Comments on: pate brisee, galette and hand pies

By: C A Holmes

C A Holmes — Tue, 01 May 2012 13:30:01 +0000

Hi, my Mom’s best pie recipe includes going out to our cherry tree and picking it fresh. Love your pics, and will send one.
C A Holmes
Healing with Food

By: alexis

alexis — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 01:32:06 +0000

Hi Deb! I made your nectarine galette with delicious-tasting results but horrid presentation last weekend. Reason? I think it was because I switched out ALL (mistake) of the white flour with wheat flour. Do you have any ideas for me how to make pate brisee come out well with wheat flour? I just read your post on the blueberry pancakes! Any advice is much appreciated!

By: Varsha

Varsha — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 22:25:21 +0000

I did add the 1/2 cup walnuts, then 1/2 cup choc chips and 1/2 cup of raisin-dried cranberry mix. I cut the sugar by 1/4 cup but could have cut the sugar by a full 1/2 cup or more since the nuts/chocolate/raisins/craisins are all sweet too. It was delicious and froze well for two weeks – then we ate it!

By: deb

deb — Sat, 27 Nov 2010 23:50:45 +0000

Cindy -- I like it. We actually use the same recipe but she works it out on a counter and I use a pastry cutter in a bowl.

By: Cindy

Cindy — Sat, 27 Nov 2010 18:31:24 +0000

Deb,

Have you tried Chez Pim’s technique http://bit.ly/ddHM4c? I’ve been a pie-dough-phobe for years and I tried this technique the weekend before Thanksgiving. I was delighted: the dough was very pliable and pie crust sturdy and flaky.

For my first attempt, I used the “standard” Land O’Lakes butter and it tasted good. For my second attempt, I used Challenge butter and boy, it was sooo buttery even though, according to the label, it just has 1% more saturated fat.

The next time I do this, I plan to skip the folding stage and fraisage instead. I read that fraisage yields a flaky pie crust as well, so we shall see.

Cindy.

By: Magnarama

Magnarama — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 15:44:46 +0000

I’m curious about the science behind adding an acid element to pastry doughs (sour cream, yogurt, vinegar). I guess I’ll have to explore Alton Brown or Mark Bittman or some such to see if they can explain the what & why of adding them to dough.

We’re having such amazing peaches this summer in the Carolinas that I’m going try this galette with them and a smattering of blackberries. What a gorgeous color combination they make in your pix!

By: Natalie

Natalie — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 02:15:58 +0000

This crust is singularly AMAZING! I didn’t run into any of the problems you encountered, which must be chalked up to beginner’s luck. The result was the flakiest, tenderest, most delicious crust I may have ever tasted, let alone baked. Love the fillings, too. I can’t wait to make variations with peaches, especially. Nectarines are grand, but there’s nothing like a July peach.

By: Valentina

Valentina — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 04:50:29 +0000

Whenever I make tarts and my dough is being a pain and won’t come together properly, I add a tablespoon or two of heavy cream. Always does the trick! (:

By: Kim

Kim — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 20:29:00 +0000

Hi. I am looking for some galette advice/direction and I’m hoping you can give some direction. I’d like to make a small sour cherry galette but am unsure about the filling. I dont have a lot of cherries, 1-2 cups, maybe a little more. Thank you in advance!

By: Helena

Helena — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 16:03:47 +0000

Hi Deb,
I just made these strawberry handpies yesterday as a gift for our new neighbors and they turned out wonderfully. I didn’t have any of the troubles with the dough that you mentioned…no cracks and not too much filling leaked out either. I really liked that the dough was not too sweet.
I’m from the South where our handpies are deepfried, so this baked version was a nice lighter alternative to all that grease.