When would you use a mealy crust and a flaky crust?
Flaky doughs are used for top crusts and sometimes for prebaked shells. To produce mealy doughs with even more resistance to soaking, the flour and fat can be blended together completely to make a smooth paste. Such a dough is very short when baked. It is especially appropriate for custard pies.
What is the difference between flaky pie dough and mealy pie dough?
Flaky crust is used for non-liquid or cooked fillings. It’s achieved by keeping your fat pieces larger after combining. Mealy dough is used for pies with a liquid or custard filling. It’s more dense, so it can withstand the heavier fillings, and is made by rubbing your fat and flour down to cornmeal-sized pieces.
Which type of flour is the best choice for pie doughs?
Pastry flour is the best choice for pie doughs. It has enough gluten to produce the desired structure and flakiness, yet is low enough in gluten to yield a tender product, if handled properly. If stronger flours are used, the percentage of shortening should be increased to provide more tenderness.
Which types of pies would mealy dough be best for?
Mealy pie dough is best for using for pies that have a liquid or custard filling like pumpkin, or apple pie filling because it won’t get soggy. The pieces of fat in the flour are very small, making the fat distribution denser which repels liquids.
Which is better for pie dough flaky or mealy?
Mealy pie dough is one that stands up to wet pie fillings. The dough’s fat is worked into the flour more than in flaky pie dough, which means it resists soaking as the latter does. Many bakers prefer to use a mealy pie dough as the bottom crust while reserving a flaky dough for the top.
What makes a flaky pastry crust for a pie?
Flaky and Crisp Pie Dough (flaky) crusts are made from short dough containing few ingredients, being flour, fat, salt and water. The fat is cut or rubbed into the flour until their particles resemble the size of peas.
What makes a pie crust a mealy crust?
Mealy pie crusts are made from a fat and flour mixture that more resembles coarse corn meal. The pieces of fat are very small, making a more dense dough, and resisting the urge to absorb moisture. The easiest pie dough recipe in the world is this: “1, 2, 3”.
What kind of dough do you use to make pie crust?
Go to our Basic and Flaky Pie and Tart Crust Dough Recipe Pâte Brisée (compact and crumbly) sometimes called mealy pie dough is one of the more useful and popular pie dough and makes a good choice when making decorated fluted edges.