Bottom Pie Crust Recipe from 1887
Posted by Warren
Pie recipe tips and help. Text version is below image.
White House Cook Book, by Fanny Lemira Gillette, 1887
The pie crust recipe is designed for pies that contain watery liquid fillings like custard or pumpkin.
Rule for Bottom (Under) Pie 1887
White House Cook Book, by Fanny Lemira Gillette, 1887
RULE FOR UNDER CRUST.
A good rule for pie-crust for a pie requiring only an under crust,–as a custard or pumpkin pie,–is: Three large tablespoonfuls of flour sifted; rubbing into it a large tablespoonful of cold butter, or part butter and part lard, and a pinch of salt, mixing with cold water enough to form a smooth, stiff paste, and rolled quite thin.
A Cookbook with vintage pie recipes
This is one of America’s most enduring cookbooks. It was in print, under varying names and guises, for fifty some years and has been reprinted, in full or in part, throughout the 20th century. Early editions were printed on poor quality paper and so have not survived in easily usable form which makes them rare to find.
This the White House Cookbook the first edition.
It had a frontispiece photograph of the wife’s of the President of the United States. This practice continued for much of the publishing of the book.
The interesting fact is that this cookbook was and still is a very popular American cookbook and has been for more than a century.
This cookbook is quite comprehensive with many household hints and tips in addition to hundreds of recipes, some being for pies.
Pie Crust Recipe made with Lard and Butter
—Ingredients and instructions are not the actual vintage recipe but is provided for reference purposes.
Pastry dough – double crust
2 1/2 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour (Red bag)
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 ice cold water
1 teaspoon cold canola oil
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 cup cold leaf lard
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter (any brand wrapped in foil or with taste shield)
Directions making the dough
1. Add all your dry ingredients to a chilled glass bowl and tossed the mixture with a fork.
2. Cube your fats into small pieces and add to the bowl.
3. Using just your finger tips rub the cold fat into the flour. Stop when the mixture resembles cracker crumbs and tiny peas.
4. Whip the ice cold water and oil until it looks cloudy and the mixture looks a little foamy. Quickly add two thirds of this to the dry ingredients and toss with a fork. If it is not coming together add the remaining liquid.
Do Not over work the dough.
It will make it tough.
5. The dough should look somewhat dry but come together when squeezed in your hands.
6. Now divide this mixture in half to make two balls by squeezing it all together. Compress and flatten the balls to form two large disks.
7. Wrap disks tightly with plastic wrap and chill for 30-60 minutes. You can freeze them for two months by adding a foil wrap to the covered disks.
8. Your dough is now ready for your favorite pie recipe.
Pie Crust Success
Soggy bottom pie crust occurs when your filling contains too much liquid.
Make sure the oven is set at the right temperature.
Bake in a preheated oven that is hot and them turn it down after the first 15 minutes.
Be sure the bottom crust is very cold before filling if not prebake. Otherwise the steam will make the crust soggy before you bake it.
