My Favorite Forgiving Pie Crust

My Favorite Forgiving Pie Crust

Makes enough for a double crust 10-inch pie

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, very cold
1/2 cup transfat-free vegetable shortening, frozen

Directions:
Put flour, sugar and salt into a food processor. Pulse to mix well. Cut butter and shortening into small pieces and sprinkle them over the flour mixture. Use on/off pulses with the food processor to blend the fats into the flour. The mixture will look like coarse crumbs.

Put ice cubes into about 1/2 cup water and let the water chill. Remove the ice cubes and drizzle about 6 tablespoons of the ice water over the flour mixture. Briefly pulse the machine just until the mixture gathers into a dough.

Dump the mixture out onto a sheet of wax paper. Gather into two balls, one slightly larger than the other. Flatten the balls into thick disks. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. (Dough will keep in the refrigerator for several days.)

Forgiving Pie Crust

Our Favorite: Forgiving Pie Crust 

I used this recipe for my Thanksgiving pumpkin pie.  I will admit, the results were probably the flakiest pie crust I ever made.  My mother would have taken the prize in that category!

Prep: 20 minutes
Chill: 1 hour
Yield: enough for a double crust 10-inch pie
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, very cold
1/2 cup transfat-free vegetable shortening, frozen
Directions:
Put flour, sugar and salt into a food processor. Pulse to mix well. Cut butter and shortening into small pieces and sprinkle them over the flour mixture. Use on/off pulses with the food processor to blend the fats into the flour. The mixture will look like coarse crumbs.

Put ice cubes into about 1/2 cup water and let the water chill. Remove the ice cubes and drizzle about 6 tablespoons of the ice water over the flour mixture. Briefly pulse the machine just until the mixture gathers into a dough.

Dump the mixture out onto a sheet of wax paper. Gather into two balls, one slightly larger than the other. Flatten the balls into thick disks. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. (Dough will keep in the refrigerator for several days.)

Khachapuri

 

Khachapuri  Geogian Church Bread

This soft, cheese-filled bread is the national dish of the country of Georgia. Part of its charm is that it varies by region; the open-faced Adjaruli version is filled with cheese and herbs, and garnished with an egg on top. Georgians typically serve khachapuri for breakfast or enjoy it at lunch; either way, it's a traditional way to welcome friends and family to the table. Using bread flour in this recipe makes the dough easier to work with, less prone to tear, and a sturdier "nest" for its substantial filling. Prep 1 hr. Bake 25 to 32 min. Yield: 4 Breads 
Ingredients
Dough
3 tablespoons (43g) unsalted butter
1 cup (227g) milk
1 1/2 teaspoons (6g) granulated sugar or 1 tablespoon (9g) non-  
   diastatic malt powder
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1 1/2 teaspoons (9g) salt
2 teaspoons instant yeast or active dry yeast
2 3/4 cups (330g) Unbleached Bread Flour

Filling

2 cups (227g) mozzarella cheese or Muenster cheese, shredded
1/2 cup (113g) ricotta cheese
1/2 cup (57g) crumbled feta cheese
1 large egg
2 tablespoons (14g) Unbleached Bread Flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 to 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped chives

Egg wash

1 large egg beaten with 1 teaspoon water

Garnish

4 large eggs, cold from the refrigerator
4 teaspoons (19g) butter

Directions:

To make the dough: Heat the butter and milk together in a small saucepan or in the microwave until the butter melts.

Place the sugar (or malt powder), coriander, and salt in a large bowl, and pour the hot milk over it, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Cool to lukewarm, about 100°F to 110°F.

Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. Stir in the yeast and flour, mixing until a shaggy mass forms. Cover with plastic wrap or a reusable bowl cover and let rest for 10 minutes.

After the rest, knead until smooth; 8 to 10 minutes by hand, or 6 to 8 minutes at medium speed in a mixer. Knead in an additional 1 to 2 tablespoons flour if the dough is uncomfortably sticky.

Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until it increases in size by at least one third.

To make the filling: Place all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and beat to combine, or pulse everything together briefly with a food processor; leave some bits of the cheese intact.

To assemble: Line two baking sheets with parchment. Turn the risen dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into four equal pieces, about 150g each.

Roll each piece into an oval shape about 10" long and 6" wide. Cover with greased plastic wrap, and let rest for 15 minutes.

Spoon one quarter of the cheese mixture (about 119g) into the center of each and spread to within 1" of the edges.

Pull the dough's edges up around the cheese, folding and twisting the ends to form a boat shape.

Cover and let rise for 20 minutes, or until puffy but not doubled. While the breads are rising, preheat the oven to 375°F with two racks toward the center.  

Brush the exposed edges of the khachapuri with the egg wash and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until they feel set; they won't have started to brown nor will the filling be bubbly, but don't worry; they're going to continue to bake once you add their egg-and-butter garnish.

Remove from the oven and use the back of a spoon to make an indentation about 3" across in the filling of each khachapuri. Crack an egg into each, place a teaspoon of butter on top, and bake for an additional 8 to 10 minutes (for soft-set eggs), or 12 to 15 minutes (for firmer eggs).

Remove from the oven and serve warm. Garnish with additional fresh herbs, if desired.

Storage information: Store any leftover khachapuri, well wrapped, in the refrigerator for up to five days.

Tips from our Bakers

While there are many regional iterations, the Adjaruli khachapuri is probably the most familiar to Americans; this recipe has been tweaked somewhat to include readily available ingredients (see tip below). Made in an oval, with an egg added for the second half of the bake, it's thought to evoke a boat, the ocean, and the sun, testament to the region of Adjara's location on the Black Sea.

While the traditional cheeses used in native Georgian Adjaruli khachapuri are imeruli and sulguni, they're difficult to find in this country. The most commonly suggested (and available) substitutes for these Georgian cheeses are mozzarella and feta, which we've combined here with ricotta.

Rose-Pistachio Cookies ~ Vegan

Rose-Pistachio Cookies ~ Vegan

These floral, flavorful “goddess cookies” are a vegan delight

Ingredients:
6 tablespoons (80g) vegan brown sugar

1 cup (198g) vegan granulated sugar
6 tablespoons (85g) vegan butter, softened*
1/4 cup (57g) vegan cream cheese*
6 tablespoons (74g) vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon rose extract*
1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons (58g) oat flour
2 cups + 3 tablespoons (263g) Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon + 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon crushed dried rose flowers and/or buds for tea*
1/2 cup (60g) roasted unsalted pistachios, chopped
1/2 cup (71g) tart dried cherries, roughly chopped
1/3 cup (57g) vegan white chocolate, chopped*
1 to 4 teaspoons plant-based milk, if needed

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets.

Beat together the sugars, butter, and cream cheese until smooth.

Add the oil and extracts and mix until combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Add the flour mixture to the butter and sugar, mixing until just combined.

Mix in the crushed rose, pistachios, cherries, and white chocolate. If the dough doesn't come together, add 1 teaspoon plant-based milk at a time, until the dough is cohesive.

Scoop 2” balls of dough (approximately two tablespoons; a level jumbo cookie scoop works well here) and place on the prepared baking sheets.

Bake the cookies until set, about 15 to 17 minutes, reversing the pans halfway through (top rack to bottom, bottom to top).

Remove the cookies from the oven and cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a rack to cool completely.

Store cookies, well wrapped, at room temperature for several days; freeze for longer storage.

Tips:
If desired, substitute 1/2 teaspoon rose water + 1 tablespoon chopped dried rose petals for the rose extract and rose petal tea.

Cookies baked as directed above will be 2 1/2” to 2 3/4" in diameter. For larger, flatter cookies (about 3” in diameter), flatten the dough balls gently with the palm of your hand before baking.

Super-Soft Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

 

Super-Soft Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients

Tangzhong*
1/2 cup (113g) non-dairy milk
3 tablespoons (23g) King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour
*See "tips," below.
Dough
2/3 cup (151g) non-dairy milk, cold
2 1/2 cups (300g) King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour
1 teaspoon (6g) salt
2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons instant yeast
4 tablespoons (57g) coconut oil, softened*

Filling
1 tablespoon (14g) coconut oil, melted*
1/2 cup (107g) light brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons (15g) King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour
3 to 4 teaspoons (8g to 10g) cinnamon*
1/16 teaspoon (pinch) salt

*Use the lesser amount for stronger cinnamons, like Vietnamese (Saigon); the larger amount for milder cinnamons, like Indonesian/Ceylon.

Icing
3 tablespoons (42g) coconut oil, melted, divided*
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/16 teaspoon (pinch) salt
1 1/2 cups (170g) confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 to 2 tablespoons (14g to 28g) non-dairy milk

Directions:
To make the tangzhong: Combine the non-dairy milk and flour in a small saucepan, and whisk until no lumps remain.

Place the saucepan over medium heat and cook the mixture, stirring regularly, until thickened, paste-like, and the spoon or spatula leaves lines on the bottom of the pan, 1 to 3 minutes.

Remove from the heat and transfer to a large mixing bowl, the bowl of a stand mixer, or the bucket of a bread machine.

To make the dough: Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. Add the ingredients to the bowl in the order listed.

Tips from Bakers

With origins in Japan's yukone (or yudane), tangzhong is a yeast bread technique popularized across Asia by Taiwanese cookbook author Yvonne Chen. Tangzhong involves cooking some of a bread recipe’s flour in liquid prior to adding it to the remaining dough ingredients. Bringing the temperature of the flour and liquid to 65°C (149°F) pre-gelatinizes the flour’s starches, which makes them more able to retain liquid — thus enhancing the resulting bread's softness and shelf life.

While cultured butter substitutes will work in place of the coconut oil, they’re not our first choice. If you do choose to use a butter substitute, know that your dough will be softer, making it more difficult to handle and more prone to collapse when the rolls come out of the oven. You can counteract these effects by making sure your hands are greased when working with the dough and by letting the rolls bake a couple of minutes longer, until they’re a bit deeper gold and their internal temperature is closer to 195°F.