LCBO Food & Drink Autumn 2024

LIFE OF PIE

Pie 101 We’ve rounded up everything you need to know about pie so you can use these tips, tricks and hacks as a jumping-off point for creating something truly memorable!

BEST PRACTICES FOR PASTRY Using your fingers and thumbs is the most classic way to prepare pastry, but it can be tricky if your hands run hot. If that’s the case, try using a pastry blender or food processor to incorporate the butter so it doesn’t warm up. cold, from pulling your butter from the freezer and softening just until usable to tossing an ice cube into your water. BLIND-BAKING Pie weights are evenly sized ceramic balls that hold your pastry in place while it par-bakes (aka partially bakes). Don’t want to invest in a set? Use dried beans or rice instead. Par-baking is done to partially bake an empty pastry or tart shell, and helps the pastry maintain its flaky texture once baked with filling in it. Try this when making our Super Silky Pumpkin Pie with Brown‑Butter Crust. SALT If it’s not specified, the butter should be unsalted when it comes to baking and pie recipes. It’s okay to use salted, but baking recipes are traditionally written using unsalted butter so that you can CHILL OUT! Be sure all of your ingredients are very

Terrific Toppers Making a show-stopping topper for pie is easier than you think. Simply roll out the top crust of the pastry, then choose your own pie adventure. A slab pie offers up a lot of surface area, so you can play around with a couple designs. TWISTS AND LATTICES Using a sharp knife, cut rolled pastry into thin or thick strips. Twist and swirl strips around the surface of the pie, connecting them as you go (right). Or lay flat strips across the pie horizon tally, across the longest side. Lay another strip across the pie on an angle. Lift the original strips back and forth, weaving the angled piece and forming a lattice. Continue with more strips until you’ve created a lattice design across the pie. PRESSED PATTERNS Using a fork, press into the dough, alternating the direction of the tines as you go, then brush top as directed in recipe. PUNCH-OUTS Use small cookie cutters to cut out fun shapes. Brush with egg, cream or milk (as instructed in recipe) before layering over filling. Use cut-outs on top as further decoration. The sky’s the limit when it comes to creating fun patterns in this style!

FALL FRUIT SLAB PIE P. 132

PIE COOKIES

More Pie Hacks Go to LCBO.com/ fdautumn24 to learn the perfect pie-slicing techniques and how to make these cute, quick to-assemble pie cookies.

control the amount of salt in the recipe. Consider kosher sea

PIE PLATES Ceramic, glass and metal pie plates all have their own mer its. There’s no need to invest in all types, just know that metal ones conduct heat more quickly, resulting in quicker browning and baking times.

salt, preferably Diamond salt for a more delicate salinity. All of these recipes were tested with kosher salt for the best results.

PIE PLATES: EMILIE SIMPSON

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