My advice is, don’t look at the recipes yet.
OK, so you looked, and the lengthy instructions seem horrifying. Everyone loves pies and tarts, but most of all when someone else makes them.
If the effort of pulling a frozen pie from a box is all you can handle, “Great Pies and Tarts,” by Carole Walter (Clarkson Potter, $35) is more than a little ambitious. But if you want to explore some good recipes and thorough instruction in pastry basics, this book is a terrific choice.
Walter, author of the 1991 book “Great Cakes,” obviously sees teaching as a mission. Baking is the area of cooking with the most pitfalls, and pies and tarts are easily ruined. Overworked doughs, fillings that separate and fruits that soak a bottom crust are a few of the nightmares even practiced cooks suffer.
So Walter has prepared a primer with thorough instructions for making good pies and tarts, from crusts to toppings.
The book begins with an overview that covers everything from equipment, measuring liquids, and three ways to chop nuts to a glossary of fruits, their season, yield, history and handling tips.
The second part describes how to make different types of pastry, interspersed with diagrams and a generous number of tips.
This is followed by more than 150 recipes for two-crust pies, fruit tarts, cobblers, turnovers and ice cream pies. A short insert of beautifully photographed desserts lends appeal to the titles.
Our test kitchen produced two pies: a really scrumptious tart filled with raspberries and custard that would be ideal for summer entertaining, and a lemon meringue pie made by a beginner (me). My very first from-scratch crust came together easily but slowly, following the many instructions provided.
The book’s drawback is that you have to be patient and love the process as much as the conclusion. The work pays off, and the pie gets eaten faster than store-bought. You know how people love the sound of “homemade.”
SWEET TART PASTRY
Preparation time: 35 minutes
Cooking time: 18-23 minutes
Chilling time: 30 minutes
Yield: One 9- or 11-inch tart shell
1 1/2 cups unsifted all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons superfine sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup cool unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Hand method: Sift dry ingredients into a large bowl. Food processor method: Place the flour, sugar and salt into the bowl of a food processor fitted with steel blade. Pulse 3 to 4 times to blend.
2. Hand method: Toss the butter through the flour mixture to coat the pieces. Using your fingertips, rub the fat into the flour, working it until you have created a coarse meal with a few pea-size particles of fat. Food processor method: Distribute the butter around the bowl and pulse 6 to 7 times. Then process for 6 to 8 seconds. The crumbs should be about the size of coarse meal with a few pea-size particles of fat.
3. Empty the crumbs onto a cool surface, such as marble or a chilled counter. Form the mixture into a mound. Make a 4- to 5-inch well in the center of the mound. Combine the egg and vanilla, and pour the mixture into the well.
4. Using a fork, draw the crumbs into the egg mixture, about 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time. When all of the crumbs are added, toss the mixture a few times with a pastry blender to form large clumps, then scrape into a mound.
5. Using the heel of your hand, push 2 to 3 tablespoons of the dough at a time, outward in 6- to 8-inch sweeps. This will blend the fat and flour and give the crust a delicate texture. If your hand becomes sticky, flour it as needed. Repeat the process until all of the dough has been worked. Gather the dough into a mound again, then repeat the entire procedure 2 additional times.
6. After the third time, flour your hands and gently knead the dough 5 or 6 times to make it smooth. Shape into a 5-inch disk. Dust the disk lightly with flour, score with the side of your hand, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 20 minutes before shaping. Do not let the dough become too hard or it will be difficult to roll. If it does, let the pastry soften at room temperature.
7. Roll out to 1/8-inch thickness.
8. After the dough has been rolled, position the rolling pin 4 inches from the top of the pastry. Lift the dough over the top of the rolling pin and gently roll the dough toward you.
9. Lift the pastry up. Be sure to keep a finger pressed against the barrel of the rolling pin to keep it from slipping. Position the pastry, leaving about 1 1/2 inches of the dough hanging over the edge of the pan on the side closest to you. Then unroll the pastry over an ungreased tart pan, moving the pin away from you. Immediately lift the overhang into the tart pan to prevent the sharp edge of the pan from cutting the dough.
10. Working a small portion of the dough at a time, mold it into the crease of the pan. Place your fingers against the side of the pan and gently push the dough down toward the crease. Do this around the entire pie pan. Be careful not to stretch the dough. Trim excess pastry from the top edge of the pan. Chill pastry in the refrigerator or freezer for up to 30 minutes.
11. Tear an 18-inch square of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Make a buttered circle in the center of the foil 2 inches larger than the size of the pan. Place the foil buttered side down, centering it into the baking pan. Using your hand, press the foil completely flush against the sides.
12. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Position the shelf in the lower third of the oven. Fill the pan with enough ordinary dried beans (any kind or size will do) or baking nuggets to just cover the surface of the pan. Do not overfill. For easier handling, bake the pastry shell on a shallow pan with sides.
13. Bake the crust for 15 to 18 minutes or until the sides begin to brown. Remove the pan from the oven. Let stand about 30 seconds, then gently remove the foil and the beans.
14. Reduce the oven to 375 degrees. Continue to bake the crust for 3 to 5 minutes, or until it is golden brown. If the bottom of the pastry shell puffs up, tap it very gently with the bottom of a fork to expel the air. This must be done carefully so the pastry crust doesn’t break. When the crust is done, cool completely before filling.
Nutrition information per 1/10th of recipe (calculated for the Tribune):
Calories ………… 200 Fat ………… 13 g Saturated fat .. 8 g
% calories from fat .. 58 Cholesterol … 55 mg Sodium ……. 65 mg
Carbohydrates …… 18 g Protein ……. 2.7 g Fiber …….. 0.5 g
HALL OF FAME RASPBERRY STREUSEL TART
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 20-25 minutes
Cooling time: 2 hours, 15 minutes
Yield: 10 servings
From “Great Pies and Tarts,” by Carole Walter.
Streusel:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups unsifted all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
Custard filling:
1 3/4 cups light cream
1/3 cup granulated sugar
4 teaspoons cornstarch
4 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon framboise or kirschwasser
One 11-inch sweet tart pastry crust, baked, see recipe
Glaze:
2/3 cup thick currant, apricot or seedless raspberry preserves
1 to 2 tablespoons water
2 to 3 pints fresh raspberries, washed and gently patted dry
2 to 3 tablespoons strained confectioners’ sugar, for garnish
1. Make the streusel: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the butter in a medium saucepan and slowly melt. Cool until tepid. Combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt and add to the melted butter. Toss with a fork until crumbs are formed. Take a clump of the crumb mixture in your hand and squeeze gently to form a larger clump. Then break the larger clump apart, and sprinkle the crumbs onto a large shallow pan. Repeat until all the mixture has been made into crumbs.
2. Place the crumbs in the oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes until they turn light brown. Set aside to cool and harden.
3. Make the custard: Heat the cream in a 2-quart saucepan until just under the boil.
4. Combine the sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl.
5. Beat the egg yolks in a medium mixing bowl with a wire whisk until slightly thickened. Whisk in the sugar-cornstarch mixture, then blend in the scalded cream. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and heat slowly, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until the mixture begins to thicken and comes to a boil. Be sure to reach into the bend of the pot to release any custard that may stick. After the custard reaches a boil, simmer about 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Stir in the butter, vanilla and framboise. Cover with a piece of buttered plastic wrap. Cool about 10 minutes.
6. Increase the oven temperature to 375 degrees. Spread the custard in the pastry shell and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly. Remove it from the oven and let it stand on a rack for 10 minutes to set.
7. Make the glaze: Combine the preserves and water in a small saucepan and heat until the mixture comes to a boil. Pass through a fine-mesh strainer. Discard pulp.
8. Assemble the tart: Gently brush the top of the custard with half of the hot preserves. Sprinkle the berries generously over the hot custard. Lightly brush the tops of the berries with the remaining preserves, then sprinkle the tart generously with the streusel, pressing the crumbs gently into the berries so they will adhere. Chill the tart, uncovered, for about 2 hours to set. Just before serving, sift the streusel generously with the confectioners’ sugar.
Storage note: Cover any leftover tart lightly with an aluminum foil tent and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
Test kitchen note: Framboise is a raspberry-flavored liqueur; kirschwasser is a cherry-flavored liqueur.
Nutrition information per serving (calculated for the Tribune):
Calories …….. 575 Fat ……… 31 g Sat. fat …… 19 g
% cal. from fat .. 49 Chol. ….. 190 mg Sodium …… 125 mg
Carb. ………. 68 g Protein …… 7 g Fiber …….. 4.3 g
