Intro to Baking (Pie Fillings)

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Fillings make pies and tarts distinctive and flavorful. Three types of fillings are; cream, fruit, and custard.

1. Cream Filling-A cream filling is really nothing more than a flavored pastry cream. Pastry cream is a type of starch-thickened egg custard. A cream filling if fully cooked on the stovetop, so a prebaked crumb crust is needed.

2. Fruit Filling-A fruit filling is a mixture of fruit, fruit juice, spices and sugar thickened with a starch. Apple, cherry, blueberry and peach are traditional favorites. The fruit can be fresh, frozen, or canned, fresh is always the best. The starch can be flour, cornstarch, or tapioca. The ingredients for fruit fillings are most often combined using one of three methods: cooked fruit, fruit juice, or baked.

Cooked fruit filling: The cooked fruit filling method is often used when the fruits need to be softened by cooking (for example, apples or rhubarb). A cooked fruit filling should be combined with a prebaked or crumb crust.

Cooked juice filling: The cooked juice method is used for soft, juicy fruits such as berries. This method is also recommended for delicate fruits that cannot withstand cooking, such as strawberries, pineapple and blueberries. Because only the juice is cooked, the fruit retains its shape, color and flavor better. A cooked juice filling should be combined with a prebaked or crumb crust.

Baked fruit filling: The baked fruit filling method is a traditional technique in which the fruit, sugar, flavorings and flour or starch are combined in an unbaked shell. The dough and filling are then baked simultaneously.

3. Custard Filling-A custard pie has a soft filling that is baked along with the crust. Popular examples include pumpkin, egg custard and pecan pies. Custards are liquids thickened by coagulated egg proteins. To make custard pie, an uncooked liquid containing egg is poured into a pie shell. When baked, the egg proteins coagulate, firming and setting the filling.

This weeks formulas:

Italian Bread
Yield: 4 loaves
Method: Straight dough
Ingredients:

• 39 fl. oz. Water (temperature controlled)
• 1 oz. Active dry yeast
• 3 lb. 12 oz. Bread flour
• 1.25 oz. Salt

Directions:

1. Combine the water and yeast in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook.  Add the remaining ingredients and mix on low speed until all the flour is incorporated.
2. Increase to medium speed and knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic.
3. Ferment the dough until doubled, approximately 1 to 3 hours.  Punch down, divide, shape and score as desired.  Proof the loaves until doubled.
4. Bake at 400*F wit steam injected during the first few minutes of baking, until the crust is well developed and golden brown and the bread is baked through, approximately 12 minutes for rolls and 20 minutes for small loaves.

Apple-Cranberry Pie
Yield: 1 Pie, 9 in.
Method:  Cooked fruit filling
Filling:

• 1 lb. Fresh tart apples such as Granny Smiths, peeled, cored and cut in 1 in cubes
• 4 oz Brown sugar
• 4 oz. Granulated sugar
• 1tbsp Orange zest, grated fine
• 1 tsp Cinnamon, ground
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 2 tsp Cornstarch
• 3 fl. oz. Orange juice
• 1 pt. Fresh cranberries, rinsed
• 1 shell Mealy dough pie shell, partially baked
• 4 oz. Streusel Topping

Directions:

1. Combine the apples, brown sugar, granulated sugar, orange zest, cinnamon and salt in a large, nonreactive saucepan.
2. Dissolve the cornstarch in the orange juice and add it to the apples.
3. Cover and simmer until the apples begin to soften, stirring occasionally.  Add the cranberries, cover and continue simmering until the cranberries just begin to soften, approximately 2 minutes.
4. Place the apple-cranberry mixture in the pie shell and cover with the prepared Streusel Topping.  Bake at 400*F until the filling is bubbling hot and the topping is lightly browned, approximately 20 minutes.

Chocolate Cream Pie
Yield: 3 Pies, 9 in.
Method: Cream filling
Filling:

• 14 oz. Brown sugar
• 2 qt. Milk
• 1 oz. Cocoa powder
• 8 Egg yolks
• 3 oz. Cornstarch
• 14 oz. Bittersweet chocolate
• 4 oz. Unsalted butter
• 1 fl. oz. vanilla extract
• 3 shells Flaky or sweet tart dough pie shells, baked
• Creme Chantilly  as needed
• Chocolate Shavings  as needed

Directions:

1. In a heavy saucepan, dissolve 7 ounces of the brown sugar in the milk.  Add the cocoa powder and bring to a boil.
2. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks and the remaining sugar until smooth.  Whisk in the cornstarch until smooth.
3. Temper the egg mixture with approximately one-fourth of the boiling milk.  Stir the warmed egg mixture back into the remaining milk and return to a boil, whisking constantly.
4. Whisking constantly and vigorously, allow the cream to boil until thick, approximately 2 minutes.  Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate, butter and vanilla.  Stir until the ingredients are melted and incorporated.
5. Pour the cream into the pie shells and place in a refrigerator.
6. Top the pies with Creme Chantilly one the filling is very cold.  Decorate the pies with chocolate shavings.

Bread pudding with Bourbon Sauce
Yield:  20 Servings
Method:  Baked custard
Ingredients:

• 8 oz. Raisins
• 4 fl. oz. Brandy
• 2 oz. Unsalted butter, melted
• 24 oz. White bread, day-old
• 2 qt. Heavy cream
• 6 Eggs
• 1 lb. 10 oz. Granulated sugar
• 1 fl. oz. Vanilla extract
• Bourbon Sauce  as needed

Directions:

1. Combine the raisins and brandy in a small saucepan.  Heat just to a simmer, cover and set aside.
2. Use a portion of the butter to thoroughly coat a 2-inch-deep hotel pan.  Reserve the remaining butter.
3. Tear the bread into chunks and place in a large bowl.  Pour the cream over the bread and set aside until soft.
4. Beat the eggs and sugar until smooth and thick.  Add the vanilla, the remaining melted butter and the raisins and brandy.
5. Toss the egg mixture with the bread gently to blend.  Pour into the hotel pan and bake at 350*F until browned and almost set, approximately 45 minutes.
6. Serve warm with 1-1 1/2 fluid ounces of Bourbon Sauce per portion.

Bourbon Sauce
Yield 1 qt.
Ingredients:

• 8 oz. Unsalted butter
• 1 lb. Granulated sugar
• 2 Eggs
• 8 fl. oz. Bourbon

Directions:

1. Melt the butter; stir in the sugar and eggs and simmer to thicken.
2. Add the bourbon and hold in a warm place for service.