Fruit Pie
Ingredients
Directions
The book says “a hot oven”. The 400°F (200°C) in the steps is the modern equivalent, not the book's own figure.
Prepare the pie
Layer the fruit and sugar in the pie dish for even sweetness.
Do not add sugar to the last layer of fruit to prevent heavy pastry.
Adjust the amount of water based on the juiciness of the fruit.
Make openings in the pastry under the rim to allow steam to escape.
Optionally, brush the pastry lightly with cold water and sprinkle with caster sugar, being careful not to use too much.
Bake
Bake in a hot oven at 400°F (200°C) for 20 minutes, then reduce heat to finish cooking the fruit.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Explore the science
What each ingredient does
- Fruit
- Provides the main filling and flavour, and releases juice as it cooks.
- Moist sugar
- Adds sweetness and helps the fruit soften and form a syrup.
- Short paste
- Forms the crisp, tender crust that encloses the filling.
The step that matters
Leave sugar off the last layer of fruit. Sugar drawn out by the fruit forms syrup that soaks into the pastry; leaving the top layer unsweetened helps keep the crust from becoming heavy and soggy.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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