Chapter 10 Pies and Tarts

Intended Learning Outcomes: At the end of this chapter, the students are expected to:

1. Recognize the origin of pies and tarts and distinguish their similarities and differences.
2. Identify the different ingredients and distinguish their functions.
3. distinguish the classifications and types of pie and tarts.
4. Determine and differentiate pie and tart crust and fillings
5. Distinguish and explain different pie faults and their causes.
6. Demonstrate how to make pies and tart.

It is a common misconception that a tart is a European type of pie, or nothing more

than a pie with a fancy name. On the early American frontier, it was not uncommon
for the pioneer housewife to bake 21 pies each week—one for every meal. Pies were
so important to settlers that in winter, when fruits were unavailable, cooks would bake
dessert pies out of whatever materials were available, such as potatoes, vinegar, and
soda crackers. Few of us today eat pie at every meal. Nevertheless, pies are still a
favorite American dessert. Most customers will order and pay a higher price for a piece
of chocolate cream pie than for chocolate pudding, even if the pie filling is the same
as the pudding, and even if they leave the crust uneaten.

2.1 History and Definition

Pies and tarts are pastries that consist of a minimum of two components: the first,
a relatively thin pastry (pie) dough, when baked forms a crust (also called pastry shells)
that hold the second, the filling, which classifies them by type. Some fillings are precooked
and placed in a prebaked pie crust, through a process called blind-baking. Pies and tarts
have some similarities as well as differences. Both are examples of pastry that can either
be sweet or savory depending on its filling. The term pastry comes from the word paste,
meaning, in this case, a mixture of flour, liquid, and fat. In the bakeshop, pastry refers
both to various pastes and dough and to the many products made from them.
Pies and tarts are
similar in ingredients both for
the crust and filling and are
usually baked in a metal tin.
However, the baking pan itself
sets the two apart. Tart pans
are not as deep as pie pans, so
they hold less filling, they have
almost straight sides, the sides
are usually fluted, and the
pans do not have a lip. A tart is removed in one piece from the baking pan. A pie, on the
other hand, is cut and served from the baking pan. Because of its fragile crust and large,
mounded filling, it cannot be unmolded. Because a pie will fall apart if you try to take it
out of the pan whole, pie pans have slanted sides to make serving easier. In most cases,
pies are made with a double crust, and tarts with a single, but, actually, both can be made
either way. They also differ on its make-up, pies can either be single crust or double crust,
but tarts have only a bottom crust the top can be decorated by whipped cream or slices
of fruits. Pies are usually related to American style while tart is more related to European
style pastry.
 If we take the word pie to mean any of a variety of foods enclosed in pastry and
baked, then there have been pies for nearly all of recorded history. In ancient Greece and
Rome, doughs made with olive oil were used to cover or enclose various ingredients. In
English, the word pie used in this way dates back to at least 1300. It is probably a short
form of magpie, a bird that collects a variety of things, just as bakers do when they are
assembling ingredients to bake in a pie.
In the Middle Ages, the word pie almost always referred to savory pies containing
meats, poultry, or game. Today, in England, the word is still used largely for meat pies,
both hot and cold (cold pies being similar to what we might call pâtés), while in North
America, savory pies, such as chicken “pot pie,” are still enjoyed. North Americans,
however, are responsible for turning the development of pies firmly away from savory
and toward sweet. Fruit pies, especially apple, are perhaps still the most popular, but
pastry cooks have devised dessert pie fillings from many other ingredients as well. Pies
are so popular that across the continent they are the feature of annual summer festivals.
The little town of Braham, for example, which bills itself as the Pie Capital of Minnesota,
hosts a popular festival called Pie Day, featuring pie sales, baking contests, art and craft
shows, and daylong entertainment, all in celebration of pies.
Pie pastry is a simple product in terms of its ingredients: flour, shortening, water,
and salt. Yet success or failure depends on how the shortening and flour are mixed and
how the gluten is developed. The key to making pie dough is proper technique, and you
will remember the techniques better if you understand why they work.

2.2 Ingredients and its Functions

Pie pastry or dough is a simple product in terms of its ingredients. It is basically

made out of flour, shortening, water, and salt. Although it is made of the basic ingredients
in baking still the manipulation of such ingredients will determine the success of making
the crust. The key to making pie dough is proper technique and understanding how the
different ingredients works together.

1. Flour – Pastry flour is the best choice for pastry dough such as pie and tart because it
has the right amount of protein. It is usually manufactured from soft wheat which is
low in gluten content and milled to a finer texture than All Purpose Flour that is
especially suitable for making pastry. A good substitute for pastry flour is All-Purpose
Flour plus corn starch or cake flour. For every cup of All-Purpose flour remove two
tablespoon and replace it with cake flour or corn starch. If strong flour with high
protein is used, the amount of shortening to be added must increase slightly to cut
down the gluten and to produce a more tender and flaky crust.

2. Fat – the type of fat affects the flavor and flakiness of the pastry crust. Regular
hydrogenated shortening is the most popular fat for piecrusts because it has the right
plastic consistency to produce a flaky crust. It is firm and moldable enough to make
an easily workable dough. Examples of this is margarine and vegetable shortening.
Butter gives excellent flavor to pastry dough, but it melts easily making the dough
difficult to handle. It is not usually used for large quantity production because it is
expensive. It is advisable, if cost permits, to blend a good quality butter with the
shortening used for pastry crust to improve the flavor as well as the plasticity of the
fat. For richer pasties and short doughs butter is specified as the main fat because the
flavor of butter is an important part of dessert. It is primarily used for European style

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 tarts and pastries. If butter is used to replace all the shortening for pie doughs, the
percentage of fat in the formula should be increased by about one-fourth. (If 1 pound
shortening is called for, use 1 pound 4 ounces butter.) The liquid can be reduced
slightly, as butter contains moisture.
Lard is an excellent shortening for pies
because it is firm and plastic properties produce
good flakiness. However, it is not widely used
because it lacks the right flavor.

3. Liquid - Water is necessary to develop some gluten

in the flour and to give structure and flakiness to
the dough. If too much water is used, the crust will
become tough because of too much gluten
development. If not enough water is used, the crust
will fall apart because of inadequate gluten
structure.
Milk makes a richer dough that browns
more quickly. However, the crust is less crisp
because it has additional protein and the production cost is higher. If dry milk is used,
it should be dissolved in the water to ensure even distribution in the dough. Whether
water or milk is used, it must be added cold (40°F/4°C or colder) to maintain proper
dough temperature. cold dough is easier to handle and fat wont melt fast.

4. Salt – It has some conditioning effect on the gluten. However, it contributes mainly to
flavor. Salt must be dissolved in the liquid before being added to the mix to ensure
even distribution.

Temperature of ingredients is an important factor to consider in making pie and tart crust.
Temperature in Pie dough should be kept cool also, about 60°F (15°C), during mixing and
makeup, for two reasons:
1. Shortening has the best consistency when cool. If it is warm, it blends too quickly with
the flour. If it is very cold, it is too firm to be easily worked.
2. Gluten develops more slowly at cool temperatures than at warm temperatures. Less
gluten development the flaky the crust will be.

2.3 Classification

Pies and tarts can be classified in many ways. They can be classified according to
the type of dough used, the ingredients utilized in making the crust and filling, the method
of mixing the pastry crust and also how the pie or tart is prepare or baked. The following
are ways of classifying pies and pastry.

A. Pie Dough Types - There are two basic types of pie dough: Flaky pie dough and Mealy
pie dough. The difference between the two is in how the fat is blended with the flour.
It is important to understand the basic distinction between the two types.

1. Flaky Pie Dough

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 Flaky pie dough is made by cutting fat into large, irregular pieces Then it is
cut or rubbed into the flour until the particles of shortening are about the size of
peas or hazelnuts—that is, the flour is not completely blended with the fat, and
the fat is left in pieces. When water is added, the flour absorbs it and develops
some gluten. When the dough is
rolled out, the lumps of fat and
moistened flour are flattened and
become flakes of dough separated by
layers of fat. Flaky dough
characteristics after baking is very
flaky and not sweet. It is usually used
for prebaked pie shells and pie top
crusts. or Pat

2. Mealy Pie Dough

Mealy pie dough is made by cutting fat into, fine, uniform pieces. It is then
blended into the flour more thoroughly, until the mixture looks like coarse
cornmeal. The more complete coating of the flour with fat has three results:
➢ The crust is very short and tender because less gluten can develop.
➢ Less water is needed in the mix because the flour won’t absorb as much as in
flaky dough.
➢ The baked dough is less likely to absorb moisture from the filling and become
soggy.
Formatted: Font: 12 pt
Mealy dough is used for bottom crusts, especially in baked fruit pies and soft Formatted: Justified, Indent: First line: 0.5", Space
or custard type pies, because it resists sogginess. To produce mealy doughs with After: 0 pt
even greater resistance to soaking, the flour and fat can be blended together
completely to make a smooth paste. Such a dough is very short when baked. It is
especially appropriate for custard pies.

Pie Crust formulation Formatted: Indent: Left: 0.5", Space After: 0 pt

A popular pie dough formula is called 3-2-1 dough. The numbers refer to Formatted: Justified, Indent: Left: 0.5", First line: 0.5",
the ratio of ingredients by weight: 3 parts flour, 2 parts shortening, and 1 part ice Space After: 0 pt
water. But is some formulation it contain slightly less water just enough to wet the
flour to yield a somewhat more tender dough. However, the 3-2-1 ratio is easy to
remember and is always reliable. It can be used for both mealy and flaky doughs.
To mix the ingredients, use the same procedure as that given in the basic formulas.
Formatted: Justified, Space After: 0 pt
Mixing Crust Formatted: Font: 12 pt, Bold
Hand mixing is best for small quantities of dough, especially flaky dough, Formatted: Justified, Indent: First line: 0.5", Space
because you have more control over the mixing. Quantities up to 10 pounds (4.5 After: 0 pt
kg) can be mixed almost as quickly by hand as by machine. For machine mixing,
use a pastry knife or paddle attachment. Blend at low speed. The mixing method
for pie doughs is sometimes called the rubbed dough method. It is nearly identical
to the sanding method except that for flaky doughs the fat is rubbed in less
thoroughly. Although the procedure has several steps, the two main steps are
characteristic of the method:

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 1. Rub the fat into the sifted dry ingredients. Formatted: Justified, Indent: First line: 0.5", Space
2. Carefully mix the combined liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients. After: 0 pt

3. Crumb Crusts Formatted: Font: 12 pt, Bold

Graham cracker crusts are another type of crust which is popular because they Formatted: Justified, Space After: 0 pt
have an appealing flavor and are much easier to make than pastry crusts. For variation,
vanilla or chocolate wafer crumbs, gingersnap crumbs, or zwieback crumbs may be used
instead of graham cracker crumbs. Ground nuts may be added for special desserts. Crumb
crusts are used primarily for unbaked pies, such as cream pies and chiffon pies. They can
also be used for such desserts as cheesecake. Be sure the flavor of the crust is compatible
with the filling. Lime chiffon pie with a chocolate crumb crust, for instance, is not an
appealing combination. And some cream fillings are so delicate in flavor they would be
overwhelmed by a crust that is too flavorful. Baking a crumb crust before filling it makes
it firmer and less crumbly and gives it a toasted flavor.

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B. Kinds of Pastry Crust/tart pastry - Pastry dough used to make tarts and tartlets is
perhaps even more important than the quality of pie dough. Because tarts are
generally thinner than pies, and have less filling, the dough is a prominent part of the
finished pastry, not just a holder for the filling, as often seems to be the case with
American-style pies. The best of these doughs are made with pure butter, not
shortening, and they generally are enriched with eggs and sugar.

The three main doughs are:

1. Pâte brisée (pronounced pot bree ZAY), which literally means “broken dough,” is Formatted: Font: 12 pt, Bold
mixed using the same method as mealy pie dough—the fat is first combined with Formatted: Font: 12 pt
the flour. In classical pastry, this is known as sablage (sah BLAHZH) or the sanding Formatted: List Paragraph, Justified, Numbered +
method. The fat and flour are mixed until the mixture resembles coarse meal or Level: 1 + Numbering Style: 1, 2, 3, … + Start at: 1 +
sand. Coating the flour with fat protects it from absorbing water, and therefore Alignment: Left + Aligned at: 0.29" + Indent at: 0.54"
limits gluten development. This results in tender pastry. Follow the method for
mealy pie dough, combining the eggs with other liquids. Pâte brisée is usually
used for large tarts. Formatted: Font: 12 pt, Bold
2. Pâte sucrée (soo CRAY) means “sugared dough.” It is similar to pate brisée but Formatted: Font: 12 pt
has a much higher sugar content. The high content of sugar acts as a tenderizer,
so the dough is fragile and more difficult to handle than pate brisée. It is used
primarily for small items such as tartlets and petits fours. Pâte sucrée can be
mixed either by the sablage method or the creaming. The creaming method, in
which the fat and sugar are mixed first, is also used for cookies, cakes, and
muffins. In fact, both pâte sucrée and, especially, pâte sablée can be used to make
plain cookies. Formatted: Font: 12 pt, Bold
1.3. Pâte sablée (sah BLAY) contains even more fat than pâte sucrée and less Formatted: Font: 12 pt
egg and other moisturizers. Some formulas also contain more sugar as well. It is
an extremely tender and crumbly dough that is generally used for cookies but can
also be used for small tarts and other pastries. The crumbly, “sandy” texture of
the baked dough gives the pastry its name (sable means “sand” in French). Pâte

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 sablée can be mixed using the sablage method, but today it is perhaps more
common to use the creaming method, as in a typical cookie dough.
Formatted: Font: 12 pt, Bold
C. Classification according to assemble and baking - pies may be classified into two Formatted: List Paragraph, Justified, Numbered +
groups based on method of assembling and baking. Level: 1 + Numbering Style: A, B, C, … + Start at: 1 +
Alignment: Left + Aligned at: 0" + Indent at: 0.25"
Baked Pies. Raw pie shells are filled and then baked. One type of these are Formatted: Font: 12 pt, Bold
Fruit pies contain fruit fillings and usually have a top and or bottom crust such as buko
Formatted: Justified, Indent: Left: 0.25", First line: 0.5"
pie and pineapple pie. Another type are Soft pies that are those with custard-type
fillings. This type of filling is liquid fillings that become firm when their egg content
coagulates. They are usually baked as single-crust pies.
Unbaked Pies. Prebaked pie shells Formatted: Font: 12 pt, Bold
are filled with a prepared filling, chilled, and
served when the filling is firm enough to
slice. Cream pies are made with pudding or
boiled custard-type fillings. Chiffon pies are
made with fillings that are lightened by the
addition of beaten egg whites and/or
whipped cream. Gelatin or starch gives them
a firm consistency. In Prebaking pie crust a
weight like corn or grain is placed on the
center of prepared shell to prevent it from
deforming and shrinking (figure 2.3).
The two main components of pies
are the dough or pastry and the filling. These two components are produced in quite
separate and distinct operations. Once the pastry and fillings are made, rolling the
dough and assembling and baking the pies can proceed rapidly. Because these
operations are separate and involve different kinds of problems and techniques, it is
helpful to concentrate on them one at a time.

2.4 Types of Crust and Filling

Common Used Filling Formatted: Justified

1. Fruit fillings – it consist of solid fruit pieces bound together by a gel. The gel consists Formatted: Font: 12 pt, Bold
of fruit juice, water, sugar, spices, and a starch thickener. As explained, a modified Formatted: Font: 12 pt
starch such as waxy maize is the preferred thickener for fruit fillings because it makes Formatted: Font: 12 pt
a clear, not cloudy, gel. Other starches, such as cornstarch, tapioca, or potato starch,
Formatted: List Paragraph, Justified, Numbered +
may also be used. Cornstarch is frequently used in food service operations The
Level: 1 + Numbering Style: 1, 2, 3, … + Start at: 1 +
functions of the gel are to bind the solid fruit pieces together, to help carry the flavors Alignment: Left + Aligned at: 0" + Indent at: 0.25"
of the spices and the sweetness of the sugar, and to improve appearance by giving a Formatted: Font: 12 pt
shine or gloss to the fruit. To have a good-quality pie filling, you should have 2 to 3
pounds of drained fruit for each pound of liquid (juice plus water). The two basic
methods in food service for making pie fillings are the cooked juice method and the
cooked fruit method. There is also the old-fashioned method in making the filling. In Formatted: Font: 12 pt
the cooked juice method, the gel is made separately by cooking fruit juice, water, and Formatted: Font: 12 pt
sugar with a starch. The gel is then mixed with the fruit. In the cooked fruit method,

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 the fruit, water, and juices (if any) are all cooked together and then thickened with a
starch.
Fruits use for filling can either be fresh or frozen. Fresh fruits are excellent in Formatted: List Paragraph, Justified, Indent: Left:
pies if they are at their seasonal peak. Although they are excellent some fresh fruits 0.25", First line: 0.5"

required a lot of labor in making it into fillings. Frozen fruits are widely used because
it is consistent in quality and convenient because it is readily available. Some frozen
fruits, especially berries, are packed without sugar. Naturally, the sugar content of any Formatted: Font: 12 pt
fruit must be taken into account when adding sugar to pie fillings.
Canned fruits are packed in four basic styles: solid pack, heavy pack, water Formatted: Font: 12 pt
pack, and syrup pack. Solid pack means no water is added, although you will be able
to drain off small quantity of juice. Heavy pack means only a small quantity of water
or juice is added. Water pack fruits are canned with the water that was used to process
them. Sour cherries are usually packed this way. Syrup pack fruits are packed in a
sugar syrup, which may be light, medium, heavy, or extra-heavy. Heavy syrup means
there is more sugar in the syrup. In general, fruits packed in heavy syrup are firmer
and less broken than fruits in light syrup. With water-pack and syrup-pack fruits, it is
important to know the drained weight (the weight of the solid fruit without the juice).
This information may be indicated on the label or available from the processor. The
net weight is the weight of the total contents, including juice or syrup. If the drained Formatted: Font: 12 pt
weight of a fruit is very low, you may need to add extra drained fruit to a batch of
filling in order to get a good ratio of fruit to gel. Dried fruits must be rehydrated by
soaking and, usually, simmering before they are made into pie fillings. Fruits must
have sufficient acid (tartness) to make flavorful fillings. If they lack natural acid, you
may need to add some lemon, orange, or pineapple juice to supply the acid.
Formatted: Font: 12 pt
2. Custard or Soft Fillings Custard, pumpkin, pecan, and similar pies are made with an Formatted: List Paragraph, Justified, Numbered +
uncooked liquid filling containing eggs and or starch as thickeners. The eggs coagulate Level: 1 + Numbering Style: 1, 2, 3, … + Start at: 1 +
during baking, which sets the filling. Key Lime Pie is similar to other soft pies, except Alignment: Left + Aligned at: 0" + Indent at: 0.25"
it is not baked. Instead, the acidity of the lime juice is sufficient to coagulate the Formatted: Font: 12 pt
proteins and thicken the pie filling. Many soft fillings contain starch in addition to eggs.
Flour, cornstarch, and instant starch are frequently used. Although starch is
unnecessary if enough eggs are used, many bakers prefer to add a little starch because
it allows them to reduce the egg content. Also, the use of starch helps bind the liquids
and reduce the chance of separating, or “weeping,” in the baked pie. If starch is used,
be sure the mix is well stirred before filling the pies in order to reduce the danger of
the starch settling out. The greatest difficulty in preparing soft pies is cooking the crust
completely without overcooking the filling. Start the pie at the bottom of a hot oven
(425° to 450°F/220° to 230°C) for the first 10 to 15 minutes to set the crust. Then
reduce the heat to 325° to 350°F (165° to 175°C) to cook the filling slowly. An
alternative approach is to partially bake the empty shells before filling, but bake until
about half cooked. Cool, fill, and bake the pie. Use one of these methods to test for
doneness:
1. Shake the pie very gently. If it is no longer liquid, it is done. The center will still Formatted: Font: 12 pt
be slightly soft, but Formatted: List Paragraph, Justified, Indent: Left:
its own heat will continue to cook the pie after it is removed from the oven. 0.25", First line: 0.25"
2. Insert a thin knife blade an inch from the center. If it comes out clean, the pie is Formatted: Font: 12 pt
done. Formatted: Font: 12 pt
Formatted: Font: 8 pt

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3. Cream pie fillings are the same as puddings, which in turn are the same as basic pastry Formatted: Font: 12 pt
cream with added flavorings such as vanilla, chocolate, or coconut. Lemon filling is Formatted: List Paragraph, Justified, Numbered +
made by the same method, using water and lemon juice instead of milk. There is one Level: 1 + Numbering Style: 1, 2, 3, … + Start at: 1 +
difference between pastry cream and pie filling you should note: Cream pie fillings are Alignment: Left + Aligned at: 0" + Indent at: 0.25"
made with cornstarch, so slices hold their shape when cut. Pastry cream may be made
with flour, cornstarch, or other starches. In adding filling to pie shells it can either be Formatted: Font: 12 pt
filled with warm cream fillings, which are then cooled in the shell, or the filling should Formatted: Font: 12 pt
be cooled first and then added to the shell. For the best-looking slices, warm filling is
best. The filling cools to a smooth, uniform mass and the slices hold sharp, clean cuts.
However, you must use a well-prepared mealy pie dough that resists soaking, or you
risk having soggy bottom crusts. Enriched Pie Pastry is good for this purpose. Many
food service operations prefer to fill each pie shell with cold filling shortly before the
pie is to be cut and served. The slice will not cut as cleanly when you do this, but the
crusts will be crisp and you can use flaky dough for them.
Formatted: Font: 7 pt
4. Chiffon fillings have a light, fluffy texture created by the addition of beaten egg whites
Formatted: List Paragraph, Justified, Indent: Left: 0.25"
and, sometimes, whipped cream. The egg whites and cream are folded into a cream
or fruit base, which is stabilized with gelatin. The folding-in of the egg whites and the Formatted: Font: 12 pt
filling of the baked pie shells must be done before the gelatin sets. After the pie is Formatted: List Paragraph, Justified, Numbered +
chilled to set the gelatin, the filling should be firm enough to hold a clean slice. When Level: 1 + Numbering Style: 1, 2, 3, … + Start at: 1 +
Alignment: Left + Aligned at: 0" + Indent at: 0.25"
chiffon filling contains both egg whites and whipped cream, most chefs and bakers
prefer to fold in the egg whites first, even though they may lose some volume. The
reason is that if the cream is added first, there is more danger it will be overbeaten
and turn to butter during the folding and mixing procedure. For safety, always use
pasteurized egg whites. Bases for chiffons include the following three main types:
Formatted: Font: 8 pt
1. Thickened with starch. The procedure is the same as for fruit pie fillings made by
Formatted: List Paragraph, Justified, Indent: Left: 0.25"
the cooked juice method or cooked fruit method, except the fruit is finely chopped
Formatted: Font: 12 pt, Bold
or puréed. Most fruit chiffons are made this way.
Formatted: Font: 12 pt
2. Thickened with egg. The procedure is the same as for Crème Anglaise. Chocolate
chiffons and pumpkin chiffons are sometimes made this way. Formatted: Font: 12 pt, Bold

3. Thickened with egg and starch. The procedure is the same as for pastry cream or Formatted: Font: 12 pt

cream pie fillings. Lemon chiffon is usually made this way. Formatted: Font: 12 pt, Bold
Formatted: Font: 12 pt
Pie Thickening Ingredients
MOST PIE FILLINGS require thickeners of some sort. The two most important thickeners
for pies are starches and eggs. Many kinds of pie filling, especially fruit fillings and cream
fillings, depend on starch for their thickness. Some egg-thickened fillings, such as
pumpkin, also sometimes contain starch. The starch acts as a stabilizer and may also
reduce the cost by allowing for a lower egg content.
Starches for fillings includes: Formatted: Justified

1. Cornstarch is used for cream pies because it sets up into a firm gel that holds its shape Formatted: List Paragraph, Justified, Numbered +
when sliced. It may also be used for fruit pies. Level: 1 + Numbering Style: 1, 2, 3, … + Start at: 1 +
2. Waxy maize or modified starches are best for fruit pies because they are clear when set Alignment: Left + Aligned at: 0.29" + Indent at: 0.54"
and make a soft paste rather than a firm gel. Waxy maize should be used for pies that are
to be frozen, as this starch is not broken down by freezing.
3. Flour, tapioca, potato starch, rice starch, and other starches are used less frequently for
fillings. Flour has less thickening power than other starches and makes fruit fillings
cloudy.

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 1.4. Instant or pre-gelatinized starch needs no cooking because it has already been cooked.
When used with certain fruit fillings, it eliminates the need to cook the filling before
making up the pie. It loses this advantage, however, when the filling is made of raw fruit
that must be cooked anyway. In the case of soft fillings such as pumpkin, instant starch
can be used to eliminate a problem that often occurs with cornstarch: Cornstarch tends
to settle out before gelatinizing. This creates a dense, starchy layer on the bottom and
improperly thickened filling on top. Instant starches differ in thickening power, so follow
the manufacturer’s recommendations.

In cooking starch to avoid lumping, starches must be mixed with a cold liquid or sugar Formatted: Justified, Indent: First line: 0.5", Space
before being added to a hot liquid. Sugar and strong acids, such as lemon juice, reduce the After: 0 pt
thickening power of starch. When possible, all or part of the sugar and strong acids should be
added after the starch has thickened.

2.5 Assembly and Baking

The two main components of pies are the dough or pastry and the filling. These
two components are produced in quite separate and distinct operations. Once the pastry
and fillings are made, rolling the dough and assembling and baking the pies can proceed
rapidly. Because these operations are separate and involve different kinds of problems
and techniques, it is helpful to concentrate on them one at a time.
Pies and tarts can be assemble in a many ways for example, instead of being given
a top crust, fruit pies are sometimes topped with Streusel or a lattice crust (figure 2.5).
Streusel is especially good on apple pies. Lattice crusts are best for pies with attractive,
colorful fruit, such as cherry or blueberry.

Figure 2.5 Pie with lattice crust (left) and Pie with Streusel Top (right)

Assembling unbaked pies and tarts consists of three steps: Formatted: Font: 12 pt, Not Bold
1. Line shell with prepared sweet dough. Bake blind and cool Completely. Formatted: Font: 12 pt, Not Bold
2. Prepare pastry cream, curd or other filling. Pour filling into prepared crust Formatted: Font: 12 pt, Not Bold
3. Refrigerate or freeze filled tart shells until filling is set. Formatted: Font: 12 pt, Not Bold
Formatted: Font: 12 pt, Not Bold

But if it is baked pie crust it had 5 steps:

1.make pie crust.

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2. Cook the filling,
3. roll pie dough and line pan.
4. Pour filling (make sure it is not to hot)
5. Cover with top crust brush with egg wash then bake.
Tarts can be coated with a shiny topping called glaze; it adds eye appeal and Formatted: Font: 12 pt, Not Bold
protects fresh fruit from browning. Pies and tarts filled with cream or custard must be Formatted: Font: 12 pt, Not Bold
refrigerated to slow bacterial growth. Formatted: Justified, Indent: First line: 0.5", Space
After: 0 pt
Rolling Pie Dough And Lining Pan Formatted: Font: 12 pt, Not Bold
Formatted: Font: 12 pt, Not Bold
1. Select the best doughs for each purpose. Mealy pie doughs are used whenever Formatted: Font: 12 pt, Not Bold
soaking is a problem, so they are mainly used for bottom crusts, especially bottom
Formatted: Space After: 0 pt
crusts for soft pie fillings such as custard and pumpkin. This is because mealy doughs
Formatted: Font: 12 pt
resist soaking better than flaky doughs. Flaky pie doughs are best for top crusts. They
can also be used for prebaked pie shells if the shells are filled with cooled filling just Formatted: Font: 12 pt, Bold
before serving. However, if the prebaked shells are filled with hot filling, it is safer to Formatted: Font: 12 pt
use mealy dough. Formatted: List Paragraph, Justified, Numbered +
2. Scale the dough. The following weights are only guidelines. The depth of pie tins, and Level: 1 + Numbering Style: 1, 2, 3, … + Start at: 1 +
hence their capacity, varies. For example, disposable tins are often shallower than Alignment: Left + Aligned at: 0" + Indent at: 0.25"
standard tins. 8 oz (225 g) for 9-in. (23-cm) bottom crusts 6 oz (170 g) for 9-in. (23-cm) Formatted: Font: 12 pt, Bold
top crusts 6 oz (170 g) for 8-in. (20-cm) bottom crusts 5 oz (140 g) for 8-in. (20-cm) Formatted: Font: 12 pt
top crusts. Be aware that pie pans are often mislabeled to suggest they are larger than
Formatted: Font: 12 pt
they actually are. It is possible to find pans labeled as 9-inch that are actually smaller
than 8-inch pans. “Pan size” as used in this book refers to the inside top diameter of
the pie pan. Formatted: Font: 12 pt, Bold
3. Dust the bench and rolling pin lightly with flour. Too much dusting flour toughens Formatted: Font: 12 pt
the dough, so use no more than needed to prevent sticking. Instead of rolling the
dough directly on the bench, you may roll it out on flour-dusted canvas. Rolling on
canvas does not require as much dusting flour. Formatted: Font: 12 pt, Bold
4. Roll out the dough. Flatten the dough lightly and roll it out to a uniform 1/8-in. (3- Formatted: Font: 12 pt
mm) thickness. Use even strokes and roll from the center outward in all directions.
Lift the dough frequently to make sure it is not sticking. The finished dough should be
a nearly perfect circle. Formatted: Font: 12 pt, Bold
5. Place the dough in the pan. To lift the dough without breaking it, roll it lightly around Formatted: Font: 12 pt
the rolling pin. A second method is to fold the dough in half, place the folded dough
into the pan with the fold in the center, and unfold the dough. Allow the dough to
drop into the pan; press it into the corners without stretching it. Stretched dough will
shrink during baking. There should be no air bubbles between the dough and the pan. Formatted: Font: 12 pt, Bold
6. For single-crust pies, flute or crimp the edges, if desired, and trim off excess dough. Formatted: Font: 12 pt
For double-crust pies, fill with cold filling, brush the edge of the crust with water, and
top with the second crust. Seal the edges; crimp or flute, if desired. Trim off the excess Formatted: Font: 12 pt
dough. The simplest way to trim excess dough is to rotate the pie tin between the
palms of the hands while pressing with the palms against the edge of the rim. This
pinches off the excess dough flush with the rim. Some bakers feel that fluted edges
add to the appearance of the product. Others feel that fluting takes too much time
and produces nothing more than a rim of heavy dough that most customers leave on
their plates. Follow your instructor’s directions on this procedure. Whether you flute
the edges or not, be sure that double-crust pies are well sealed. Many bakers like to
make a raised, fluted rim of dough on pie shells for soft-filled pies such as custard or

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 pumpkin. This raised edge, enables them to fill the shell quite full while reducing the
chance of spillover. Formatted: Font: 12 pt, Bold
1.7. Rest the made-up pies for 20–30 minutes, preferably refrigerated. This helps prevent crust Formatted: Font: Bold
shrinkage.
Different Decorative Edges Formatted: Centered, Space After: 0 pt
1. Rope edge – make a rope fist with one 4. Crimped Edge – use right index finger Formatted: Indent: Left: 0.1", Right: 0.1"
hand and press your thumb at an angle into to press the rim of the pie dough pointing
Formatted Table
the pastry. Pinch some of the pastry between in between the left thumb and index
your thumb and index finger. Repeat at finger to crimp crust
about half-inch intervals around the crust. Formatted: Centered, Indent: Left: 0.1", Right: 0.1"
For a looser-looking rope, position your Formatted: Normal, No bullets or numbering
thumb at a wider angle and repeat at one-
inch intervals. Formatted: Font: Not Bold
Formatted: Centered, Indent: Left: 0.1", Right: 0.1"
Formatted: Font: Not Bold
Formatted: Centered, Indent: Left: 0.2", Right: 0.2"

2. Fluted edges – this is done by using your 5. forked edge – use the tines of fork by Formatted: Indent: Left: 0.1", Right: 0.1"
right index finger and thumb to press the rim pressing it gentry all around the rim of the
of pie with left index finger inserting the edge pie dough to embrossed design
of the crust. Formatted: Centered
Formatted: Justified, Indent: Left: 0.2", Right: 0.2"

Formatted: Font: Not Bold

3. Braided edge - Roll the remaining pastry 6. shape trim - use small cookie cutters to
dough into a 10×8″ rectangle. Using a ruler, form a super cute decorative edge on your
cut 12 quarter-inch-wide strips. You can cut pies. Use any shape you want, but be sure
with a sharp knife or even a pizza cutter. to use smaller cookie cutters.
Then carefully braid together the strips. Formatted: Centered

4. scallop edge - Line your pie dish with the pastry and trim it until it’s even with the plate.
Then use a measuring spoon to cut scallops around the outside. Remove and discard the cut
pieces.
Formatted: Centered

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Finishing Pies and Tarts Formatted: Space After: 0 pt
• For glazed finish, brush pastry with beaten egg yolk. Formatted: Font: 12 pt, Not Bold
• To have shiny crust, brush lightly with milk, then bake.
• To give sugary finish, moisten crust with little water or egg white then sprinkle Formatted: Space After: 0 pt, Bulleted + Level: 1 +
with sugar before baking. Aligned at: 0.25" + Tab after: 0.5" + Indent at: 0.5"
Formatted: Font: 12 pt, English (Philippines)

2.6 Techniques in Making

1. Chill all utensils and ingredients before using. This ensures that the temperature of Formatted: Font: 12 pt
the dough is kept cool. Formatted: List Paragraph, Justified, Numbered +
2. Pie dough should be cool during mixing and make up for easier handling. Level: 1 + Numbering Style: 1, 2, 3, … + Start at: 1 +
3. Cut the chilled butter into medium cubes and rub it against the flour very rapidly to Alignment: Left + Aligned at: 0" + Indent at: 0.25"
ensure that the butter does not melt. Formatted: Font: 12 pt
4. Add just enough water to wet the flour and form a ball of dough.
5. Hand mixing is suitable to small quantities of dough because you have control over
the mixing process
6. The pastry dough should chill at least 30 minutes to relax the gluten in order to avoid
shrinkage when baked.
7. For pie with high moisture filling, add vinegar (1 tbsp or less) to keep it crispy or flaky.
8. If your filling for pie is cream filling, make sure to use pate sable crust. After blind
baking the crust brush with melted white chocolate so that moisture will not seep
through the crust.
9. Roll out the dough between sheets of plastic to prevent the dough from sticking and
ensuring a smoother texture and surface.
10. When baking put pie plate into pre-heated baking sheets or baking stones inside the
oven to acquire the needed heat quickly
11. To achieve a desirable product, the first minute of pie in the oven must be higher of
high temperature, then lower after 15 minutes until thoroughly bake.
12. Do not over mix or over handle pastry dough. Handle gently and knead using your
finger not the palm. Over handle dough are tough and not flaky. Formatted: Font: 12 pt
13. Do not stretch pastry dough when fitting it to the pie plate. It will shrink when baked. Formatted: Font: 12 pt, Not Bold
Formatted: Space After: 0 pt
How to avoid “The Soggy Bottom”?
Formatted: Font: 12 pt, Bold
Underbaked bottom crusts or crusts that have soaked up moisture from the
Formatted: Indent: First line: 0.5", Space After: 0 pt
filling are a common fault in pies. Soggy bottoms can be avoided in several ways:
1. Use mealy dough for bottom crusts. Mealy dough absorbs less liquid than flaky Formatted: List Paragraph, Numbered + Level: 1 +
dough. Numbering Style: 1, 2, 3, … + Start at: 1 + Alignment:
Left + Aligned at: 0.04" + Indent at: 0.29"
1.2. Use high bottom heat, at least at the beginning of baking, to set the crust quickly.
Bake the pies at the bottom of the oven.
2.3. Do not add hot fillings to unbaked crusts.
3.4. For fruit pies, line the bottom of the pie shell with a thin layer of cake crumbs
before pouring in the filling. This helps absorb some juice that might otherwise soak
into the crust.
4.5. Use dark metal pie tins, which absorb heat. (Because so many bakers use
disposable aluminum pans, other methods must be relied on. Disposable pans with
black bottoms are sometimes available.)
5.6. If finished pies still have underbaked bottoms, they can be set on a flattop range
for a few minutes. However, exercise extreme care to avoid scorching.

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Module 1
PROCEDURE: Making a Lattice Top Crust
1. Roll out fresh pie dough (not scraps) 1/8 in. (3
mm) thick.
2. Cut long strips about 3/8 in. (1 cm) wide and
long enough to cross the center of the pie.
3. Egg-wash the strips and the rim of the filled pie.
4. Place the strips across the pie about 1 in. (2.5 cm)
apart. Be sure they are parallel and evenly spaced.
Seal them well onto the rim of the pie shell and
trim off excess.
5. Place additional strips across the pie at an angle to
the first. They may be at a 45-degree angle to make
a diamond pattern or at a 90-degree angle to make
a checkerboard pattern. Seal and trim excess.
Note: Instead of laying the strips across each other,
you may interweave them (a, b, c), but this is
usually too time-consuming for a bakeshop and
generally done only in home kitchens. When you
interweave the strips, some juices from the filling
are likely to cling to the bottoms of the strips, as in
the illustration. It is best to remove most of these
juices as you go, so that they do not mar
the appearance of the crust when baked.
Figure 2.6. Steps in making lattice
PROCEDURE: Preparing Baked Pies
Note: For pies without a top crust, omit steps 3 to 7.
1. Line pie pans with pie dough as in the basic
procedure (a).
2. Fill with cooled fillings (b). (See the table below
for scaling instructions.) Do not drop filling on
the rims of the pie shells; this will make it
harder to seal the rims to the top crusts, and
leaking may result during baking. To avoid
spilling custard fillings in single-crust pies,
place the empty shells on the racks in the
ovens before pouring in the filling.
3. Roll out dough for the top crusts.
4. Cut perforations in the top crusts to allow
steam to escape during baking.
5. Moisten the rim of the bottom crusts with
water or egg wash to help seal them to the top
crusts.
6. Fit the top crusts in place (c). Seal the edges
together firmly and trim excess dough. The
rims may be fluted or crimped if desired.
Pressing with the tines of a fork is a quick way
to seal and crimp the edge. An efficient way to
trim excess pastry is to rotate the pie tin while
pressing on the edges with the palms of the
Hands.
Figure 2.7A Steps in preparing bake
pies

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Module 1
 7. Brush tops with desired wash: milk, cream, egg wash or melted butter. Sprinkle lightly
with granulated sugar, if desired. Egg-washed
tops have a shiny appearance when baked.
Tops brushed with fat milk, or cream are not
shiny but have a home-baked look.
8. Place pies on the lower level of an oven
preheated to 425°–450°F (210°–220°C). The
high initial heat helps set the bottom crust to
avoid soaking. Fruit pies are baked at this high
heat until done. For custard pies, reduce heat Figure 2.7B Steps in preparing
after 10 minutes to 325°–350°F (165°–175°C) bake pies (continuation)
to avoid overcooking and curdling the.

2.7 Pie Faults and their Causes

Formatted: Centered
Formatted Table
To remedy common pie faults, check the troubleshooting guide here for possible
causes and then correct your procedures. Formatted Table
Formatted: Font: (Default) +Body (Calibri), 12 pt, Not
FAULT CAUSES Bold, Font color: Text 1

Dough/Crust Formatted: Font: 12 pt, Font color: Text 1

Dough too stiff Not enough shortening, not enough liquid, Flour too strong Formatted: Font: (Default) +Body (Calibri), 12 pt, Not
Bold, Font color: Text 1
Tough Overmixing, not enough shortening, flour too strong, too much rolling or
Formatted: Font: (Default) +Body (Calibri), 12 pt, Not
scrap dough used, too much water Bold, Font color: Text 1
Crumbly Not enough water, Too much shortening, Improper mixing, Flour too weak Formatted: Font: (Default) +Body (Calibri), 12 pt, Font
color: Text 1
Not flaky Not enough shortening, Shortening blended in too much, Over mixing or
too much rolling, Dough or ingredients too warm Formatted Table

Soggy or raw Oven temperature too low; not enough bottom heat, Filling hot when put Formatted: Font: (Default) +Body (Calibri), 12 pt, Not
Bold, Font color: Text 1
bottom crust in shell Not baked long enough, Use of wrong dough (use mealy dough for
Formatted: Font: (Default) +Body (Calibri), 12 pt, Not
bottom crusts)
Bold, Font color: Text 1
Not enough starch in fruit fillings
Formatted: Font: (Default) +Body (Calibri), 12 pt, Not
Shrinkage Dough overworked, Not enough shortening, Flour too strong, Too much Bold, Font color: Text 1
water Formatted: Font: (Default) +Body (Calibri), 12 pt, Font
Dough stretched when put in pans, Dough not rested color: Text 1
Fillings Formatted: Font: (Default) +Body (Calibri), 12 pt, Not
Filling boils out No steam vents in top crust, Top crust not sealed to bottom crust at edges Bold, Font color: Text 1
Oven temperature too low, Fruit too acidic, Filling hot when put in shell Formatted: Font: (Default) +Body (Calibri), 12 pt, Not
Not enough starch in filling, Too much sugar in filling Bold, Font color: Text 1
Too much filling Formatted: Font: (Default) +Body (Calibri), 12 pt, Font
Curdling of Overbaked color: Text 1
custard or soft Formatted: Font: (Default) +Body (Calibri), 12 pt, Not
fillings Bold, Font color: Text 1
Formatted: Font: 12 pt, Font color: Text 1
Formatted: Font: (Default) +Body (Calibri), 12 pt, Font
color: Text 1
Formatted: Font: (Default) +Body (Calibri), 12 pt, Font
color: Text 1
Formatted: Font: 12 pt, Font color: Text 1
Formatted: Font: 12 pt, Font color: Text 1

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Module 1
 Advance Baking (FT 212) Name: ____________________________________________
Activity No. 3 Program/Year: ____________Date Submitted: ___________

I. Answer the following question or give what is ask in the following statement. Limit
𝑐𝑢𝑡 ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒

you answer to 3 to 6 sentences. Make it brief and direct to the point.

1. Name the 4 basic ingredient in making pie or tart crust and state their function

2. State the similarities and differences of pies and tarts.

3. Identify the different type of fillings used for making pies and tarts determine
what type of crust is appropriate for such type of filling. Explain why do you think
such crust and filling complements each other.

4. List 3 common faults you may encounter in making pies and explain how you can
prevent such problem.

II. Create a recipe compilation of different pies and tarts. (recipe must include
ingredients with quantity, procedure, yield and illustration or picture of the product).
Identify what type of crust is used, what classification of pie or tart it is (A. unbake or
baked B. single crust or double crust), what type of filling, and what design or name of
its decorative edge. Label (write the name) each recipe. This activity can be
computerize (you can copy recipes in the internet then arrange and label it)Make sure
your compilation includes the following:
A. 2 recipes of pie or tart using flaky pie dough
B. 2 recipe pie or tart using mealy pie dough
C. 2 recipe pie or tart using crumb crust
D. 1 recipe with each type of fillings: fruit filling, custard or soft fillings custard,
cream filling, chiffon filling
E. 1 unbaked, 1 baked, 1 single crust, 1 double crust
F. 1 recipe each of the following pastry dough: 1.Pâte brisée 2. Pâte sucrée 3. Pâte
sablée

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Module 1