Learning 2 Bake from Scratch – LIV

Paprika Peach Pie – Take 2

Much improved. It could still be better.

The taste went from peach to tasty peach. I cannot taste the paprika (or all-spice or ginger), but it’s clear there are spices in this one.

The filling change was just as I described: Mix the peaches in salt and sugar, let sit (while building the lattice top), then drain and add the spices. There was no “excess liquid”, although there was more liquid than pulling the peach slices out with a slotted spoon.

The crust was soggy – both top and bottom. Not dreadfully soggy, but more not-crisp. Both are easy fixes.

The bottom: I was worried that a 40 minute baking time would burn it. I checked the bottom on the (one – just one!) piece that made it back to me. It wasn’t even a dark brown. I blind-baked it at 475 for 12 minutes (15 seemed too long) then removed the beans, egg-washed it, and put in the cooling oven (I had turned it down to 350) for another 5 minutes. Next time, 18 minutes blind, then another 5 still at 475. Believe the experts – Erin McDowell said “you should be able to pick the crust up out of the pan after par-baking.” She also demonstrated.

The top: I left it on the counter overnight, so I covered it with plastic wrap to keep out dust, bugs, and the cat. Next time, uncovered in the (now cold) oven for overnight storage.

Since both “next time” changes are about the crust, I’ll move on to another filling.

Update: Apparently, math literacy is not a requirement for cookbook writers. Looking for the next filling, I found this:

Separate the dough into 24 equal pieces (the easiest way is to divide the dough in half, and then continue dividing each piece into halves until you have 24).

I suppose that’s not entirely wrong. On the way from 16 pieces to 32 pieces, there is a point at which one has 24 pieces of dough: After cutting the 8th of 16 pieces in half you will have 8 of the 16 left to cut and 16 half the size, which is 24 pieces, but they are not equal.

Regardless of the crust instructions, the filling is black currant and the Mushroom Guys at the Farmer’s Market were selling currants. I have the next filling. If I don’t make them in mini-muffin tins, I don’t need 24 pieces, so the faulty instructions will not be relevant.