Pie and Pastry Bible (174 page)

When butter is clarified, the water evaporates and most of the milk solids drop to the bottom of the pan. The milk solids cannot begin to brown until all the water has evaporated. When adding clarified butter to chocolate, it is important that no water remain, so the milk solids in the butter should have started to turn golden brown before the liquid butter is strained. Plugrá butter, or butter that has a lower water content, is great for clarifying because it spatters less. Using very low heat also helps to prevent spattering.

To clarify butter:
Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, partially covered to prevent spattering. Do not stir. When the butter looks clear, lower
the heat to low and cook, uncovered, watching carefully, until the solids drop and begin to brown, about 20 minutes for 1 pound of butter. When the bubbling noise quiets, all the water has evaporated and the butter can burn easily. To make beurre noisette, allow the solids to turn dark brown. Occasionally, some solids remain on top. They will deepen in color toward the end of cooking, but to see the color of the solids at the bottom, you will need to tilt the pan. Strain the butter immediately through a fine strainer or cheesecloth-lined strainer. Clarified butter will keep for months refrigerated, or just about indefinitely frozen, as it is the milk solids that cause butter to become rancid quickly. I always make extra to have on hand. (The browned solids are excellent for adding flavor to bread dough.) Clarified butter will only be 75 percent the volume or weight of whole butter. For example, if you need 3 tablespoons of clarified butter, start with 4 tablespoons of butter. If using cheesecloth, start with about 1 tablespoon more as the cheesecloth absorbs some of the butter.

Clarified butter weighs a little less than whole butter because whole butter still contains water, which, per volume, weighs more than fat. One cup of whole butter weighs 8 ounces/227 grams; 1 cup of clarified butter weighs 6.8 ounces/195 grams.

COW’S MILK
Milk contains 87.4 percent water, 3.5 percent protein, and 3.5 to 3.7 percent fat.

Nature’s most perfect milk, in my opinion, is goat’s milk. Goat’s milk is lower in cholesterol than cow’s milk, with more finely emulsified butterfat, and the flavor is slightly sweeter and seems purer. If you are lucky enough to have access to goat’s milk, feel free to use it in any recipe calling for milk.

CULTURED BUTTERMILK
Buttermilk contains 90.5 percent water, 3.6 percent protein, and 1.5 to 2 percent butterfat. It is a soured product obtained by treating skim or part-skim milk with a culture of lactic acid bacteria.

HALF-AND-HALF
Half-and-half is half light cream and half milk. It contains 79.7 percent water, 3.2 percent protein, and 11.7 percent fat. If you ever run out of milk and have half-and-half, it’s easy to substitute for milk required in a recipe (see page 655).

LIGHT CREAM
Light cream contains 71.5 percent water, 3 percent protein, and 20.6 percent fat. It is increasingly difficult to find.

HEAVY CREAM
Heavy cream contains 56.6 percent water, 2.2 percent protein, and 36 to 40 percent fat (averaging 36 percent). If the heavy cream in your area seems low in butterfat (it is difficult to beat and separates easily), it is easy to increase the butterfat content (see page 552).

“Whipping cream” or “gourmet cream” usually has higher butterfat than regular heavy cream. Often the fat content is listed on the side of the container.

Heavy cream can be frozen for several months, defrosted, and used for making ganache. Freezing, however, alters the fat structure, making the cream impossible to whip and unsuitable for making emulsifications such as cream sauce or ice cream; the texture will not be smooth.

SWEETENED CONDENSED
MILK This product was developed by Gail Borden in 1856. The delicious, thick concentrate is made by evaporating 60 percent of the water in whole milk and adding 44 to 45 percent sugar to act as a preservative. It can be stored in a cool dry place for up to 15 months. (If stored for long periods near heat, the milk may be thick and caramel colored, but the quality will not be affected. Simply stir it briskly before pouring.) After opening, it can be stored in its original container, in the refrigerator, for up to 10 days.

EVAPORATED MILK
This product is made by evaporating enough water from whole or skim milk, under vacuum, to reduce the volume by half. No sugar is added. After opening, it should be stored, refrigerated, for no more than 5 days.

SOUR CREAM
Sour cream contains 71.5 percent water, 3 percent protein, and 18 to 20 percent fat. It is made from light cream, soured by the addition of lactic acid culture.

CREAM CHEESE
Cream cheese contains 37.7 percent fat and 51 percent water. It can be frozen for months.

MASCARPONE
Mascarpone contains about 55 percent fat. This rich, creamy, slightly tangy cream cheese is mildly acidulated by lactic fermentation and then whipped to a thickened consistency. It was originally produced only in the fall and winter in the Lombardy region of Italy. I find the flavor of the imported mascarpone the most delicious. Any left over can be frozen for months.

CHEDDAR CHEESE
Cheddar cheese contains 32.2 grams fat and 37 percent water.

EGGS
All my recipes use USDA grade large eggs. As a rule of thumb, 5 extra-large eggs equal about 6 large eggs. Since values for recipes in this book are given for weight and volume, it’s fine to use any size eggs if you weigh or measure them. As the weight of the eggs and thickness of the shell can vary a great deal even within a given grade (from 1.75 ounces to 2.5 ounces for large eggs), I find it safer to weigh or measure even when using large eggs.

Duck eggs have a richer, more delicious flavor than chicken eggs. The whites do not increase in volume nearly as much as chicken eggs, so they are not suitable for meringues, and the whole eggs will produce a coarser-textured cake. However, in pastry creams, curds, ice creams, and batters they reign supreme.

Pasteurized eggs, used in food service to avoid salmonella in preparations calling for uncooked or lightly cooked eggs, hopefully will eventually become available to the consumer. Pasteurized powdered egg whites, which can be reconstituted with water or even fruit juice, are available at gourmet markets, some supermarkets, and through catalogues such as King Arthur (page 676) and New York Cake and Baking Distributors (page 677). Pasteurized egg whites are available from Eggology by mail order (page 676). They keep 4 months refrigerated and more than a year if frozen.

Egg whites contain 87.6 percent water and 10.9 percent protein. Egg yolks contain 51.1 percent water, 16 percent protein, and 30.6 percent fat.

Refrigerate eggs in a covered container, bottom (larger) sides up, for maximum
freshness. Egg whites keep, refrigerated, for 10 days. Unbroken yolks, covered with water, or sprayed with nonstick vegetable spray to prevent drying, will keep refrigerated for up to 3 days. Egg whites freeze perfectly for at least 1 year. It is also possible to freeze yolks. Stir in ½ teaspoon of sugar per yolk to keep them from becoming sticky after they are defrosted. (Remember to subtract this amount of sugar from the recipe.)

DOUGH (PREPARED, STORE-BOUGHT)

CRUMB CRUST
If using a prepared crumb crust, for recipes calling for a 9-inch pie crust, be sure to use one that measures 9 inches by 1½ inches deep. (On the package it will say 10-inch size/9 ounces/255 grams.) I encourage you to make your own, however, because the flavor and texture of homemade crumb crusts is significantly superior to the commercial product.

PIE CRUST
I have tried many commercial frozen and packaged crusts over the years and have found them all to be lacking. Most were too salty for sweet pies. The greater problem with frozen crusts, however, is that when baked blind (without filling), they tend to develop fissures that allow liquid ingredients to leak through them during baking, sticking to the pan at best and messing up the oven at worst. If I had to choose the lesser of all evils, it would be the Betty Crocker crust in a box. It also is a bit salty, though it has a good neutral flavor (unfortunately, not from butter), but the texture is good and it is very quick, foolproof, and easy to mix and roll. Of all the frozen crusts, I find Pillsbury to have the best flavor (it’s made with lard), but don’t try prebaking it, or you will wind up with cracks.

FILLO
(
PHYLLO
) Excellent fresh fillo sheets, can be ordered by mail from the Fillo-Factory (page 676). The fresh fillo keeps refrigerated for 2 months. It can be frozen for 3 months, and thawed and refrozen twice during this period. It separates much more readily into sheets and does not dry out while working with it nearly as quickly as the store-bought frozen. If freezing the fresh fillo, defrost it for 24 hours in the refrigerator and allow it to sit at room temperature for about an hour before using it. If it sticks slightly around the edges, trim the edges or carefully pry them loose. Each 1-pound package contains between 25 and 31 sheets (averaging 28) measuring 12 inches by 16 to 17 inches. The Fillo Factory also has 38-inch sheets sold in large quantities for food service; shredded fillo, called
konafa
or
kadaif
(shredded, wiry strands of fillo dough); and prebaked 2- and 4-ounce fillo shells.

PUFF PASTRY
Be sure to follow the recommended baking temperatures when using commercially prepared puff pastry, as they are often different from those for homemade pastry.

Pepperidge Farm
puff pastry sheets are available in the freezer section of most supermarkets. They are made with shortening rather than butter so they lack the wonderful butter flavor, but they have an excellent texture and work well in recipes where the flavor comes from other components. They come in 17¼-ounce
packages, containing two pieces of pastry about 9½ by 9 inches and
to 3/16 inch thick.

Dufour
puff pastry is an excellent product prepared with butter. It comes in 14-ounce packages of one 11- by 14-inch sheet each, 3/16 inch thick. For food service, Dufour also makes 10-pound cases of 11¼-inch squares, ¼ inch thick, and 11- to 12-inch by 16-inch sheets,
inch thick. (They will give you the nearest distributor or ship direct; see page 676.)

Voilà
puff pastry is a fabulous all-butter product that is easy to roll thin, but it is available only by the case. The firm also produces excellent Danish and croissant doughs (page 677).

Hug,
a Swiss company, produces excellent flaky pastry tart shells (1½-inch, 2¾-inch, and 3½-inch) and vol-au-vent shells in varying sizes and shapes, designed for food service and available from Albert Uster Imports (page 677).

ESCARGOTS
Canned snails are available in specialty food shops such as Balducci’s (page 676) or in quantity from Gourmand (page 677).

FLOUR

Flour is the single most important ingredient in baking. The type of flour used—particularly the protein content and whether it is bleached or unbleached—is critical to the outcome of all pie crusts and pastry and has been addressed in the individual chapter introductions. (A thorough discussion of flour and the directions for making your own pastry flour, for example, are in the introduction to pie crust.)

Regional all-purpose flours vary widely in protein content, from 8 grams per 4 ounces, which is close to that of cake flour, to 14 grams per 4 ounces, which is close to bread flour. National brands of all-purpose flour are usually around 11 grams per 4 ounces. Even a fraction of a percent can make a significant difference. A high-protein flour will require a lot more moisture than one with low protein and will result in the development of gluten. While a high-protein flour is desirable for making a light, airy bread or brioche, it will result in a tough, chewy pie crust. I therefore recommend using national brands such as Gold Medal, Pillsbury, or King Arthur. Though the protein content will vary slightly from harvest to harvest, the companies keep the range within acceptable limits. Should you find that your results are very different from mine—for example, your pie crust is dry and crumbly using the amount of water indicated—chances are that you are using a much higher protein flour.