in small batches at home now doesn’t bother me. I actually find it a nice way to get into the kitchen and zone-in, it’s relaxing. Think about it this way are you really scared a few cups of flour?

I have decided to split this into three different posts. I think it will be better to separate them; otherwise it can be a bit overwhelming. I have been researching and writing up a storm this week. I also plan to make up a batch of croissant dough and post pics of the process sometime soon. Having croissant dough in the freezer for the holidays is a must!

So I thought I would follow in the tradition of the ever popular Twitter Follow Fridays (#FF)and recommend some great blogs I follow. I love searching for new blogs and I always find a gem or two or ten.

So let the Follow Friday Five commence!! Here are 5 great food blogs in no particular order:

SmittenKitchen -Deb’s photos are awe inspiring

Eats Well With Others - Joanne is a riot. Well written blog full of humor.

AnnesFood-Anne lives in Sweden

Thursday For Dinner  - a video blog of family favorites

HealthyDelicious - Most of LK’s recipes take a maximum of 40 minutes to prepare, perfect for weeknight meals.

What are some of your favorite food blogs?

It’s a great feeling when you are able to make a wonderful recipe on-the-fly; especially when all you have to do is pull yummy homemade pie filling out of your freezer. Nothing against the canned versions, but I always feel like I am cheating when I use them. When the fall and summer fruits are plenty I buy in bulk, prepare, and freeze them. See my previous post for procedures on making pie fillings.

Or if you are really feeling adventurous can it yourself.

I prefer the freezer method. Pre-measure out the amount you need for pies and ladle into freezer bags. Please let it cool first… learn from others mistakes.  I even keep some in smaller freezer bags to have when I want something sweet just need a spoonful or two.

And don’t even start thinking “but I don’t have a need for pie filling unless I am making pies”. I promise you will find ways to use it. Top pancakes, waffles, and ice-cream for a special treat.

 Here are some of my favorites. Just substitute your homemade filling when the recipe calls for canned. Most of these recipes call for apple, but use any fruit you like.

The Apple Pie That Wasn’t

Apple Enchiladas

Savory Turkey & Apple Pot Pie

Apple Pie Pancakes

What ways do you use pie filling?

Procedures for Pie fillings

Fruit Pies

There are three types of fruit pies: cooked juice, cooked juice and fruit, and home-style. The first two types have precooked fillings that use cornstarch as a thickening agent. Home-style pies are not precooked and use flour as a thickening agent.

Cooked Juice

A cooked-juice filling used fresh, canned, or frozen fruits that are soft and will lose shape and structure if overcooked.

1. Drain juice well from fruit. If fresh fruits are used and there is not enough juice, use water in the same amount.
2. Reserve a small amount of juice to dissolve the cornstarch. Use approximately 3 to 4 ounces of starch per quart of liquid.
3. Bring sugar and remaining juice to a rolling boil.
4. While the mixture is boiling, vigorously whisk in the dissolved cornstarch.
5. Bring the mixture to a second boil, allowing it to thicken, the mixture should begin to lose its cloudiness and turn translucent; when this occurs, remove it from the heat.
6. Gently fold in the fruit. Do not over mix at this point, or the heat from the filling will overcook the fruit.
7. Let the filling cool, covered and unrefrigerated.
8. Fill an unbaked pie shell to the rim of the pie tin, not the rim of the pie or the filling will bubble over during baking.
9. A top crust, either full or lattice is almost always used for fruit fillings. Seal the crust with an egg wash. For a full crust, vent holes should be cut into the dough to allow excess steam from the filling to escape.
10. Freeze or refrigerate the pie for 10 to 20 minutes.
11. Remove the pie from the freezer, and egg wash the top crust before baking. Sprinkle with sugar if desired.
12. Bake at 425F until golden brown.

Cooked Juice and Fruit

A cooked juice and fruit pie filling is used for firmer fruits such as fresh apples or canned cherries. Because part of the fruit is cooked, the fruit must be able to withstand the heat of the cooking process. This procedure can also be used for filling in which the final state of the fruit is not important. The filling is made using the same procedure as a cooked-juice filling; the difference is that in a cooked juice and fruit filling, approximately two thirds of the fruit is cooked.

1. Dissolve starch in a small portion of the cold liquid, either juice or water, from the recipe.
2. Reserve about one-third of the fruit.
3. Bring the remaining two-thirds of the fruit, the granulated sugar, and any liquids to a boil.
4. When the mixture reaches a boil, vigorously stir in the dissolved corn starch mixture.
5. Bring the mixture to a second boil, allowing it to thicken and turn translucent.
6. As soon as it is thickened, remove from heat and gently fold in the remaining fruit. Allow the filling to cook, covered and unrefrigerated.
7. Fill, chill, and bakes as in a cooked-juice pie.

Home-style Pies

Home-style pies usually use firm, fresh fruit, such as apples, peaches, and blackberries. Other types of fruit may be used, although fresh fruit produces the best results. The fruit is dredged in sugar, spices, and flour. The amount for the coating is not specified; feel, taste, sight, and experience determine the amount used. The general procedure for home-style pie is

1. Peel, core, and prepare fruit.
2. Cut large fruit into large slices. Leave small fruits whole.
3. Dredge the fruit in sugar (the sugar will create a syrup that will allow the mixture to absorb the flour), then spices, and finally the flour.
4. Fill, chill, and bakes as before.

Cream Pies

Cream-pie fillings use some of the same ingredients and the same basic procedure as that of pastry cream, although there can sometimes be minor variations. Cream fillings are thick, smooth, and thickened with cornstarch; gelatin is sometimes added to ensure that the pie cuts cleanly.

There are some innate problems with cream pies:

• Cream fillings can be inconsistent; they can become lumpy because of improper dissolution of the starch. The starch should always be mixed with a small portion of the sugar and then whisked together with a small amount of the liquid (usually milk) to make a slurry. This will ride the filling of lumps caused from starch.
• Undercooked cream fillings have a starchy taste; the starch must be cooked long enough to become translucent (1 to 3 minutes) to ensure that the filling will not retain a starchy taste and mouth feel.
• If not cooked properly, the eggs will curdle. The eggs should be whisked and then added to the slurry mixture so the eggs can be more readily absorbed y the starch, which helps protect them from overcooking, The egg mixture should be tempered by whisking a small stream of the hot liquid into them to avoid cooking the eggs.
• Overcooking and not properly whisking the filling while it is thickening will cause the filling to burn around the sides of the pan and cerate a scorched flavor that can sometimes penetrate the entire filling.

Prebaked pie shells should always be used for cream pies.

Prebaked pie shells should not be refrigerated because the humidity in the refrigerator will cause them to become soggy. When they are cold and a hot filling is added, condensation forms. Pie shells are best if filled when they are hot to help form a bond between the filling and the crust, and to five the pie a longer shelf life.

The filling should also be hot when put into the crust to bond the filling and the crust and to ensure maximum fluidity of the filling; if the filling is allowed to set, it will not pour easily into the shell and will create a lumpy, uneven appearance. As soon as the cream filling has been added to the pie shell, the pie should be covered with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming on the filling. The pies should be allowed to come to room temperature before refrigeration to prevent a crack or tear on the surface.

Chiffon Pies

Chiffon pies are light, airy pies as a result of the chiffon, which is folded into the filling at the end of the makeup procedure. They are most often fruit based, and use a cooked-fruit or cooked-fruit-and-juice method of procedure that is sometimes combines with the method of procedure for pastry cream. Other pies, such as pumpkin or cream pies, can be made with a chiffon added as well. Chiffon pies are usually thickened with a combination of cornstarch and gelatin. Chiffon pies are placed in a prebaked shell that has been allowed to cool.

The general procedure for making chiffon pies is:

1. Bloom the gelatin in cold water. Powdered gelatin or gelatin sheets may be used. When using gelatin sheets, soak them in cold water. Set aside.
2. Dissolve the cornstarch in a small portion of the cold liquid
3. Place the sugar, flavorings, salt. Liquid, and two thirds of the fruit in a pan and bring to a boil.
4. Add the dissolved cornstarch, and stir until the mixture has thickened and become translucent.
5. Remove the filling from the heat, and add the bloomed gelatin.
6. Fold in the remaining fruit. Set the filling aside, covered and unrefrigerated
7. Whip egg whites and granulated sugar to a medium peak, and fold into the mixture. Some mixtures, such as strawberry chiffon, need a fairly cool filling to add the chiffon. Others, such as lemon chiffon, should be hot when the chiffon is added, or they will get lumpy.
8. Place the mixture into a prebaked pie shell, let cool and set, and garnish as desired

Specialty pies

Specialty pies are usually made of ice-cream or cream-cheese mixtures; they usually have cookie or cracker crusts that have been sweetened with sugar and spices and have just enough melted butter added to them to allow them to stick together. There is no set method of procedure for specialty pies because there are so many different varieties.

We all have them;l That one friend or family member that has everything. They are impossible to shop for. I can’t help you with that situation, but if you have a cook on your list here are some inspired gifts; from low end to extravagant to just downright cute, these gifts are sure to please.

There you have it! Buy these gifts online and stay away from the frenzied, stressed-out shoppers on Black Friday.

I hope you all have a very happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is this week. The web is awash with recipes for turkey, stuffing, and too many sides to count. Have no fear, the best part of the meal has not been neglected – dessert! Below are a list of links for some of the best pies in the web community so you can test out your new pie dough skills!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!

Easy Oat Apple Pie- because apples and oats are a brilliant combination

Elizabeth Ryan’s Cranberry Pie- a cherry pie alternative

Sweet potato pie- not your standard sweet potato pie

Turtle Pumpkin pie- caramel, pecans, pumpkin… need I say more?

Bourbon Pecan Pie- Bourbon…Pie…MMMM

Grandma’s Apple Pie- an American classic

                                                                                Photo: Photobucket/Artodd

Although they date back to Europe, pies have been synonymous with American baking. Brought by the early settlers, sweet and savory pies were simply prepared dishes used to feed many and to extend ingredients. They were easy to cut and eat. With a high sugar content in their fillings pies kept easily. Pies quickly became one of the most popular pastries and have remained so for centuries.

With some general understanding of the common ingredients and methods for making pie you can make a pie to be proud of.

Pie Dough

Pie dough is arguably the most important element in making a good pie; its flakiness and tenderness are tantamount to the success of the pie, regardless of how well the filling is made. Simply put, bad crust equals bad pie.

Pie dough is basically composed of flour, fat, cold liquid, and salt. Sugar is sometimes used to sweeten the dough. Just as in puff pastry dough, the fat in the dough melts to create steam and, in turn, produces a flaky crust. The method used to distribute the fat in the flour determines the flakiness of the crust; fat lumps in the dough produce flakiness.

There are three types of pie dough; long flake, short flake, and mealy pie dough. Long flake pie dough is used only as a top crust pie dough. The fat is broken up into half-dollar sized pieces. Short-flake pie dough is an all-purpose dough, used as either a top crust or a bottom crust. The fat is broken up into quarter sized pieces. In a Mealy pie dough, the fat is broken into pea sized bits; it is used only for a bottom crust because it does not flake and is more water tight. The fat is complexly incorporated into the flour, leaving no lumps of far in the dough.

Flour

All purpose flour is the most commonly used flour for most home bakers and cooks, but most professional bakers will tell you that pastry flour is the best choice for pie dough. It contains a relatively low amount of gluten, but enough to hold the dough together and give it enough elasticity to be rolled out. Bread flour is too high in gluten content and would absorb most of the liquid, making the dough robbery and tough. Cake flour is too low in gluten content- there would not be enough gluten to hold the dough together for tolling out- causing the dough to crack and crumble.

Fat

All purpose shortening, butter, and lard are generally the types of fat used in a pie dough.

• Butter has an excellent flavor, but a low melting point (80F) and high water content that will cause the crust to lose its shape during baking; the baked crust will be mealy and crumbly. If butter is used, it should be used in combination with another fat that has a higher melting point, either shortening or lard. Three parts shortening or lard to one part butter will produce a flavorful, flakey crust that will not fall apart during baking.
• Lard is an excellent fat for making pie dough because of its high melting point (90F-100F). It creates a light, flaky crust. Unfortunately, lard can also impart undesirable flavor at times to the crust, largely because of the inconsistency of its quality. Lard is rendered from the hog and is therefore high in cholesterol and unacceptable for use in kosher and vegetarian diets.
• All-purpose shortening is the best fat to use for pie dough. It has a high melting point similar to that of lard, which produces and light, flaky crust. It imparts no flavor to the dough and the quality of shortening is very consistent. Unlike puff pastry, where the flavor of the butter is paramount, the flavor of pie dough is often overshadowed by the sweetness of the filling; however, many chefs still prefer to mix shortening and butter together to create optimum flakiness and flavor.

Cold Liquid

Water is most often used as the liquid in  pie dough; it provides the moisture required without adding extra components that will adversely affect the crust. Water (or milk, if used) should be ice cold when used in pie dough- this will preserve the solid state of the fat and help tetrad gluten development.

Salt

Salt is used in pie dough to bring out flavor and to aid in retarding gluten development. Too much salt can break and tear gluten strands and ruin the flavor of the dough.

Sugar

Sugar is sometimes used in pie dough to provide flavor through sweetness. Unfortunately, because of sugars hydroscopic qualities, it can also absorb moisture and create a soggy crust. Sugar is best sprinkled on top of the dough to create caramelization.

Making a Pie Dough

The biggest mistake to be made when making pie dough is over mixing. It is important to keep the fat in large lumps for flakiness and to not overwork the gluten in the flour. Although large amounts of dough can be done in the mixer unless the amount is overwhelmingly large, it is always best to mix pie dough by hand. The method for making pie dough by hand is called the rubbing, or biscuit method. In this method, the flour and salt are sifted together and placed in a bowl. The fat is cut into the flour either by hand or with a pastry cutter until it is well distributed, but still in large pieces. The cold water is sprinkled over the mixture, a little at a time, and the mixture is tossed until all the water has been completely incorporated, and a ball can be formed with the dough. A basic ratio of ingredients for pie dough is three parts flour to two parts fat to one part liquid.

Pie dough should be wrapped airtight and refrigerated; it is best to let it rest overnight before use to allow the gluten to relax. As with puff pastry dough, pie dough should not be kept longer than a week, or it will begin to oxidize and the flour and water mixture will begin to ferment, turning the dough grey.

Too much flour used on the bench for rolling out will affect the flavor and flakiness of the dough. Any excess flour should be brushed away with a brush. Never knead pie dough scraps together- layer them on top of each other to roll out a second time.

Pie dough can be successfully frozen; it should be divided into 8- to 10-ounce portions and wrapped airtight. To defrost, let it rest in the refrigerator overnight.

As with puff pastry, pie dough must be baked in a hot over, 425F to 450F, insure that the fat does not melt out of the dough before it has a chance to evaporate and create the steam needed for flakiness. Pie crust should also rest after makeup in the freezer or refrigerator for 10 to 20 minutes before baking to relax the dough and solidify the fat to reduce shrinkage.

Types of Pies

A pie is categorized according to the type of filling it has. There are five basic types of filling for pies:

• Fruit pies are made with fresh, canned, frozen, or dried fruit that is mixed with sweeteners and thickeners. Apple, peach, and cherry are good examples.
• Cream pies have smooth cream fillings that are made using a method similar to that for pastry cream. Chocolate cream, banana cream, and coconut cream are good examples.
• Custard (soft) pies are generally thickened with eggs (and sometimes starch) and sweetened with syrups; there are a wide variety of different custard-style pies. Pumpkin pie, pecan pie, and chess pie are all good examples.
• Chiffon pies have fruit based fillings with a chiffon folded into them after cooking to lighten and aerate them. The term Chiffon is used when whipped egg whites (and usually sugar to prevent drying of the whites) is added to a batter or filling. These pies are usually very low in fat. Strawberry chiffon and lemon chiffon are good examples.
• Specialty pies use special crusts, such as cookie or graham cracker crusts, and are filled with ice cream or cheese type fillings.

Our next installment on Pies will be Procedures for Pie Filling. We will delve deeper into the different types of pies as well as the methods for making each of them. Coming soon!