Pie and Pastry Bible (184 page)

I do not recommend pie tape as an alternative to the metal or foil shield, as it presses against the crimped edge of the crust, flattening it slightly, and does not shield it well enough for pies that need to bake for more than 40 minutes.

FLAN RINGS, BAKING SHEETS, BLUE-STEEL PIZZA PANS, AND OTHER PANS
Flan rings come in many sizes and shapes. My favorites are the 8-cm (3-inch) flan ring and the heart-shaped flan rings. Round stainless steel flan rings come in sizes starting at 8 cm (3 inches) and increasing in 2-cm (3/4-inch) increments up to 34 cm (13¼ inches). They are 2 cm (¾ inch) high.

EXPANDABLE FLAN RING
This black steel ring expands from 7 inches to 14 inches in diameter. I use it to cut perfect rounds of dough after rolling pie crust.

TARTE TATIN PAN
The classic 9½-inch tarte Tatin pan is copper, lined with tin, for the most even caramelization of the apples. The only problem with this pan is that when the tart is unmolded, it is then very difficult to pry up the pan. Sur La Table has designed and produced the perfect Tatin pan, adding handles to make unmolding a charm. It is lined with a thin lining of stainless steel, which does not interfere with conductivity but holds up better than tin to the high temperature necessary for producing caramel.

Expandable flan ring

BLUE-STEEL PIZZA PANS
These flat discs from France are the perfect pans for baking free-form tarts. I like the 9½-inch size for small tarts and the 12½-inch or 14-inch size for large ones (La Cuisine, page 675). With use, they become an attractive dark gray.

HALF-SIZE SHEET PAN OR BAKING SHEET
The 17- by 12-inch aluminum pan by Wearever has always been my favorite. It is sturdy enough not to torque or bend from the oven heat. Turned upside down, it can double as a cookie sheet (King Arthur). The AirBake insulated sheet is perfect for puff pastry that needs to bake longer than 30 minutes, as it keeps it from burning on the bottom. The largest size is 15½ inches by 20 inches, ideal for baking a long tart strip.

PAN LINERS
Reusable nonstick liners make cleanup easy. Food-service quality Silipat is not quite as nonstick as the Teflon-type liners available for home use, but it is a lot more durable. All the nonstick liners can be reused countless times.

PIE PAN OVEN GUARD
The 12-inch nonstick disc by Progressive International Corporation in Kent, Washington, designed to be placed under a pie pan to catch any spillovers, is the perfect answer to keep bubbling pie juices from sticking to the floor of the oven (King Arthur catalogue, page 675).

SAUCEPANS WITH NONSTICK COATING
Small and medium heavyweight saucepans with a nonstick lining, such as Anolon professional from the Meyer Corporation, or the more durable ceramic Titanium Scanpan 2001 professional nonstick cookware, from Denmark, is ideal for sugar syrups and reducing liquids because very little of the liquid sticks to the pan. Anolon pans are available at housewares stores. The Scanpan is available at Broadway Panhandler and through the Chef’s Catalogue (page 675).

DECORATING AND PASTRY TUBES
Small tubes, referred to as decorating tubes, are used for small decorations. Larger tubes, referred to as pastry tubes, are used to pipe large festoons of whipped cream or pastry cream. For the recipes in this book, I have listed the numbers of the tubes and their diameters if they are not star tubes. The numbers apply to both Wilton and Ateco tubes, but tube numbers from other countries do not correspond to these, so it is best to check the diameters.

Wilton and Ateco produce nickel-coated pastry tubes, with welded, almost invisible, seams, that are sturdy enough to resist crushing (except underfoot). (Ateco also has a less expensive line in which the seams are visible, resulting in less precise piping). When tubes flatten and become deformed through much use, an inexpensive plastic tube corrector is all that is needed to put them back into shape.

Plastic couplers make it possible to change tubes without emptying the pastry bag. French heavy-duty plastic tubes cannot be used with couplers but are absolutely impervious to distortion. (Stepping on one would hurt you more than it!)

Coupler

I keep a separate set of tubes for working with meringue or royal icing, because even a trace of grease will break either of these down. Only hot water is needed to wash tubes encrusted with meringue or royal icing. Alternatively, the tubes can be well washed and soaked in a little vinegar to remove grease or detergent.

PASTRY BAGS, PARCHMENT CONES, AND RECLOSABLE FREEZER BAGS
Pastry bags are useful not only for piping and decorating but also for filling small tart shells. Disposable plastic bags that can be cut to the desired size are available in all cake decorating supply stores and have all but replaced the traditional washable nylon bags. I also like to use reclosable quart-size and gallon-size freezer bags, because they are readily available and disposable. Because the top of the bag seals shut, the filling can’t work its way out of the bag should your grip be too relaxed. Also, royal icing stays moist and pipable in the upper part of the bag, instead of drying and crumbling. Simply cut off a small piece from one corner of the bag and insert a tube (if you are using a large pastry tube) or a coupler first (if you are using a small decorating tube that would otherwise work its way back into
the top part of the bag). Invert the bag over a blender container or large glass, fill the bag with the mixture, and close it securely.

Reclosable freezer bag

TO MAKE A PARCHMENT CONE
For precise fine chocolate piping, nothing beats a parchment cone. It is preferable to using a plastic bag with a metal tube, because the chocolate often hardens in the tube. A parchment cone can also be used to pipe royal icing and, if made large enough, whipped cream, pastry cream, or other fillings.

In these illustrations, the points of the triangle have been labeled A, B, and C. Place the triangle on a flat surface with A pointing toward you. (Figure 1) Curl C up and under, bringing it toward you until points A and C meet. The curled edge from C should lie on top of the edge between A and B. The parchment will curve more easily if you extend your right elbow while doing this. (Figure 2) Hold Points C and A together with your left hand while picking up B with your right. (Figure 3) Wrap B around to meet points A and C in the back, forming a cone. (Figure 4) Hold the bag with both hands, thumbs inside, and slide B and C in opposite directions to make a W formation. (Figure 5) Tugging point B slightly upward will help to form a sharp, closed point. (Figure 6)