SOGGY BOTTOM PIES

One of the problems with making a custard or fruit pie is a soggy bottom crust. To avoid a soggy bottom you not only want to start out with a good hot oven, you also want to first brush or dust the bottom of the crust with a sealant.

Here are a few tips to prevent soggy bottoms in your pie crusts -

1. Moisture proof the bottom of the crust before chilling and filling. There are several ways to seal the bottom crust depending on the type of pie you're baking. You can brush the bottom crust with melted butter, egg white wash, sieved preserves for extra flavor, or melted chocolate for the most effective moisture-proofing of all. Then place the crust in the freezer for at least 20 minutes before assembling pie.
2. An alternate method of moisture-proofing is to dust the bottom of the crust with a 50/50 mixture of flour and sugar to set the crust. In Hoosier Mama's pie kitchen this is referred to as "crust dust" and is always included in any fresh fruit pies.
3. Use a hot oven temperature (425º plus) for the first 15 minutes of baking.
4. Place pie on lowest rack on a preheated baking sheet or for certain juicy pies, bake the pie directly on the floor of the oven for the first 20 minutes.
5. Thicken the filling prior to placing in the pie shell. For the purest flavor of fruit pies, macerate (marinate) the fruit in sugar for at least 30 minutes, capture the juices and reduce the liquid by half or 2/3 or until very thick (you can use the microwave but spray the liquid measuring cup with non-stick vegetable oil to keep it from boiling over.) Add liquid back to the fruit filling. You will only need about a 1/3 of the thickener the recipe calls for.
6. Use a pan that readily absorbs heat, such as glass or ceramic.

If you're pie is only going to have a bottom crust, you can blind-bake the crust than moisture-proof it. Blind-baking is when you partially or fully-bake an unfilled pie shell. This is especially key for custard based fillings, or for fillings that are cooked separately or not at all.

To blind-bake, follow these easy steps for a par-baked (partially baked) crust:

1. Once you've placed your crust in a pie pan, dock the dough. Docking simply means to prick the dough all over with a fork to keep it from puffing. Make sure to not only get the bottom but the sides as well.
2. Freeze the crust for at least 30 minutes or longer, before baking.
3. Preheat the oven to 350º F.
4. Butter shiny side of aluminum foil, and butter side down, place the foil tightly against the crust. Since the crust is frozen there is no need to add pie weights. Bake on baking sheet on center rack for 20 minutes.
5. Carefully remove the foil. If the crust has puffed, press down on it gently with the back of a spoon. Bake the crust another 10 minutes, or until firm and golden brown. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool crust to room temperature before proceeding with the rest of the recipe.
6. As an optional step, if you're worried about the filling leaking through the holes you can apply an egg white wash to the bottom and sides of the crust with a pastry brush (although, the holes usually close up during the blind-bake process.) Pop back into the oven for another 2 minutes until the egg glaze sets. Remove once again, and allow to cool before adding pie filling.

Note: Some bakers only use parchment paper and are adamantly against using aluminum foil because they feel the dough doesn't bake the same.

An alternate method is to use pie weights. If using pie weights, there is no need to dock (prick) the dough. Do one or the other as they both accomplish the same thing. This blind-bake method may be preferable if there is a risk of the liquid filling leaking through the holes.

1. Preheat oven to 350º F. Place parchment paper or sheet of aluminum foil (shiny side buttered for easier removal) over bottom crust, making sure to cover the edges too.
2. Place dried beans, dried rice, or actual pie weights over the surface of the covering. This prevents the crust from puffing.
3. Place in oven and bake blind for 20 minutes.
4. Remove from oven and carefully lift off the covering with pie weights. Return the pie shell to the oven and bake an additional 10 minutes, or until light golden brown.
5. As an optional step you can apply an egg white wash to the base to prevent a soggy bottom. Or instead of an egg wash, you can boil and strain apricot or raspberry preserve to brush on the crust to seal it. Or melted white or dark chocolate, or even clarified butter. Once the crust has been sealed and cooled to room temperature, add the filling and bake until the filling has set.

Note: It is important to either dock the crust or weigh the crust down as it bakes to prevent the crust from shrinking or puffing up with air bubbles.

EVEN COWGIRLS GET THE BLUES

via addhumorandfaith

By definition cowboys are herders on horseback who tend cattle, and perform other ranch-related duties. However, the historic American cowboy is the stuff of legend, a hero, the lone spirit of independence and self-reliance. What every kid dreamed of as he re-enacted the wild frontier with cowboys and Indians, his holster hanging low on his hips, a sharp-shooter in hand, cowboy hat tilted just so, spurs on his boots, but most of all a whole lot of attitude. A cowboy lives what he believes, and doesn't care about fitting into anybody else's idea of how he should live, act, or be. He's got his own moral code, one based on substance, strength, courage, and chivalry. He's a short-hand for honest labor, wide open spaces, and western traditions. The "every man"' you can count on to "cowboy up" in tough times.

"I wasn't really shot with a silver bullet," she confessed to no one in particular. "Or was I?"

She smiled the deliciously secret smile of one who instinctively recognizes the reality of myth.

- tom robbins, Even Cowgirls Get the Blues

But what about cowgirls? How do they fit into the Western tradition? Women worked on ranches from the get-go, not just as wives and daughters but hired ranch-hands who worked side by side with the men, and during wartime they even ran them. But it wasn't really until Wild West Shows became popular worldwide that cowgirls started to get noticed as skilled performers. Women like Annie Oakley suddenly became household names, showing off riding skills, bulls-eye marksmanship, and trick roping. Their stars were further hitched by the Hollywood Western, and the increasing popularity of the rodeo. But when I think of cowgirls, my mind hollers trailblazers! Gals with gumption who weren't afraid of hard work, or rough conditions. I imagine back in the day, the notion of women kicking up dust, wrangling horses and herding cattle, or riding bulls on the rodeo circuit, probably just wasn't done, or at least not in polite society. It's reassuring to know that the times didn't necessarily dictate to all women. That there were more than a handful willing to stir up a cuss to assert their own individuality, and wouldn't settle for just rustling up grub for the men. That just like the cowboy, they could "buck up" and pull their own weight. Go get 'em, girl! Yee Hawww!

via theliteraryhorse

DOUGH PUNCHER

Cowboy cookery in the Old West was usually served up by chuck wagons. Cowboys were often on the move, and ravenous from the long days and hard work driving cattle. On the long trail, the chuck wagon was "home" on the range. It was Cookie's (as the wagon chef was often called) job to have breakfast ready at the crack of dawn, and hot meals ready at the next camp. At chow time he'd yell, "Chuck away, come an' get it!" If the cowhands got lucky, they'd get something sweet to eat. The most common dessert on the range was dried fruit like peaches, apple, or apricots, stewed up with a lot of sugar. Sometimes sugar was added to biscuit dough and fried up as a make-shift donut. More enterprising Cookies married the two and made hand-pies, as well single-crust, two-crust, and cobblers. On double-crusted varieties, the top crusts were often cut with the outfit's brand, not just for decoration but to let the steam out.

Dried and Fried Fruit Pies

Filling:

1 1/2 cups dried apricots

1 1/2 cups water

1/2 cup apricot jam or preserves

1/4 cup finely mince pecans or dry bread crumbs

1 Flaky Pie Crust (*see recipe below)

shortening for frying

sugar

1. In a small, heavy saucepan, combine the apricots with the water. Simmer over low heat until the fruit is plump and soft and most of the water absorbed, about 25 minutes. Add more water if necessary.
2. Drain the apricots, and chop them. Mix the apricots in a small bowl with the jam or preserves, and the nuts or bread crumbs. Can be refrigerated up to 24 hours.
3. Roll the pie dough out 1/8 to 1/4-inch thick. Cut it into rounds with the tope of a coffee can or with a large biscuit or cookie cutter. Spread equal portions of filling on each round, moisten the dough edges lightly, and fold the rounds over into half moon shapes. Crimp the edges with a fork.
4. In a heavy saucepan or Dutch oven, heat at least 4 inches of shortening to 350° F. Fry the pies in batches, turning them over midway through the cooking, after they rise to the surface. Remove them when they are golden brown and crispy, about 3 minutes. Drain them, and sprinkle them with sugar. Let them cool for at least 5 minutes before eating. Makes 8 pies.

Note: The pies can be baked rather than fried. Placed them on greased baking sheets, brush them with a little beaten egg, sprinkle with sugar, and bake at 375° F for about 20 minutes, or until they are lightly browned.

Flaky Pie Crust

1/4 cup lard, chilled

1/4 cup unsalted butter, chilled

1/4 cup vegetable shortening, chilled

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp salt

5 to 7 tbsp ice water

Using a food processor, a bow with a pastry blender, or your fingers, cut the lard, butter, and vegetable shortening into the flour and salt. Whatever your method, don't overwork the dough, which reduces flakiness. Add the ice water a few tablespoons at a time, until the dough holds together. Divide the dough into 2 disks, wrap them in plastic, and chill for at least 30 minutes before rolling out.

recipe via foodgeeks