Comments on: Pie Crust with Lard…

By: The cute Pie Guy

The cute Pie Guy — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 05:52:38 +0000

Hi betty q.
I would love to know the recipe and steps in making your blue ribbon apple pie. Can you share it with me?

Thanks

By: betty q.

betty q. — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 17:17:01 +0000

…I totally agree with Sister…it is hard to compare the hand made or hand rolled dough than machine rolled. In my apprenticeship days, one of the places I used to work at was this dessert restaurant in Vancouver. I hand rolled the pie crusts for all the pies that were sold. As the restaurant became really busy, the owner decided to go high-tech and bought a sheeter. Needless to say, there is a marked difference in the final product. I for one, though it made my life easier did not particularly care anymore to eat the pies.

My greatest compliment for my hand rolled pies came from someone who became the Executive pastry chef of one of the Hyatt Hotel some 15 years ago. He was based in Europe. We became friends and I got a call one day from him asking me how I make my Apple Pie (I won Blue Ribbons with it). I couldn’t believe my ears!

By: caroline

caroline — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 02:29:28 +0000

thank you for posting your wonderful recipe. i followed your instructions on the pie filling but encountered a problem. my pie was watery. despite adequate cooling the juices just flooded out when i cut the pie. can you make any recommendations regarding this problem? any pointers would be greatly appreciated since i always seem to have this problem. thanks.

By: MIT

MIT — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 14:37:50 +0000

Thank you so much for posting the recipes. Last Sunday, I switched on the airconditioning in the kitchen and made the most delicious apple pie, following your recipe. I used Crisco and butter. It was heavenly. Even my kids remarked it looked gorgeous while it was baking. And the texture of the crust was so flaky. They could barely wait the couple of hours to let it cool before cutting into it. Needless to say, it lasted less than 24 hours. Excellent! Thanks again!

By: sister

sister — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 07:49:26 +0000

To the Cute Pie Guy:
Yes, crusts are not created equal for all fillings. But pie is a rustic, diner, or home made dessert at best and better simple than overdone with leaves and roping which requires a more stable dough that remains as stamped out, and ergo, a harder consistency and strength. Good looks, lousy eating.
True, as you say, lard and butter crust recipes have been around for decades, if not centuries, but how many people have mastered the simple techniques used to produce a decent crust? Certainly mass produced pies can never achieve the flakiness and taste profile of a hand made crust because a pie crust stamping machine used in bakeries require a much more moist formulation using only vegetable shortening.
I applaud the person who makes an effort to produce a good home made pie. It isn’t difficult at all which you know but few attempt to ever make a decent one.
Best,
The crowned, unchallenged, reigning Apple Pie Queen of Union Square

By: tonceq

tonceq — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 11:54:35 +0000

Whoa! the crust looks like it’s going to melt in my mouth! I tend to stay local when I bake apple pies (not to say that Granny Smiths aren’t locally available). I usually go with Fuji’s but I might just go with Grannies next time! have you ever used fuji’s before MM? :)

By: The cute Pie Guy

The cute Pie Guy — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 04:33:01 +0000

Sorry my link got broken for the Almost perfect pie crust:
https://www.everythingpies.com\pie-crust-recipe-lard-butter.html

By: The cute Pie Guy

The cute Pie Guy — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 04:24:20 +0000

Hi Marketman and all pie lovers,
Do not be fooled that there is a perfect pie crust. It all depends on the type and kind of pie you are baking.

Most decorative pies with intricate designs and patterns do not work well with crusts that are flaky. Once the crust hits the heat, the crust grows in size and erases much of the handy work like leaf edges or braided trims.

Your crust looks exactly the way I like it, golden brown all over. I have tested various pie crusts just like you. I even rendered my own lard from pig fat.

Rendering lard is not hard, but it is time consuming and a little challenging finding good quality leaf lard to render. Lard is the original shortening before Crisco came out.

Many believe 50%-50% butter and lard is the best crust which I did try and posted the recipe. It has been around for a long time, way before our time: The Almost Perfect Pie Crust Recipe made with Lard and Butter

Your butter to lard crust is 75%-25% which make it more of an all-butter crust. If you remember, fats have different smoke temperatures. Butter’s temperature is lower than lard’s. What this means is that an all-butter crust will brown before an all-lard crust. Also, it means a lard crust will fair better in your climate where it is warmer, the fat will stay harder at lower temperatures.

The bad news is that a lard crust is not as flavorable as a butter crust, and if you know what you are doing, an all-butter crust is just a flaky as a lard crust.

Always remember the most important ingredient: love.

By: Nicole

Nicole — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 01:18:57 +0000

To die for! They look so scrumptious! I want to go home now and start making my own lard and make this delectible looking pie.

By: present tense

present tense — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 11:46:31 +0000

Like Artisan C, i look fwd to the time your lard becomes publicly accessible. Cheers !