[Sca-cooks] Re: raised crusts

[Louise Smithson]

Cindy wrote,
I want to make one of Robert May's elaborate raised hot water crust
pies.
The recipe (p.211) calls for 3 quarts flour, 3/4 lb butter, and an
unspecified amount of water. When cold, this is supposed to be a very
strong & sturdy dough that can be easily shaped & will hold an edge
without
slumping.

My questions are: Does anyone know how much water is best to use for
this?
What adjustment should be made for the difference in flours? (I'm
using
all-purpose flour.) How much should I work it while it's hot?

Regards,

Cindy

Cindy,
I have made hot water crust.  I got the recipe and instructions from my
mother (in England) who still makes hot water crust for raised pork
pies.  I found that this worked moderately well.  But there is a sweet
point to work it. Too hot it sags, too cold it snaps.  Her proportions
are as follows. With instructions after.  How much weight is 3 quarts of
flour?  I suspect that your ratios has a lower fat content which might
make it less wobbly, which was a problem with my recipe.
For the pastry:
3/4lb all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 ounces lard or butter
5 fluid ounces water
For the pastry case:
Sieve flour and salt into a warm basin.  Place the water and lard in a
saucepan and bring to a rolling boil.  Make a well in the dry
ingredients and quickly add the boiling liquid while mixing constantly
with a wooden spoon.  Mix with the wooden spoon until the dough is cool
enough to handle.  Turn pastry onto a board and knead until smooth.  The
dough at this point should still be warm.  Remove 1/3 of the dough and
place in a basin over hot water, cover and leave to one side.  Take a 6"
diameter cake or other tin, turn it upside down and flour well (or cover
with plastic wrap).  Flatten the remaining 2/3 of the pastry and lay
over the tin.  Shape it and work it down the sides until it is even and
about 4" deep.  Allow to cool in this position and it will harden.
Prepare a collar of greaseproof paper and tie it around the pastry, this
helps stabilize it and prevent slumping if you are not cool and set.
Invert the tin with the pastry on it and lift the tin out gently.  Fill
the pastry case with the prepared filling, stopping about ¼" from the
edge, dampen the edge with beaten egg.  Roll out the remaining 1/3 of
the pastry and place on top of the pie.  Trim the edges and crimp to
seal.  Use pastry trimmings to decorate the top of the pie.  Make a hole
in the center of the lid.  Pin greaseproof paper around the sides of the
pie to help it retain its shape.  Place on a baking sheet and bake at
350 °F for 1 hour until the pastry is firm, remove the paper from the
sides of the pie.  Brush the top and the sides of the pastry with a
beaten egg to improve browning.   Bake for a further 1/2 hour to 1 hour
until the filling is cooked.