Hau'oli La Hanau !!!! Fresh loaf Ohana/family!
Well! this is my first post, HMMMM!!! What do we talk about, well let's start out with Viva la Difference!
I have been trying to find a pie dough recipe that would be consistent, and come out like my Nana's pies. Always good! Anyways my mom and I have been kicking aroung the family butter and shortening recipe...to see if it could be more consistent, we agree that shortening and Lard both add the "flaky factor" but often find just one of these fats tends to not add much in the way of that Umami for pies.(exception is homemade lard, but a lot of work).
So after exhaustive googling...I've discovered an old classic technique to enhance a classic Butter crust.
I know it's been mentioned for baguettes and breads. But it is the most wonderous technique for Pie dough...and I haven't had a tough or doughy pie crust since. The Cook's Illustrated technique is great, but I guess I am too lazy to use shortening and vodka with my Butter.
"FRAISAGE": is the Key, a butter only bruddah long on flavor and texture....and truly not that much more work to guarantee sucess time and time again.
Here is a link to a photo step-by-step of options and technique for a pie crust using fraisage:
Bon chance and Bon appetit! Great baking in 2011 to all!
http://havekniveswillcook.com/kitchen-tips/get-flaky-with-fraisage/
Comments
I always come back to butter too. Nothing like it. Will try the fraisage technique, thanks.
Working on using up some goose greese at the moment. Got any ideas?
Ever try pie crust without wheat flour?
Mini
in a strawberry pie. Had to keep it on the cold side. Pull it out of the fridge, work it for a bit, put it back in the fridge.
Coconut oil is nice, I've found. The refined stuff doesn't have any aroma. I'd also love to use cocoa butter -- maybe in the summer because it's so hard at room temperature -- for something chocolate. It has an intoxicating aroma!
I don't know never have had goose! In Hawai'i the Nene/Hawaiian Goose is our state bird and protected by law! LOL But have used duck fat to do confit and have made duck fat Pomme Frites/french fries. Also used to make Chicken Pot Pies. Maybe work with a Savory Meat pie or Pasties. But might be strong for anything else.
We love our Niu/coconut and have been using cold pressed organic coconut Oil to cook for deep frying it imparts a floral and coconut smell to goods..Great with deep fried dough items like Malassadas, or Andagi, Poi Mochi..even little fruit pies. But since it has a high flash point similar to Lard. great to fry savory items like fish etc. Niu/coconut oil has been given a bum rap because of it's saturated fat nature, but it is a Mid chain fat and not like animal fat. It is also quite shelf stable in nature and will not create transfat after it is heated. It is also high in Lauric acid an antioxidant that boost immune system.
My Vovo/great grandma swore by Coconut oil in her hair and skin it made her skin soft and her hair shiny and thick and she said when they moved to the mainland her long locks were never the same.
But watch the overprocessed and refined clear commercial grade expeller oils that are cooked and strained these sometimes are made with Copra an inferior grade oil akin to 3rd press cooking olive oil better to go with the organic Cold press such as Spectrum brand or Go check out the website Tropical traditions. These brands are both organic and are cold pressed so in colder climes they might solidify and get white, but not a problem. just warm in warm water bath or micro a few seconds. I've noticed even though it's considered a saturated fat it seems to cause people to lose weight. Go figure! A farmer thought since it was a saturated fat that he would give it to his dairy cows to fatten them up instead they lost weight. I also know like for Coconut Cream or milk too much can cause the trots if eat in large quanties so Caveat Emptor!!!
Here are the links for more info on the Niu/coconut Oil:
http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-1092-Cold%20Pressed%20Coconut%20Oil%20%28COCONUT%20OIL%29.aspx?activeIngredientId=1092&active...
http://www.google.com/search?q=cold+pressed+coconut+oil&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a
That's why the world is beginning to wake up to all the bad press on saturated fats. I prefer them and thanks for the coconut oil tips.
I spent hours cruising this site and I found so many baking enhancers and flour choices that you don't see in the supermarkets in Hawaii!
Well has anyone ever tried the King Arthur Flour specialtiy flours.
http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/king-arthur-european-style-artisan-bread-flour-3-lb
I just found this European style bread flour in the traditions of the Italian "00" and French flours. I ordered that diastatic malt powder and non-diastatic malt powder, Milk powder,instant cleargel,pie filling enhancer and bakewell cream baking powder...Gelatin sheets, Pie dough , Holy cow..Kind of went bread lolo/nuts!!
Can't wait to use malt for bagels and belgian waffles.
and the instantgel and pie enhancer.