Just Baking

Before I attended the “Pies and Tarts” class at the local Sur La Table, I had never made my own pie crust; I’ve always used ready made pie crust. Well since I started baking seriously, I know I better get a handle on making my own pie crusts, so this class came up at a most opportune moment.

Our instructor sang praises of making dough in the food processor. She promised us that after this class we would never have to work with a difficult dough that breaks apart again. It seems the trade off in this is using a lot of fat in the dough, be it butter or cream cheese. It seems a pound of some sort of fat is the key. I have not made this particular dough at home yet, but I have used the principles I have learned from this class for other crusts like chewy pecan diamonds and a Persian sweet pastry.

A few tips I picked up: The important part is for the butter to be cold. The steam released during baking is what makes a crust flaky. Learn to identify “pea size“  pieces of butter when combining your flour with the fat in a food processor. This comes with practice… and I, myself, have to master this some more. I have seen other recipes for pie crust, but this is what I’ve used in class and I know that this recipe and method works. This crust turned out really flaky and tasty!

For the Crust
3 ounces sharp Cheddar Cheese, finely grated
3 cups flour
1 cup butter (frozen)
1 cup cream cheese (keep cold)
1 tablespoon cold water
1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch of salt

In a food processor combine the flour, butter, cheese, sugar and salt together until you find little “pea size” pieces of butter and cheese. Add in the water and combine again until it starts to come together. Place on a lightly floured surface and gently knead until the dough comes together, then roll out to desired shape and place in a 9-inch tart shell.

For the Apple Pie Filling
3 Granny Smith apples, cut into ½ inch slices
3 gala or Fuji apples, cut into ½ inch slices
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter
Zest from half an orange
3 teaspoons cinnamon, ground
Pinch of fresh nutmeg, ground
½ cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons cornstanrd, dissolve in Calvados *
Pinch of salt
2 ounces Calvados *
1 egg for egg wash

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Cut apples into thin slices.  Place both sugars in a medium saucepan and melt down until it reaches a golden red-brown color. Add butter, zest, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and heavy cream stirring carefully. Next add in the cornstarch and calvados slurry and stir to incorporate.

Toss the sugar mixture with the apple slices. Arrange in bottom of the tart shell. Cover the top of the apples with remaining dough. Cut air holes and egg wash the top of the crust. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown.

* Calvados – A dry apple brandy from the Normandy region of France