Pâte Brisée (Pie Crust

Ingredients
Makes 1 double-crust or 2 single-crust 9- to 10-inch pies.
Truth:  I chill, and when possible freeze all the ingredients when I make pie crust.  If you freeze the butter and lard you can grate them by hand right into the frozen dry ingredients.  Remember this....Pastry LOVES cold.  I do this all by hand and it's common sense.  You don't need a processor.

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces  (Truth,  I use half lard and half butter)
1/4 to ½ cup ice water

In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, salt, and sugar. Add butter, and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, 8 to 10 seconds.

With machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream through feed tube. Pulse until dough holds together without being wet or sticky; be careful not to process more than 30 seconds. To test, squeeze a small amount together: If it is crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time.

Divide dough into two equal balls. Flatten each ball into a disc and wrap in plastic. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill at least 1 hour. Dough may be stored, frozen, up to 1 month

Cream Puffs

Cream puff shells can be made in advance, and frozen in resealable bags. When ready to use, defrost and warm in a 350; oven for three minutes until crisp. Makes about 30, small. I make huge ones and fill them with things like chicken salad or pimento cheese and so forth. Totally surprising, easy to handle and less messy for your guests.


¾ cup butter, cut into small pieces
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon water
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
9 egg yolks, plus three whole eggs
6 egg whites
Egg wash-2 egg whites plus 2 Tbsp. water beaten together.


1.Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
2.Remove from heat, add flour mixed with salt, and stir in rapidly. Return the pan to the heat, and cook mixture, stirring constantly, with a wooden spoon until it comes together and pulls away from the sides of the saucepan, about 5 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat, and put into the bowl of a stand mixer-beat until just warm-about 5 minutes.
3.Add eggs and yolks one at a time, beating until they are completely incorporated and the pastry is smooth. Beat in the egg whites. Result will be somewhat thin. Transfer the paste to a pastry bag. Pipe desired size of the pastry into a mound on the prepared baking sheet; continue piping until all the pastry is used, spacing pastry about 1 1/2 inches apart.
Gently brush the each mound with the egg wash. Bake until the puffs are golden all over, about 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 325  . Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and set aside. Combine butter, salt, and 1 1/2 cups water in a roomy saucepan, and place over medium heat. Cook until butter is melted and the water just comes to a boil. ̊ and cook 10 minutes longer. Reduce the heat to 200 degrees and cook for another 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, and let cool completely.

Pastry Cream

Makes about 2 ½ cups.
2 cups whole milk
½ cup sugar
½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped
Pinch of salt
4 large eggs
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces


1.In a medium saucepan, combine milk, 1/4 cup sugar, vanilla bean and seeds, and salt. Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a simmer.
2.In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, cornstarch, and remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Whisking constantly, slowly pour about ½ cup of the hot-milk mixture into the egg-yolk mixture, ½ cup at a time, until it has been incorporated. Pour mixture back into saucepan, and cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until it thickens and registers 160 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 2 minutes. Remove and discard vanilla bean.
3.Transfer to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the butter, and beat on medium speed until the butter melts and the mixture cools, about 5 minutes.
4.Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface of the pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours or up to 2 days. Just before using, beat on low speed until smooth (you can also whisk by hand).