New-York tribune., 1911-12-15
Christmas Pies Improved
By Paper Bag Baking
Every Sort of Pie Favored at Christmas Season
Can Be Made More Delicious end
Deeestible by the Soyer Method.
BY Martha McCuIIoch Williams.

-" " :
..rh pumpkin. custards. plain and gor-
Ef,o,s-every sort Of pie, indeed that It has
'.,srsd into the human mind TO concoct
20 the storeroom 90 furnish forth. Zach
ssveraI these can be baked i'm paper
y ,,gs 10 thcir great Improvement The inn
a ,-,renent is particularly marked in the
4 ace Of tartlets and turnoyers, Of which the
r.,,e Is SO essential a part. Doubt it who
Uni the fact remains that pie crust is bet
=, aak.cr. of richer favor and more di-
,s.rn,le when cooked in a bag than when
cooked naked
Along with the pies do not forget dump
r,ys The open-faced sort-my special de-
r,bt-for % while seemed to me forbidden
% oaper bag cookery. But love finds a way
n cookery as IA other things. have found
,et by cutting rounds Of paper out of a
,sner bae. six inches across. folding them
v.fashicn around the edges, and clippins
,bo folds 7 have cup-shaped paper moulds
70 line with my paste. MI with fruit, sugar
and seasoning and cook inside another
hsc Both the mouds and the containing
bse must be well creased. though they
need not bo 80 thickly buttered as if tho
syupInes and sauce went into them with
ont intervention. Crinkle up the crust neat
l- 10 M the moulds-the crust ought 70 he
eut the least bit smaller than the paper
Cock the same as closed dumping. 1t
will take d little less time Enlarge the
r.ep-holc slightly before taking from the
har and thus make sure that the top
s5ees are crisp and delicstely brown.
n Sover's paste. which ! have described
several times in this series of articles, is
vary nnc. but here is one that will answer
IS well for many things. and II is less
trouble TO make and also less expensive
Sft a quart of -four. add a pinch OF salt,
,bsr .ut into the -four with very sharp
srife a lump Of very cold lard as big as the
a., Wet with ice water-barely enough 10
make IL stick together. Roll out spread
aver the top half cup more Of lard shceu
very thin. fold over into a square ana ron
,u again Spread with half as much iaro
4, was used the FIRST time, fold, roll ont ana
srsdg4 lightly over the top with flour BE !
rn m ono edge and roll up the paste lay !
In q clean pan and set on ice an hour
Al Iesst-much longer will not hurt III PIE
rskirg cut of across the rolled Dough an
rrb or half inch section, according 10 inc
,,zs NJ crust required. Flour lightly ana
,ou out quickly Always handle pun paste
a. Hst.v and as little as possible. } 40
tbe FIRST mixing with a stout wooden spoon'
g, the Shortening shall be softened as niue
.s r7.sibIe. II is the grease spread I'D
fms between layers Of paste that gives the
Nakv texture that all good piemakers oe-
sire. .,.
Use tin or agate pic pans for paper
bsg baking Line them with crust, mt u
,.,rrateIy. and prick il lightly al over
,stb fork. Spread whatever hlling Is
used level all over the pan. Be sure the
,on crust does not drag If It is soma
one and that lattice strips arc long enough
rot 10 pull away from the edges. Cut a
inv cross in the middle Of a solid crust
end turn back the points-thus the PIE VIII
m, hurst II the centre cut affronts your
s,s priek very well all over with iorh'
but take care that the tines DO hot 30
through the bottom crust as wen' Cr"s'
that IS exactly right will hardly neeu wei
,irg n make the edges stick. But II they
should show divorce inclinations. wet WIN
very cold water and press together III
s,sntly
Pie-dumplings are an exception to the
ru.s Of not wetting. Their edges must IT.
ysriablV be noistened. To make theH'
cut rounds Of crust about five inches across
lay an apple or any other fruit upon oho
With sugar, butter spices, etc. then cover
with another and pinch the wetted edges
very tightly together Make little hole ln
the TOP so the steam can escape. Put III
a creased bag and bake as usual Inc
sdvantage lies in having 10 thick place
IN the crust-the plnched edges stretch 50
they are no more than crisp mouthiuls'
For something very decorative, make the
rounds biz enough for a whole dumpling'
then cut out VS. around the edges leaV-
Ing strips as neat and even as possible
After putting ON the upper crust lit these
strips up over II. BY notching the ends
o. them there is a sort Of leaf effect IN
The crust about the top Of the dumping
Aso-snd this IS a better recommends
ton 70 the practical mind-there Is much
lees danger Of the crust pulling apart ana
spihng rs contents.
Make mince and pumpkin pies after the
directions given for Thanksgiving In ad-
, oiuon try sweet potato custards. If they
are new TO you, you are on the threshold OF
an experience. TO make them take half
pound Of butter cream II well, add nve
cups Of sugar, and as the mixture grows
!
time Use six eggs I'm all, then add
seanI quart Of sweet potato pulp. boiled
mashed hne and free Of Jumps and strings.
Beat hard for FIVE minutes, then add the
warmed juice Of two large or three small
lemons; beat again, and add half cup
of barely warm cream. II the batter is too
thick TO run freely add milk until 1t is
thin enough. Flavor with lemon extract
TWO tablespoonfuls for this quantity. Bake
N single crust and sprinkle lightly with
hneiy chopped pecans, fresh grated cocoa
Hut or finely shred candied peel
mis- same mixture can be baked in patty
pans. and made richer by putting at the
Oo'tom OF the pans first shreds Of citron
" eandied cherry. cut so 1t can be nat
"hed' on a seeded raisin soaked in brandy
OF sherry Frosted after baking. they
hsAe fine tid-bits for late suppers or
iuheheons or even afternoon teas, where
mere are appetites worthy OF them. Set
me hlled patty pans inside large size
'apef bag lightly creased; let 1t rest on
ulVet and place the trivet Oh the grid
ssf In a fairly quick oven. The pattie
WI bake IN ten minutes-the crust for them
must be rolled wafer-thin.
6'a'cu apple, instead OF tHe Sweet
v'eto pulp, makes q fine custard. Use
V"iy Your eggs. and rather more milk and
"sdm' a busting Of cornstarch-no more
eIah dusting-makes the texture a little
"her without harm to the flavor
~o4asses custards are old favorites de-
irving a new lease OF understanding
~ popularity. Get The best molasses pos
'o-tAe rich, dark sort. rather than any
VI 'he fancy syrups Take two cups OF
" edd the juice Of two lemons, or nearly
much cider vinegar. half a cup sugar,