To Hans With Love - Making Betty Freezor's Prune Cake

[kevin313]

This one goes out to Hans, who provided the tools, recipe and very inspiration for a magnificently delicious cake! I can't thank you enough, Hans!

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Recipe and full story at link:

New Life For An Old Recipe - Making Prune Cake

A couple of weeks ago there was a package waiting for me when I finally arrived home after a long day. Once glance at the return address an...

cavalcadeoffood.blogspot.com

 

[norgeway]

Thanks Kevin..

I have found, of all the cookbooks I have, her recipes turn out perfectly just about all the time! Thanks for all the good cooking you show us! Hans

 

[washerboy]

thanks

Kevin:
Thanks for the video. I have a choir potluck Sunday evening; you helped me decide what to take!!! I already have prunes on hand.
Would you consider doing a video on how to make pie crust? I have never been able to master the trick. I think I've tried everything and I'm not doing something right. The latest trick I head about was to roll the crust out between wax paper with no added flour. I tried it and my crust was not flakey but more crumbly...it didn't taste bad or tuff but still not the texture of flakes.thanks/mark

 

[jamiel]

Use chilled vodka as the liquid for your pie crust. Alcohol doesn't activate the gluten (so you can use more liquid and still retain flakiness). Also cut in half the shortening to meal and half to peas (it's the peas that create flakiness). Best source of info I've seen is Cooks Illustrated.

 

[kevin313]

Hi Mark,

I share your pain and frustration with pie crust. I have long struggled with it, not so much in the ingredients but rather in the technique. It's like anything else: practice, practice, practice. I found using a rolling pin cover and well-floured board works best for me, but I'm always open to finding better ways of rolling it out.

I'm told that making pie dough in a food processor is good, but I have yet to try it. Here's my recipe (and video) of making pie crust:

Pie Crust
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2/3 cup Crisco (best if cold - I keep mine in the fridge)
5-6 TBSP ice water

Combine flour and salt in a large bowl and whisk together. Add Crisco and using a pastry blender cut-in shortening with flour mixture until it becomes the consistency of small peas. Add ice water one tablespoon at a time and incorporate using a fork. You want the dough to be damp enough that there are no longer any small particles in bowl. When you pick up dough and press large pieces together, it should hold together. Form dough into one large ball and divide it in two parts. I generally make one half a little larger than the other - and I use the larger piece to roll out my bottom crust. The smaller one is for the top crust. Wrap each half in plastic wrap and put in fridge for 30 minutes.

After the dough has chilled, use a well-floured board or pastry cloth and a floured rolling pin and begin to roll out bottom crust. You should try to roll it out about an inch larger than you need to cover the bottom of the pie pan. Transfer the bottom crust to the pie pan. I wrap the crust back around the rolling pin and then "unroll" it over the pie pan. Pour your pie filling over the bottom crust. Roll out the top crust and place over filling. Crimp and tuck bottom and top crusts together. Cut vents in top of pie for steam to escape and bake at 400 degrees for 50 minutes (or until top is golden brown). Remove and let cool on rack for 3-4 hours.

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[norgeway]

There are!!

A million different ways to make pie crust, I have never found one that really works for me....but not for the reason most people state...I can't seem to make one that wont tear or fall apart, I never have trouble with it being too tough,so I generally use Jiffy pie crust mix!!you can actually roll it out and get it in the pan without it disintergrating!!

 

[westie2]

mixfinder/Kelly

Had a thread on how he does his pie crust and i can't find it.  He used his mixer to blen in the shortening.

 

[frigilux]

I've gotta try that prune cake recipe. And I'm also glad I'm not the only one who ocassionally misspells her name as "Freezor" instead of "Feezor", LOL! When I was looking for her cookbooks, I typed "Betty Freezor" into Amazon and her books still came up.

Always enjoy your recipes and videos, Kevin!