Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Gluten Free Pie Crust

GLUTEN FREE PIE CRUST:

Makes enough dough for two 9-inch pie shells or a two crust pie.

INGREDIENTS:
1 3/4 cups gluten free flour mix*
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar (omit if using crust for a savory recipe such as quiche)
9 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 jumbo egg plus one egg yolk, lightly beaten
1 1/2 tablespoons gluten free sour cream

DIRECTIONS:
Combine flour, salt, and sugar. Using a pastry blender or a fork, work butter in until small bits the size of peas are distributed throughout the flour mix. Make a well in the mixture and add the egg and sour cream, mixing thoroughly with a fork. If the mixture is crumbly, knead very lightly until the dough just holds together.

GLUTEN FREE, EGG FREE & DAIRY FREE PIE CRUST:

Makes enough dough for two 9-inch pie shells or a two crust pie.

INGREDIENTS:
1 3/4 cups gluten free flour mix*
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar (omit if using crust for a savory recipe such as quiche)
9 tablespoons cold butter substitute (I use Earth Balance), cut into pieces
1 1/2 tablespoons gluten free sour cream
1 1/2 tablespoons Vegenaise
Soy Creamer (or any other high fat alternative milk/dairy substitute like coconut cream)

DIRECTIONS:
Combine flour, salt, and sugar. Using a pastry blender or a fork, work butter in until small bits the size of peas are distributed throughout the flour mix. Make a well in the mixture and add the Vegenaise and sour cream, mixing thoroughly with a fork. If the mixture is crumbly, knead very lightly until the dough just holds together or add by teaspoons soy creamer.

DIRECTIONS CONTINUED FOR EITHER VERSION USED ABOVE:

Gather half of the dough into a ball and shape it into a 5-inch disk. repeat with remaining dough. Wrap both disks tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Follow direction for individual pie or tart recipes. If blind baking continue to follow the recipe below.

Notes: A marble surface provides the ideal cool work surface; however if you don't have one, place ice or gel ice packs on your countertop prior to rolling out the dough. Once a crust is blind baked, you can freeze it for future use.

On a cool countertop, between two sheets of wax paper or plastic wrap, roll half the dough into an 11-inch circle. Remove wax paper from one side. Pick up the crust with your hand on the wax paper side. Place the crust into a 9-inch pie plate and remove the wax paper. Make a fluted pie edge by tucking the overhanging dough under to make a double edge and pressing the two layers together. Pinch a V shape every 1/2" around the edge of the pie crust.

Cover crust-lined pie plates with foil and heap dried beans or pie weights inside. Place pie plates in the refrigerator for 15 minutes while preheating oven to 400-degrees F. Bake crust for 20 minutes or until edges turn golden. Allow crust to cool for 5 minutes, then remove foil and weights. Return crust to oven for five more minutes if a crisp golden crust is desired. Allow crust to cool for 10 minutes before filling.

I blind bake all my single crust recipes before filling. For my two crust recipes I don't and just fill the soft dough. Before baking I apply an egg wash to the dough for a shiny golden crust. (Egg wash = 1 egg whipped with about 2 teaspoons of milk or cream. Cinnamon or nutmeg can be added if appropriate to the recipe. Brush on with a pastry brush.)

*GF FLOUR MIX:
You can buy this mix from The Gluten Free mall or your local retailer. Authentic Foods Multi-blend Gluten Free Flour Mix. I recommend this route as they grind their flours much finer than most, eliminating the gritty texture that is the bane of GF baking. Or you can make your own (which I do, still using Authentic Foods flour for the fine texture.)

1 cup brown rice flour
1 1/4 cup white rice flour
1/4 cup potato starch flour
2/3 cup tapioca starch flour
3/4 cup sweet rice flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
2 teaspoons xanthan or guar gum

2 comments:

  1. Can you clarify something in the flour mix for me?

    You list 1/4 cup of potato starch flour . . but potato starch and potato flour are two different ingredients.

    Which one is it?

    ReplyDelete