Cream Puffs

Category: Pies & Pastry

Crème Pâtissière Filling:

  • 500ml (18 fl oz) whole milk
  • 1 vanilla pod, seeds only
  • 6 egg yolks
  • 75g (2.5 oz) sugar
  • 20g (.75 oz) cornstarch
  • 25g (1 oz) flour
  1. Pour the milk and vanilla seeds into a heavy-based pan and bring gradually to a boil. Remove from the heat.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and caster sugar until pale, then whisk in the cornstarch and flour. Pour the vanilla-infused milk onto the eggs, whisking continuously, then pour back into the pan.
  3. Bring back to a boil, whisking continuously over medium heat and cook for one minute.
  4. Pour the crème pâtissière into a bowl. Cover the surface with cling film to prevent a skin from forming, and leave to cool. Transfer to the fridge to chill.

Choux Pastry:

  • 150ml (5 fl oz) water
  • 60g (2.25 oz) butter, cut into cubes
  • 75g (2.4 oz) flour
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  1. Preheat the oven to 425℉, convection. Line a baking tray with baking parchment and draw onto it 12 circles 5cm/2in wide.
  2. Put the butter in a heavy-based saucepan with 150ml/5fl oz of water and heat over medium heat until the butter melts. Bring the mixture to a boil and then immediately remove from the heat.
  3. Quickly tip in the flour. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a soft ball. Return to the heat and cook over a low heat for 3-5 minutes, stirring constantly.
  4. Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly. Gradually add the
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Published May 31, 2020 and last updated Oct 19, 2022.

Pastéis de Nata

Category: Pies & Pastry

Yield: 12

Prep Time: 3 hours, including chilling

Baking Time: 12 minutes

For the rough puff pastry:

  • 150g flour
  • pinch of salt
  • 25g unsalted butter, chilled and diced
  • 50–75ml chilled water
  • 60g unsalted butter, frozen

For the custard:

  • 375ml whole milk
  • 45g flour
  • 2 strips of pared unwaxed lemon zest
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 375g sugar
  • 7 egg yolks

You will also need:

  • 12-hole nonstick muffin tray 
  • Glass tumbler of water or sugar thermometer 
  • Cling film
  1. For the pastry, mix the flour and salt together in a bowl. Rub in the chilled butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Gradually add enough chilled water (about 4–6 tablespoons) to form a dough.
  2. Roll out the dough to a rectangle on a lightly floured work surface. Grate half of the frozen butter over the bottom two thirds of the dough. Fold down the top third and fold up the bottom third as if folding a letter.
  3. Turn the folded dough through 90 degrees and roll it out into a rectangle again. Repeat the process, grating in the remaining frozen butter and fold as before. Wrap the dough in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
  4. Roll and fold the pastry twice more, each time wrapping the dough in cling film and leaving it to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
  5. Roll out the pastry out on a lightly floured work surface to a rectangle measuring 20 x 30cm. Roll up the pastry tightly, from the short side, into
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Published Oct 28, 2019 and last updated Sep 11, 2022.

Grandma Kosin’s Pumpkin Pie Filling

Category: Pies & Pastry
  • 1 1/4 cup pumpkin (10 oz)
  • 3/4 cup sugar (150 g)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ginger
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon flour
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 cup canned evaporated milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • Pie pastry

Combine pumpkin, sugar, salt, flour, spices in bowl. Stir in eggs, milk, water and vanilla.

Notes:

  1. This recipe does not include nutmeg or clove, and has about half as much ginger as Libby’s recipe.
  2. This recipe calls for only 10 oz pumpkin. Standard small can is 15 oz.
  3. This recipe calls for a 9″ pan.

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Published May 02, 2014 and last updated Sep 11, 2022.

Apple Cranberry Pie

Category: Pies & Pastry
  • 1 1/3 c sugar (267 g)
  • 1/4 c all-purpose flour (30 g)
  • 1 t cinnamon
  • 1/2 t nutmeg
  • dash of salt
  • 2 medium-size tart apples (Granny Smith)
  • 3 medium-size sweet apples (Honeycrisp, Johnagold)
  • 2 c fresh or frozen cranberries
  • 2 T butter
  • Pie Pastry x2

Heat oven to 425°.

Combine dry ingredients, then toss the apples in by hand until coated, then toss in cranberries.

Pour filling into pastry-lined pie pan. Top with pieces of cut butter. Cover with pastry, cut vents, seal and flute edges. Brush pie with milk, then garnish with brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Cover edge: Fold 12″ square of foil into quarters. Completely round off the open corner with scissors to make 1/4-circle shape. Open one fold to form half-circle. Cut a half circle out of that to make a half-circle ring about 2-3″ wide. Open it up and you have one round strip to cover the edges.

Bake 25 min on low rack, remove foil, then bake 15 minutes longer.

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Published Mar 17, 2011 and last updated Nov 19, 2018.

Pie Pastry

Category: Pies & Pastry
  • 2/3 c + 2 T vegetable shortening (152 g)
  • 2 c all-purpose or pastry flour (240 g)
  • 1 t salt
  • 4 – 6 T ice water

Makes a 10″ single-layer crust with enough excess for mistakes and garnish.

Blend flour and salt together. Cut shortening into flour mixture using pastry blender until pea-sized.

Sprinkle the cold water over the mixture, one tablespoon at a time and toss with fork only until the moisture is evenly distributed.

Gather pastry and press into ball shape, wrapped in plastic or wax paper.

Refrigerate 20-40 min before rolling.

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Published Mar 17, 2011 and last updated Nov 21, 2018.