pastry queries x2

[Loobyloo]

Hello peeps,

I have a couple of pastry queries:

#1. I'm planning on making a pumpkin pie (more a tart, shortcrust base, open top) for some family I have coming over Fri eve but I want to do whatever prep I can on Thurs. Can I make and blind bake the pastry on Thurs and then fill and finish it on Fri? If so should I refrigerate it? ANd could I make the pumpkin puree on Thurs too?

#2. I make very good pies and tend to try and have leftovers so My OH can take them to eat on the road (he does a lot of driving) its just struck me that pasties would make his life much easier but while I have not shortage of filling ideas I don't know what oven temp or how long to cook them. I would much prefer to use puff pastry rather than shortcrust (I just think its yummier). If I were to make a batch of pasties would they freeze? If so should they be reheated from frozen or defrosted? Could they be defrosted and eaten cold?

Sorry just realised that there's quite a lot of questions in all that!
Hope someone can help!

[Annpan]

I never blind bake my pastry for apple or pumpkin pie (both I leave open topped) Why don't you just prepare the pastry and stick it in the fridge, or you could put it in the dish and stick it in the fridge.

I often freeze the pasties and samosas that I buy and I have never had a proble with them but I have yet to make my own...

HTH

[Loobyloo]

I never blind bake my pastry for apple or pumpkin pie (both I leave open topped) Why don't you just prepare the pastry and stick it in the fridge, or you could put it in the dish and stick it in the fridge.

HTH

Can you post your pumpkin pie recipe please Annpan? The only one I have tells me to blind bake and it would certainley make my life easier if i didn't have to!

I'm making Carbonnade Flammande with cheesy veg bake for main and I don't get from work til 6 so the less I have to do on the friday the better!

ta
X

[Graye]

This is a gorgeous recipe without needing to blind bake the case. I find blind baking with a pumpkin pie leads to a burnt crust because the pumpkin mixture takes a while to set properly.

6 oz (175 g) pastry
1 lb (450 g) cooked and mashed pumpkin
2 eggs
½ pint (285 ml) evaporated milk
4 oz (112 g) brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
Pinch of nutmeg

Method:

Roll out the pastry on a lightly-floured surface and fit it into a 10" (25 cm) round pie dish. Press the pastry into the dish. Prick the base lightly with the tines of a fork.
Combine all the filling ingredients in a mixing bowl and beat with a mixer until smooth.
Pour into the pie crust and bake in a pre-heated oven at Gas Mark 7 (220°C/425°F) for 10 minutes.
Lower the temperature to Gas Mark 4 (180°C/350°F) and continue to bake for a further 40-50 minutes or until the filling is set.

Cook it the day before, pumpkin pie is best served cold with some thick cream.

[Annpan]

here is a link for my apple pie

When I made pumkin pie for the first time the other day I used just the same base done exactlty the same and it turned out fine - the filling was a bit weird but it was my first ever taste of pumpkin pie and I'm not convinced I like it

[prison break fan]

Sorry to appear stupid, but please Graye, how do you cook the pumpkin, and can it be any sort? Many thanks, pbf

[Graye]

This is the way I learned to cook pumpkins but I suppose there are others.

Halve and then quarter the pumpkin and scoop out all the seeds and stringy bits. The seeds can be rinsed and dried well, then tossed in olive oil and a little salt and slow roasted in the oven. They make great snacks once they are cooled and keep well in a sealed bag or box.

I then peel the quarters and chop the flesh into chunks about an inch square and load then into a pan with boiling water poured over. They need minimal cooking, probably five minutes. As soon as a skewer goes into the flesh with little resistance it's done. Drain really well and mash or put in a blender for a really smooth result.

The pie really is nicest when it's cold. I suppose in truth pumpkin tastes of very little, it's the spices which give it flavour and you need to put plenty in the mixture. For that same reason you can make a pie tasting almost exactly the same if you use cooked sweet potatoes.

[Ellendra]

Cut out the top, scrape out the innards, put the top back on but rotated so there are gaps where it was cut. Put the whole pumpkin in the oven and bake until tender enough to pierce easily with a fork. Let cool, then cut into managable chunks and scrape the now-soft flesh from the skin with a spoon.

[Millymollymandy]

Make your pumpkin puree on Thursday so that it is cold when you use it for the pie. I always put mine in muslin and squeeze out the excess liquid.

I don't blind bake either although the last time I made one the pasty was soggy, though that's only happened once and of course that had to be for a dinner party!

Most of the time I make this recipe because it doesn't require pastry, which is something I'd prefer to only have to make once a year for mince pies! It is one of my favourite puds.

**********

PUMPKIN PIE (without pastry)

Adapted from Betty Crocker’s Pumpkin Pie. This one is a bit different. Metric measures are my workings out.

FILLING
2 cups pumpkin puree (490g)
1 can evaporated milk (12oz) (I don’t know what this is in metric - I just use the whole can!)
1/2 cup egg whites whipped (I use 2 whole eggs- who’s dieting?!)
1/2 cup granulated sugar (100g)
1/2 cup flour (62.5g)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
2 tsp orange peel grated

TOPPING
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (my addition)
1 tbspn marg or butter, melted

Preheat oven to 180C. Butter a pie/flan dish.

Combine pumpkin, milk and egg (or egg whites) in a mixing bowl.

In another mixing bowl, combine sugar, flour, spices, baking powder, salt and orange peel.

Mix the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients until just moistened. Pour entire mixture into the prepared flan dish.

To prepare topping, combine brown sugar, oats, walnuts and marg/butter in a smaller bowl until thoroughly blended. Sprinkle over filling.

Bake for 50 to 55 minutes. Eat cold.

[contadina]

Pasties freeze well and here's a good selection of recipe suggestions http://www.selfsufficientish.com/forum/ ... 29&t=10230

[Loobyloo]

Cheers for all the help guys, will make the pastry and puree the pumpkin tonight (in between trying to do all the housework! why do I always leave it to last minute?) and if i have time I'll make the cheesy veg bake as well.

I think I've given myself far too much to do! My sisters and the husband of one of them are coming over Friday and then we are all going to stay with our Aunt and Uncle on saturday and silly me said that I would bake some stuff to take as a present for them. So on top of dinner (and a full brekkie on Sat morning) I have to bake shortbread, spiced ginger biscuits, banana muffins and ginger bread (to my grans recipe).

What was I thinking?
Will let you know how the pumpkin pie goes.

x

[Millymollymandy]

Good luck!!!

[Loobyloo]

Cheers M's.

Have just managed to wangle tomorrow afternoon off work so that'll be a help!

[Loobyloo]

Just a quick thanks for the recipes! Pumpkin Pie was gorgeous, slightly soggy pastry in the middle but lovely nevertheless, had it with toffee and vanilla ice cream. Have now got half of it portioned in the freezer for another time.

I managed to get all the baking an cooking done with the help of my sister and my aunt was really pleased with her presents. How lovely to go to someones house and give them something you've put effort into instead of just a box of chocolates!

[Millymollymandy]

Glad it all went well and that you enjoyed the PP. I get soggy pasty sometimes too yet I've never seen a recipe that says to bake blind first. Oh well it's the filling that is the best bit anyway.