The Washington times., 1930-05-27
SECRET OF PASTRY
MAKING REVEALED

The season for fresh berry and
fruit pies is so short that we must
make the most of it while 1t lasts.
Strawberries, blueberries, raSp-
berries, blackberries and others
what luscious pie Filings they
provide-what juicy pies they
make.
In more than 20 years of ser.
vice to houSekeepers, Good
Housekeeping Institute has ex.
perimented with many different
kinds of flours in making pies.
Although we find the all-purpoSe
flour satisfactory . for pie crust,
the soft wheat flours and cake
flours now on the market give a
particularly tender, flaky crust,
due in part to the fineness and
delicate gluten content OF this
type of flour. We have worked
with different shortcomings, too,
and find that pastry made with
a hardened shortening is light
and flaky, while that made with
q liquid fat such as oil has
tender, flaky texture.
Here is Good Housekeeping In
Stitute's method of making pas
try: Sift the flour once before
measuring. Then measure 2 cup
fuls; add "a teaspoonful of salt,
and y teaSpoonful of tartrate or
phosphate baking powder, or "a
teaSpoonful of aluminium baking
powder, and sift again. Measure
% cupful shortening and cut it
into the flour until the mixture
looks like granular meal. The in
stitute likes to use one of the pas
try blenders for this step-it is so
easy to work with and keeps the
pastry cool. Then add about 6
tablespoonfuls of cold water, a
little at a time, until the pastry
holds together without sticking.
Too much water makes a tough,
hard crust. Then if there is time,
wrap the pastry in wax, parch-
ment, or transparent paper and
chill. The dough will be much
easier to handle for this period
of chilling and is then ready to
use. This recipe makes nine
inch double crust pie, 2 nine-inch
pie shells, or about 16 tart shells.
The simplest of the one-crust
fruit pies which we tested in the
institute kitchens has an uncooked
filling. Roll out the pastry to
one-eighth-inch thickness, making
it one inch larger than nine-inch
pie plate. Line that plate loosely
with the pastry. Then fold back
the edge of raStry all the way
around and bring the double fold
to an upright positionA-in so do
ing the cut edge is against the
plate. Then flute" this double
fold of pastry.
Prick the shell we'll to allow the
escape of steam and bake in hot
oven of 500 degrees F. for 10 to
IL minutes. Meanwhile prepare
four cupfuls of fresh strawberries
cut in halves, whole raspberries,
or sliced peaches. Sweaten to
taste with powdered sugar and ar
range in alternate layers with
whipped cream in the baked pie
shell. Or fill the shell with the
sweetened fruit and top with
whipped cream.
CuStard Fruit Pie
Line a pie plate with pastry hav-
sing a fluted rim. Prick we'll and
bake in hot oven of 500 degrees
r. for 10 minutes. Meanwhile beat
three eggs and add 12 cupful
sugar, rs teaSponful salt, and two
cupfuls of milk, or one cupful
evaporated milk and one cupful of
water. Turn into the baked pas
try shell and bake in a slow oven
of $50 degrees F. for 80 minutes,
or until a silver knife inserted in
the center of the pie comes out
clean. Remove and cool the pie.
Then arrange two cupfuls of
halved, sweetened strawberries or
raspberries over the custard and
top with one cupful Of cream