On food and cooking the science and lore of the kitchen ( PDFDrive ) 1067

the gluten and set the structure The filling in open pies and tarts blocks oven heat from reaching the pastry surface directly, and can prevent the crust from cooking through, so that it ends up pale and soggy rather than brown and dry This problem is prevented by precooking the crust on its own (baking it “blind,” or empty, often with dry beans or ceramic pie weights to support the dough and prevent slumping) A crisper bottom crust also results from higher oven temperatures and from putting the container on the lowest rack or directly on the oven floor Crispness can be preserved under a moist filling by sealing the crust surface during precooking with a moisture-resistant layer of egg yolk or white, or afterwards with cooked-down jams or jellies, or chocolate, or a moisture-absorbing layer of compatible crumbs Crumbly Pastries: Short Pastry, Pâte Brisée Crumbly but firm pastries are especially prominent in French cooking, where thin but robust crusts support quiches, various savory pies, and fruit tarts Where American pie crusts are too tender to support themselves and are served from the pan, French tarts are almost always removed from the pan and stand on their own In the standard French version of crumbly pastry, pâte brisée, coarse pieces of butter and egg yolks are placed in the midst of the proper amount of flour, and the liquid and solids gently worked together with the fingers to form a rough dough The dough is then kneaded by pushing it into and along the work surface with the heel of the hand, an action that disperses the butter finely into the dough The butter separates small flour aggregates from each other and prevents them from forming a continuous, tough mass, while the egg yolks provide moisture, fats, and proteins that will coagulate during cooking and help hold the flour aggregates ... the liquid and solids gently worked together with the fingers to form a rough dough The dough is then kneaded by pushing it into and along the work surface with the heel of the hand, an action that disperses the butter finely... stand on their own In the standard French version of crumbly pastry, pâte brisée, coarse pieces of butter and egg yolks are placed in the midst of the proper amount of flour, and the liquid and solids gently worked together... pies, and fruit tarts Where American pie crusts are too tender to support themselves and are served from the pan, French tarts are almost always removed from the pan and stand on their own In the standard French