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    Not-So-Humble Pies: An iconic dessert, all dressed up
    Not-So-Humble Pies: An iconic dessert, all dressed up
    Not-So-Humble Pies: An iconic dessert, all dressed up
    Ebook314 pages2 hours

    Not-So-Humble Pies: An iconic dessert, all dressed up

    By Kelly Jaggers

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    About this ebook

    It's pie--all grown up!

    Pomegranate. Fresh figs. Sea salt.

    Forget apples and blueberries. Today's trendy ingredients are unique, modern, and indulgent--and now you can find them in the pie plate in your kitchen! With more than 100 sweet and savory pie recipes--and extra recipes for crusts and toppings--Not-So-Humble Pies uses these fresh flavors to turn a simple dessert into something deliciously sophisticated. And these dressed-up pies look as good as they taste, so get ready to serve up a slice of the following:
    • Blood Orange Curd Pie
    • Cardamom and Saffron Chiffon Pie
    • Apple, Brie, and Bacon Tart
    • Chocolate Acai Chiffon Pie
    • Pear Gorgonzola Tart

    With these mouthwatering recipes--and impressive ingredients--it's as easy as pie to turn modest standbys into not-so-humble standouts.

    As featured on RecipeGirl!
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherSimon & Schuster
    Release dateMay 18, 2012
    ISBN9781440534959
    Not-So-Humble Pies: An iconic dessert, all dressed up
    Author

    Kelly Jaggers

    Kelly Jaggers is a cookbook author, recipe developer, food photographer, food stylist, and founder of the recipe blog Evil Shenanigans (EvilShenanigans.com). She is the author of The Everything® Pie Cookbook, Not-So-Humble Pies, Moufflet, The Everything® Easy Asian Cookbook, The Everything® Dutch Oven Cookbook, and The Everything® Easy Instant Pot Cookbook. She is also a cooking instructor, personal chef, and caterer. Kelly lives in Dallas, Texas.

    Read more from Kelly Jaggers

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      Book preview

      Not-So-Humble Pies - Kelly Jaggers

      INTRODUCTION

      Pomegranate. Fresh figs. Sea salt.

      Sounds delicious, right? These fresh ingredients are upscale, modern, and indulgent—and they’re making an appearance in gourmet dishes across the world. But they’re also showing up in the most unexpected places, like the pie plate in your kitchen.

      Pie. The word evokes images of home, comfort, family, and everything that is wholesome and good. But a pie is only as good as the ingredients used to make it—and it’s time to say goodbye to grandma’s humble apple, cherry, or blueberry baked goods. Today’s bakers are experimenting with exciting flavors, textures, and fillings to create a new breed of pie that is as sophisticated as it is comforting. So say hello to the new generation of Not-So-Humble Pies.

      These new pies come in all shapes and sizes, and can be sweet or savory. Throughout this book, you’ll find recipes that will tickle all of your taste buds—and are right for any and all upscale occasions. But when considering ingredients, remember that quality counts. For fruits and vegetables, try shopping at the local farmers’ market, and discover what’s in season where you live. You’ll be amazed at the culinary treasures you’ll walk away with; these fresh ingredients can range from locally harvested honey and free-range eggs to fresh herbs, locally roasted coffee, fresh flowers, and even freshly butchered meats. And if you’re looking for exotic spices, cheeses, or anything else out of the ordinary, take a look at the gourmet shops in your area. Not only will the staff in these stores take the time to show you around and explain what they sell, they will be able to direct you to substitutions or other ingredients you may not have considered. Do not be afraid to ask questions and use your senses.

      But while what goes in a pie is important, how you present your pie to your guests, family, and friends is important, too. In Part 1, you’ll find recipes for upscale pie crusts and over-the-top toppings. You may not realize it, but you can take pie from homemade to high class with just a simple egg wash—a mixture of egg and a little water—which will give your pie a glistening finish, sanding sugars to make your pie sparkle, or fancy piping tubes that you can use to pipe detailed whipped cream or meringue designs. You can also play with chopped toasted nuts, fresh grated coconut, shaved chocolate, or even gold leaf, which you can use as a final flourish when you want a pie that is as pleasing to the eye as it is to the palate.

      Above all else, pie is something to be shared and enjoyed, whether you’re hosting a family dinner or a high-end function. Pie can be impressive or homey, but it shouldn’t ever be boring. Take a chance, explore new flavors, experiment, and don’t be afraid to let your pie take center stage. Because no matter how you choose to make it and share it, today’s pie is anything but humble. Bon appétit!

      PART 1

      Not So Humble Beginnings

      Buttery, flaky, and oh-so-tender, beautiful pies begin with beautiful crusts. Your filling can be made of sophisticated ingredients that are cooked to perfection, but if your crust is bland, tough, or soggy then it doesn’t matter how good your filling is; your whole pie suffers. The same can be said of pie toppings; a weeping meringue, a grainy whipped cream, or a crumble that is mushy and watery are absolute disappointments.

      Oftentimes, so much attention is paid to pie fillings that the very basics of the pie—the base and the top—sometimes get lost in the shuffle. But crust and toppings are so much more than just an afterthought. They are another place to layer in some extra flavor. Warm spices, crumbled cookies, and rich cheeses are just a few of the things you can add to a crust to up its extravagance. And when you top a pie off with a spiked whipped cream or a unique biscuit topping you create a not-so-humble pie that is impressive from top to bottom. In this part, you’ll find recipes for scrumptious crusts and delicious toppings that will make your pies even more amazing!

      Chapter 1

      Pastry and Cookie Crusts

      The best foundation for a not-so-humble pie is a not-so-humble pie crust, which will help fill your pie with flavor from the bottom up. After all, most pies and tarts begin with the crust, and you want yours to be as upscale and unique as your carefully crafted fillings. In this chapter, you’ll learn how to bring the gourmet flavor profiles of lemon and lavender, cinnamon and chocolate, and parmesan and pepper jack into your crusts.

      While the idea of making a good crust from scratch may seem intimidating (thus the proliferation of those ready-to-buy, refrigerated versions), whipping up the perfect pedestal for your pie is really quite easy. Remember to use a light touch, and work with your hands. Mix until the dough just begins to cling together and then knead it until it just comes together. After you make up the dough, cover it up and let it rest in your refrigerator for at least thirty minutes; this will relax the gluten and make rolling out much easier. Coat your work surface with a light but even dusting of flour and don’t be afraid to add more flour as needed while rolling. If at any time your crust starts to snap back while rolling, chill it again. Giving your crust—and yourself—ten minutes to cool off can make all the difference.

      So, make your crust as upscale as the pie filling you’ll put in it—you’ll be glad you did.

      Flaky Pie Crust

      A perfectly tender and flaky pie crust is a thing of beauty. The flaky layers are created during baking when the water in the melting fat evaporates, causing steam. This steam expands and causes the crisp, flaky layers. Because of the delicate layers, flaky pie crusts are best used for the top of a pie, either as a full top crust or cut into strips and woven into a lattice crust.

      YIELDS 1 (9") CRUST

      1¼ cups all-purpose flour

      2 tablespoons sugar

      ½ teaspoon salt

      6 tablespoons butter, cubed and chilled

      2 tablespoons lard or vegetable shortening, chilled

      2–4 tablespoons ice water

      In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, and salt.

      Add the chilled fats; rub them into the flour mixture with your fingers until 30 percent of the fat is between pea and hazelnut sized, while the rest is blended in well.

      Add 2 tablespoons of water; mix until the dough forms a rough ball. Add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if needed.

      Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and form a disk. Wrap in plastic; chill for at least 30 minutes, or up to 3 days.

      Remove the dough from the refrigerator about 10 minutes before rolling out. Roll out on a lightly floured surface to an ⅛" thick, 12circle, turning the dough often to make sure it does not stick. Dust the surface with additional flour, if needed.

      Place the crust on a baking sheet and chill for 30 minutes before baking.

      Mealy Pie Crust

      A crisp, yet tender, bottom crust elevates a good pie into a spectacular pie. Fortunately, there is an easy way to achieve bottom crust perfection: a mealy pie crust. In this recipe the fat is worked into the crust more finely, creating a crust that resists sogginess and makes a delicious base for your pie.

      YIELDS 1 (9") CRUST

      ¼ cups all-purpose flour

      2 tablespoons sugar

      ½ teaspoon salt

      4 tablespoons butter, cubed and chilled

      ¼ cup lard or vegetable shortening, chilled

      2–4 tablespoons ice water

      In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, and salt.

      Add the butter and shortening to the bowl; with your fingers, rub the fat into the flour until the mixture looks like coarse sand with no large pieces of fat remaining.

      Add 2 tablespoons of water and mix until the dough forms a rough ball. Add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if needed.

      Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and form a disk. Wrap in plastic; chill for at least 30 minutes, or up to 3 days.

      Remove the dough from the refrigerator about 10 minutes before rolling out. Roll out on a lightly floured surface to an ⅛" thick, 12 circle, turning the dough often to make sure it does not stick. Dust the surface with additional flour, if needed.

      Fold the dough in half and place it into a 9 pie plate. Unfold and carefully push the dough into the pan. Use kitchen scissors or a paring knife to trim the dough to within 1 of the pan’s edge.

      Cover with plastic and chill until ready to bake. Covered, the crust will keep for up to three days in the refrigerator.

      Cream Cheese Pastry Crust

      The cream cheese in this recipe adds a slight tangy flavor to the crust—along with a luxurious mouth feel. With its bold flavor, this Cream Cheese Pastry Crust is allowed to shine when it’s paired with fruit fillings that won’t overpower its decadent flavors. This crust is good for either the bottom or the top of the pie.

      YIELDS 1 (9") CRUST

      ½ cup cream cheese, room temperature

      ½ cup butter, room temperature

      1 teaspoon lemon zest

      1½ cups all-purpose flour

      ¼ cup sugar

      ½ teaspoon salt

      ¼ teaspoon baking powder

      In a large bowl, cream together the cream cheese, butter, and lemon zest until smooth.

      In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder.

      Add the sifted dry ingredients into the cream cheese mixture and stir until it forms a soft dough. If the mixture feels sticky, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it is smooth and no longer sticky.

      Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and form a disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least 1 hour, or up to 3 days.

      Remove the dough from the refrigerator for 10 minutes to warm up. Roll out on a lightly floured surface to an ⅛" thick, 12 circle, turning the dough often to make sure it does not stick. Dust the surface with additional flour, if needed.

      Fold the dough in half and place it into a 9 pie plate. Unfold and carefully press the dough into the pan. Use kitchen scissors or a paring knife to trim the dough to within 1 of the pan’s edge.

      Cover with plastic and chill until ready to bake. Covered, the crust will keep for up to three days in the refrigerator.

      All-Butter Pie Crust

      All-butter crusts have a lovely melt-in-the-mouth texture that makes them perfect for any type of upscale pie or tart. That said, butter can be tricky to work with since it melts at around 90°F. When making an all-butter pie crust, use very cold butter that is cut into ½ cubes; chilling the butter in the freezer for 10 minutes before rubbing it into the flour will make things a lot easier.

      YIELDS 1 (9") CRUST

      ¼ cups all-purpose flour

      1 tablespoon sugar

      ½ teaspoon salt

      8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed and chilled

      3–4 tablespoons ice water

      In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, and salt.

      Add the butter to the bowl; with your fingers, rub it into the flour until the mixture looks like coarse sand studded with pea-sized pieces of butter.

      Add 2 tablespoons of water; mix until the dough forms a rough ball. Add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if needed.

      Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and form a disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least 30 minutes, or up to 3 days.

      Remove the dough from the refrigerator for 10 minutes before rolling out. Roll out on a lightly floured surface to an ⅛" thick, 12 circle, turning the dough often to make sure it does not stick. Dust the surface with additional flour, if needed.

      Fold the dough in half and place it into a 9 pie plate. Unfold and carefully press the dough into the pan. Use kitchen scissors or a paring knife to trim the dough to within 1 of the pan’s edge.

      Cover with plastic and chill until ready to bake. Covered, the crust will keep for up to three days in the refrigerator.

      Pepper Jack Pastry Crust

      To imbue your pies with a spicy kick, pair them with this festive pepper jack cheese–laced crust. This crust is delicious when used for savory pies, but think about using it for your favorite fruit pies, too. Apples, pears, apricots, cherries, and even peaches would pair beautifully with the earthy, spicy cheese in this crust.

      YIELDS 1 (9") CRUST

      ¼ cups all-purpose flour

      ½ teaspoon salt

      ¼ teaspoon paprika

      ½ cup butter, cubed and chilled

      1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese

      3–4 tablespoons ice water

      In a large bowl, sift together the flour, salt, and paprika.

      Add the chilled butter; rub into the flour mixture with your fingers until 30 percent of the fat is between pea and hazelnut sized, while the rest is blended in well.

      Add the pepper jack cheese;

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