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 filling
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
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.
Top and bake
Make openings in the pastry around the rim to allow steam to escape.
Bake the pie for 20 minutes at 400°F (200°C).
Reduce the oven temperature to finish cooking the fruit.
Lightly brush the pastry with cold water.
Sprinkle the pastry with castor sugar, being careful not to use too much.
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
- Supplies the main flavour and juice that the sugar and pastry must work with.
- Moist sugar
- Sweetens the fruit and draws out some of its juice as it bakes.
- Short paste
- Forms the tender, crisp crust that encloses and holds the filling.
The step that matters
Adjust the amount of water to the fruit's juiciness. Juicier fruit releases more liquid as it bakes, so adding water without adjusting can make the filling runny and the bottom crust 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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