For creamy custard and crisp crust, bake shell and custard separately (page 10).
For creamy custard and crisp crust, bake shell and custard separately (page 10).
Loosen the cooled custard, then slide it carefully into baked, cooled pie shell.
Loosen the cooled custard, then slide it carefully into baked, cooled pie shell.
Give Your Pie A Pretty Top
A pretty top lends distinction to any pie, be it plain or fancy. A sparkling glaze gives a touch of elegance to a two-crust fruit pie.... To make aglazed top, brush the unbaked pie with slightly beaten egg white and sprinkle with sugar, then bake.... For anextra-brown crust, brush the top crust before baking with milk or light cream, then sprinkle with sugar.
Lattice top
Lattice-topfruit pies with colorful juices bubbling up through golden strips of pastry are always a favorite.... The narrow pastry strips can be cut with a pastry wheel or sharp-pointed knife.... For atrellis top, the strips are twisted as they are laid across the filling (Cherry Trellis Pie,page 9).... For awoven lattice top, weave the strips over and under one another.... For acrisscrosstop, lay a first set of seven strips across the filling, then lay a second set over them, making diamond shapes on the filling.... For aspiral top, arrange strips on filling in a spiral effect by starting at the center and twisting and winding around the top six times (Coronation Peach Pie,page 11).... Ahit-and-miss topoffers pleasing contrasts on a prune or raisin pie. Just cut many little odd-shaped bits of pastry from the trimmings and scatter them over the top of the filling before baking....Whipped creammakes glamorous toppings on soft pies, especially when accented with drifts of grated fresh coconut and curls of shaved chocolate (Regal Cream-on-Chocolate Pie,page 1).... Or make a snowy ruff of whipped cream by dropping teaspoonfuls of cream around the rim of the pie, then garnish as shown in Dreamy Banana Cream Pie,page 5.
Decorative vents
Small slits or other openings must be made in closed pies in order to let steam escape during baking. These can be extremely attractive and in harmony with the pie filling. For example, on the top crust of afruit pie, prick or cut the outlines of the fruit used, such as apples, peaches, or plums.... An interestingcherry piecan be made by cutting eight half-inch holes in the top crust to represent cherries. For stems, cut slits....To personalize a pie, prick the initials of the one you wish to honor.... For aChristmas mince pie, roll the top crust, and cut with small Christmas tree cutter, making 5 trees and pointing the tips of the trees to the rim of the pie. The trees should not be cut out of the dough—merely outlined. Brush the trees with egg white and sprinkle with red sugar.
Pastry cut-outs
Interesting pastry cut-outs, such as fruits, berries, leaves, chickens, birds, and the like can be applied to pie tops with happy effects (see the cluster of blueberries and leaves on the Deep-Dish Blueberry Pie,page 2).... The unbaked pastry “patches” are laid on the top crust before baking and brushed with unbeaten egg white or milk.... Tiny pastry stars, hearts, or crescents can be baked and arranged on the top of a chiffon pie.... For the holidays, Christmas trees or bells can be cut out of pastry and laid atop the unbaked filling.
Wraparound cover image