Module 4:

Pies &
Pastries
Graciel D. Torres, RND, MBA
Definition of
Pie and
Pastries
A pie is a baked dish which
is usually made of a pastry
dough casing that covers or
completely contains a filling
of various sweet or savory
ingredients.
Kinds
of Pies
 A. Pie Dough

a. Flaky
• The fat is cut or rubbed into the flour until
the particles of shortening are about the
size of peas, 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 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.
 A. Pie Dough

b. Mealy
• The fat is 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
• Less water is needed in the mix
• The baked dough is less likely to absorb
moisture.
 A. Pie Dough
c. Crumb Crusts
• Crumb crust are simple, flavorful, quick-to-make
crusts. They are typically used in two types of
preparations: pudding or cream pies and
cheesecakes.
• The crumbs are sweetened as necessary and blended
with butter; sometimes a small amount of egg white is
added to help make the crust hold together after
baking. The crumb mixture is then pressed into an
even layer into the pie or other baking pan and
prebaked to evaporate some moisture and make the
crust more flavorful and crisp.
• Scale the crust into prepared pans and press into an
even layer about ¼ into 6mm thick. Crumb crusts
should be baked at 350⁰F/177 ⁰C until set and light
golden brown, about 7 minutes. Cool the crust
completely before filling.
 A. Pie Dough

d. Short Dough Crusts

• Short dough contains a high percentage of fat,
which produces a very tender and crumbly
crust. If worked excessively, however, a short
will become tough. Cake flour is the preferred
choice for short dough because of its ability to
absorb moisture. Short doughs include eggs ,
either whole eggs or yolks, and sometimes
sugar, which contribute to the flavor and color
of the dough , as well as to its tender texture.
• Basic steps for making short dough:
1. Combine the sugar and the butter and mix only until it forms a
smooth paste to ensure even blending. Do not mix vigorously so
that air is incorporated.
2. Add the eggs gradually, a few at a time, and blend them in
gradually. To prevent the mixture from breaking and curdling,
have the eggs and any other liquid ingredients at room
temperature, and blend them in carefully.
3. Add the dry ingredients and mix at low speed until just combined.
Overmixing will make the dough tough.
4. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface, shape it
into a disk or flat triangle, and wrap tightly in a plastic wrap.
Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before using.
B. OTHER CLASSIFICATIONS OF
PIE

a. Single-crust Pie
b. Double-Crust Pie
c. Savory Pie
d. Sweet Pie
 C. Mixing

• Hand mixing is best for small quantities of

dough, especially flaky dough, because
you have more control over the mixing.
• For machine mixing, use a pastry knife or
paddle attachment and blend at low
speed.
• The mixing method for pie dough is
called the rubbed dough method.
• Although the procedure has several steps,
the two main steps are characteristic of
the method:
• Rub the fat into the sifted dry ingredients
• Carefully mix the combined liquid
ingredients into the dry ingredients
 D. Assembly &
Baking

• Pies may be classified into two groups

based on method of assembling and baking.

1. Baked pies – raw pie shells are filled

and then baked.

2. Unbaked pies – baked pie shells are

filled with a prepared filling, chilled,
and served when the filling is firm
enough to slice.
• Baking a pie or tart shell without filling is
called blind baking.
 A. Pie Dough

a. Flaky
• The fat is cut or rubbed into the flour until
the particles of shortening are about the
size of peas, 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 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.
Basic
Ingredien
ts for Pie
 A. Ingredients

a. Fat – butter is the most

preferred fat that is used in
making pie pastry because of
its flavor.
b. Flour – pastry flour is the best
choice for pie dough.
c. Water – is necessary to develop
gluten in the flour and to give
structure and flakiness.
 B.
Temperature
- Pie dough should be kept cool, about
60°F (15°C), during mixing and
makeup, for two reasons:
a. Shortening has the best consistency
when cool. If warm, it blends too
quickly with the flour. If it is very cold,
it is too firm to be easily worked.
b. Gluten develops more slowly at cool
temperatures than warm
temperature.
 Procedure in Making a Single
and Double Crust Pie
A. Tips on How to Make Pie Crust

• Be sure the butter or margarine is cold when you start mixing

it with flour.
• When adding water to moisten the flour and butter mixture
so be sure the water is cold.
• Work on a cool surface if possible and be sure the kitchen is
cool.
• Avoid making crust on a hot day unless the room is air
conditioned.
• Do not overwork the dough and work as quickly as possible.
• Chill the dough before baking
• A metal or unglazed ceramic plate is the best type of pan to
use.
 Procedure in Making a Single
and Double Crust Pie
B. Procedure of Single and Double Crust Pie

1. In a large bowl, mix the flour

and salt together. Using a
pastry blender, cut in the
chilled shortening and butter
(margarine).
2. An alternative method to using
a pastry blender for cutting in
butter is using two knives to
scissor cut the ingredients
 Procedure in Making a Single
and Double Crust Pie
B. Procedure of Single and Double Crust Pie

3. Work the mixture only until it

forms coarse crumbs that
resemble tiny split peas
4. Sprinkle the flour and fat
mixture with 3tbsp.of ice water
and gently mix together using
a fork. If the dough seems dry,
add more ice water, one
tablespoon at a time.
 Procedure in Making a Single
and Double Crust Pie
B. Procedure of Single and Double Crust Pie

5. Only add enough water to

make the dough hold together.
Mix quickly and gently. Test the
dough by pinching a small
piece of dough between your
fingers. If it holds together you
have added enough water
6. Gather the dough and form a
ball but be careful that you. Do
not overwork the dough.
 Procedure in Making a Single
and Double Crust Pie
C. Procedure for Rolling Pie Dough and
Lining Pans

1.Scale the dough

2.Dust the bench and rolling pin lightly
with flour
3.Roll out the dough
4.Place the dough in a pan.
5.For single-crust pies, flute the edges, if
desired, and trim off excess dough.
6.For double-crust pie
7.Bake as directed in the recipe.
 Fillings
and
Topping
s
A. Types of Starches for
Fillings

● Cornstarch is used for

cream pie because it sets
up into a firm gel that
holds its shape when
sliced. Cornstarch may also
be used for fruit pies.
● Cooking starches – to avoid
lumping, starches must be
mixed with a cold liquid
before being added to hot
liquid.
B. Fruit Fillings

● Fruit pies fillings consist of

fruits and juices, sugar, spices
and a starch thickener.
● Fresh fruits make excellent
pies if they are at their
seasonal peak.
● Frozen fruits are widely used
for pies because they are
consistent in quality and
readily available.
● Canned fruits - can also be of
high quality. Solid pack (with
little juice) gives a higher yield
of fruit per can than syrup or
water pack.
 B. Fruit Fillings

● Dried fruits - must be

rehydrated by soaking and,
usually, simmering before
they are made into pie filling.
● Fruits must have sufficient
acid (tartness) to make
flavorful fillings.
● For the most flavor, choose
fruit that is in season. The
best way to select fruits is to
taste it. When tasting is not
possible, select fruit with the
desired color, aroma and
firmness.
 C. Topping Pies and Tarts

•Topping of dough or crumb for pies and

tarts are used with fruit fillings
•Topping a pie or tart helps to prevent
filling from drying during baking by keeping
in moisture
•Crumb topping create less of a moisture
barrier, allowing for the release of steam
during baking, and therefore do not require
vents
•A pastry top may completely cover the pie
or tart or may be cut into strips and woven
to create a lattice pattern.
 C. Topping Pies and Tarts
● Pastry dough may also be
rolled and cut into shapes used
to adorn the top or edges of a
pie or a tart
● Crimping the edges of a pie is
another way to add a
decorative element , and for
double-crusted pies and tart it
also serves to seal in the filling
and seal the top and bottom
crust.
● Applying a wash to the top and
edges of the pies and tarts to
promote the development of a
golden brown crust. A wash
may be anything from milk or
 Tips that will Help Ensure
Success in Baking Pie and
Pastries
A. Blind Baking Pie and Tart Shells
• Blind baking - means to bake an unfilled pie or
tart shell partially or fully before adding the
filling
1. Line the dough with parchment paper and fill
with pie weights, dry beans or rice. The
weights will prevent the bottom of the crust
from bubbling up and the sides from
collapsing or sliding down the sides of the
pan during baking.
2. Place the pan in the preheated oven. The
parchment and weights need only stay in the
pan until the crust has baked long enough to
set.
Puff Pastry
- in baking, a puff
pastry, also
referred to as
"pâte feuilletée,"
is a light, flaky,
mechanically
leavened pastry
containing several
layers of fat which
is in solid state at
20 °C (68 °F).
• Puff pastry is one of the most
remarkable products of the bakeshop.
Although it includes no added leavening
agent, it can rise to eight times its
original thickness when baked.
• Puff pastry is a rolled-in dough, like
Danish and croissant dough.
• This means it is made up of many layers
of fat sandwiched between layers of
dough. Unlike Danish dough, however,
puff pastry contains no yeast.
• Steam, created when the moisture in the
dough is heated, is responsible for the
spectacular rising power of puff pastry
• Butter is the preferred fat for rolling in
because of its flavor and melt-in-the-
mouth quality. Some use special puff
shortening because it is not hard when
refrigerated and doesn’t soften at warm
temperature. Less expensive but has an
unpleasant congeal that coats inside the
mouth.
• Puff pastry that is lower fat will not rise
as high and may rise unevenly because
there is less fat between the dough
layers, so the layers are more likely to
stick together.
• For inverted puff pastry, however, the
butter layer, rather than the dough, is
the outer layer. The dough is worked
less when preparing inverse dough, for a
more tender result.
A. Blitz Puff Pastry

● Is much easier and quicker to

make than classic puff dough.
(Blitz is German for
“lightning.”) it does not rise
nearly as high as true puff
pastry, so it is not suitable for
products that are high and
light pastry.
● It bakes up crisp and flaky and
is perfectly suitable for
napoleons and similar desserts
that are layered with cream
fillings.
● Blitz puff paste, as you will
see, is actually a flaky dough
that is rolled and folded like
B. Eclair Paste or Pate a
Choux
● Éclairs and cream puff are
made from a dough called
éclair paste or choux paste.
The French name pate a choux
(pot a SHOO) means “cabbage
paste”, referring to the
resemblance of cream puffs to
little cabbage.
● Unlike puff pastry, éclair paste
is extremely easy to make.
The dough itself can be
prepared in just a few minutes.
This is fortunate because for
best baking results, the dough
should not be prepared ahead
of time.
B. Eclair Paste or Pate a
Choux
● Éclairs and cream puff are
made from a dough called
éclair paste or choux paste.
The French name pate a choux
(pot a SHOO) means “cabbage
paste”, referring to the
resemblance of cream puffs to
little cabbage.
● Unlike puff pastry, éclair paste
is extremely easy to make.
The dough itself can be
prepared in just a few minutes.
This is fortunate because for
best baking results, the dough
should not be prepared ahead
of time.
 Steps in making éclaire paste:

1. Bring the liquid, fat, salt, and sugar (if used) to a boil. The liquid must be
boiling rapidly so the fat is dispersed in the liquid, not just floating on
top. If this is not done, the fat will not be as well incorporated into the
paste, and some of it may run out during baking.
2. Add the flour all at once and stir until the paste forms a ball and pull
away from the
sides of the pan.
3. Remove the paste from the heat and let it cool to 140F (60C). beat or
mix the paste so it cools evenly. If the paste is not cooled slightly, it will
cook the eggs when they are added.
4. Leavened by steam, which expands the product rapidly and causes
large holes to form in the center of the item. The heat of the oven
coagulates the gluten and egg proteins to set the structure and make a
firm product. A strong flour is necessary in both for sufficient structure.
 Steps in making éclaire paste:

5. Éclair paste must be firm enough to hold its shape when piped from a
pastry bag.
Reduce the water and milk slightly and stop adding eggs when the paste
arrives at the
proper texture.
6. Éclair paste for cream puffs and éclair is normally piped onto parchment-
lined pans. It can also be piped onto greased pans, although this method
is not used as often.
7. Proper baking temperatures are important. Start at a high temperature
(425F/220C) for the first 15 minutes to develop steam. Then reduce the
heat to (375F/190C) to finish baking and set the structure.
C. Strudel and Phyllo
● Pastries made from strudel
dough or phyllo dough are
even flakier than puff pastries.
Unlike puff pastries, these
desserts start out with paper-
thin layers of dough that are
brushed with fat and then
stacked or rolled up to make
many-layered creations.
● Strudel dough is a slightly
enriched soft dough. Bread
flour is used for strudel dough
because of its higher protein
content, which accounts for
the development of the
elasticity
of the that allows it to be
C. Strudel and Phyllo
● The dough is mixed well to
develop the gluten and then
allowed to rest in a warm
place (cold dough has less
elasticity and is therefore
more difficult to work with).
The dough is
● then stretched until extremely
thin and transparent.
● Strudel is an eastern European
pastry that begins as a soft
dough made of strong flour,
eggs, and water. After the
dough is mixed well to develop
the gluten, it is stretched by
hand into a very thin,
transparent sheet.
D. Meringue
● Meringues are beaten egg
whites sweetened with sugar.
Their most frequent use in
north America is for pie
toppings and cake icings
(known as boiled icing).
● Another excellent use for
meringues is to bake them in
slow oven until crisp.
● In this form they can be used
in place of cake layers or
pastry shells to make desserts.
● Chopped nuts may be folded
into meringue before forming
and baking to make these
desserts more flavorful.
D. Meringue
● Make sure that all equipment
is free of any trace of fat or
grease, and that the egg
whites have no trace of yolk in
them. Even a small trace of
fat will prevent the whites
from foaming properly.
● Soft meringues, used for pie
toppings, may be made with
as little as 1 pound (500g)
sugar per pound of egg whites.
● Hard meringues, baked until
crisp, are made with up to
twice as much sugar as egg
whites.
Types:
1. Common meringues – is
made from egg whites at room
temperature, beaten with
sugar. It is the easiest to
make, and it is reasonably
stable due to the high
percentage of sugar.
2. Swiss meringues – is made
from egg whites and sugar
warmed over a double boiler
while beating. Warming gives
meringues better volume and
stability.
 Types:

● Italian meringues – is made by

beating a hot sugar syrup into the
egg whites. This meringue is the
most stable of the three because egg
whites are actually cooked by the
heat of the syrup. When flavored with
vanilla, this meringue is also known
as boiled icing. It is also used in
meringues-type buttercream icing.
 Types:

● Laminated Doughs - Laminated

doughs include croissant, puff pastry,
and Danish. Proper layering
(lamination) is vital, as it is the
combination of fat and dough in even
layers that causes expansion and
creates the ultimate flaky texture
characteristic of laminated doughs.
As the steam leavens the pockets in
between the dough layers; causing
the product to expand and rise, the
remaining fat “fries” the dough so
that the air spaces are retained.
● Creating the proper number of fat and dough
layers is critical to the success of laminated
doughs. With too few layers, the steam will
escape and the pastry will not rise. Folding the
dough too many times can be a problem
because the layers of the fat and dough merge
together as the fat begins to become
incorporated into the dough, rather than
remaining as separate layers, thus preventing
the dough from rising.
● Folding may be the most important factor in
making a laminated dough, as the distinct
layers of fat and dough must be maintained
throughout the process. The dough must be
rolled out evenly and the corners kept squared
throughout the lock-in (the stage at which the
roll-in butter is introduced to the dough) and
all subsequent folds to ensure proper layering.
 The basic steps for laminated doughs
are:
a. A previously prepared dough (the initial dough) is folded
and rolled together with a block of fat called a roll-in. To
prepare the dough, sift together the flours. Blend in the
butter on low speed with a dough hook attachment until
pea-sized nuggets form.
b. Combine the water and salt; add all at once to the dough,
and mix on low speed until smooth.
c. Shape the dough into a rough square or rectangle.
Transfer to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper, wrap
the dough in plastic wrap, and allow it to relax under
refrigeration for 30 to 60 minutes.
d. To prepare the roll-in, the butter should be worked, either
by hand or carefully using a stand mixer, until it is
smooth and malleable but not overly soft.
The basic steps for laminated doughs
are:
e. Mix the butter and flour (if using) until
smooth. A small amount of flour may be
added to the butter to make it easier to work
with and to absorb excess moisture in the
butter.
f. Transfer the roll-in to a sheet of parchment
paper. Cover with a second sheet and roll into
a rectangle. Square off the edges, cover with
plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm but
still pliable.
g. To lock the roll-in into the dough, turn out the
dough onto a lightly flour work surface and
roll it into a square or rectangle, keeping the
edges straight and the corners squared. The
roll-in fat can be added to the dough using
several methods: envelope, single-fold, or
three-fold.
The basic steps for laminated doughs
are:

h. For the envelope method, the

dough is rolled into a square or
rectangle. The roll-in is rolled into a
smaller square or rectangle, and
placed diagonally in the center of
the dough so that each corner points
to the center of a side of the dough.
The corners of the dough are then
folded over the fat envelope-style so
that they meet in the center.
The basic steps for laminated doughs
are:

i. For the single-fold method, the

roll-in is rolled into a rectangle that
is half the size of the dough square
or rectangle, and placed on one half
of the dough, then the other half of
the dough is folded over it and the
edges are sealed to completely
encase the roll-in fa
The basic steps for laminated doughs
are:
j. For the three-fold method, the
fat is rolled into a rectangle that
covers two-thirds of the dough. The
third of the dough not covered with
the roll-in fat is folded over to
cover half of the roll-in, or the
center of the rectangle, and then
the remaining side (or third)is
folded over that. The edges are
then sealed to completely encase
the roll-in fat. Administer a four-
fold. Cover the dough in plastic
wrap and allow it to rest for 30
k. Turn the dough 90⁰ from its position before
it is refrigerated and roll it out into a
rectangle, making sure the edges are
straight and the corners are squared.
Administer a second fold (envelope, single-
fold, or three-fold). Cover the dough in
plastic wrap and allow it to rest for 30
minutes under refrigeration.
l. After the roll-in is added to the dough, each
subsequent fold is usually either a three-
fold or four-fold. When you fold the dough,
the corners should squarely meet and the
edges should be straight and perfectly
aligned. After each fold, refrigerate the
dough to allow it to relax and the butter to
chill.
m. After completing the final fold, wrap the
dough in plastic wrap and allow it to rest
under refrigeration for 30 minutes before
using.
Storage of laminated dough:
a. To prepare puff pastry and other laminated doughs for freezing, and to
ease their use when frozen, follow this simple procedure:
b. Roll the dough approx. ¼ in/6 mm thick.
c. Cut the dough into smaller sheets the size of a sheet pan (17 ¾ by 25 ¾
in/45 by 66cm) or half sheet pan (12 7/8 by 17 ¾ in/33 by 45cm).
d. Layer the sheets on a sheet pan, placing a sheet of appropriately sized
parchment paper between each one. Wrap the pan tightly in plastic wrap
and place it in the freezer. (use the same method for refrigerated storage)
e. As you cut the puff pastry, you may create scraps or trim. They can be
reserved to be rerolled and used in pastries where a dramatic high
straight rise is not critical. Layer the scraps on top of each other, keeping
them flat to preserve the layers of fat and dough. Then the dough is rolled
and stored under refrigeration or frozen.
● When working with puff pastry, keep it
as cold as possible. Work in
manageable batches, so that the
dough won't sit at room temperature
for too long. If the butter is allowed to
soften, it will cause the layering to
collapse and prevent the full rise of
the dough.
● Lightly dust the work surface with
flour (preferably bread flour) to
prevent the dough from sticking. Roll
the dough from the center out in all
directions, lifting and turning the
dough as you work to prevent the
gluten from being overworked in any
one direction. Uneven rolling will
cause the pastry to become
● When using both pastry to line a tart pan, it should
be rolled very thin and duck well to inhibit
excessive rising during baking. Went blind baking
puff pastry for items such as Napoleones, it should
be waited down to prevent it from fully rising. If
allowed to fully rise, it should be too flaky to cut
into smaller portions for building pastries. Puff
pastry is always baked at a relatively high
temperature (400° to 425°F or 204° to 218°C) to
encourage the full rise. Lower temperatures would
not create enough steam or set the structure of
the pastry quickly enough, and it never rises or
collapses.
● Beat in the eggs a little at a time. Completely mix
in each addition of eggs before adding more. If the
eggs are added quickly, it will be difficult to get a
smooth batter. When the paste is smooth and
moist but stiff enough to hold its shape, it is ready
to use.
End of
Module
4