I’ve been making lots of Hand raised pies recently and I’m wondering if it’s possible to do a sweet hot water crust pastry. What I’m wanting to attempt is a Christmassy Hand raised mince pie.
My usual savoury pie pastry recipe for one pie with lid is 150g fplain flour, 33g lard, 50ml water, 1tsp milk and a pinch of salt. I find this amount fits my pie dolly perfectly with no waste.
I’m hoping it will just be as simple as add some sugar but wonder about effect of other substitutions? Lard swapped for coconut oil? Adding butter?
Has anyone tried sweet hot water crust before as not found much online?
Best Answer
You can easily add sugar to pie crust dough. In Germany, the formula "3-2-1" doesn't mean "flour-fat-water", it means "flour-fat-sugar". And I believe that I have seen shortbread cookies with even higher sugar ratios. To clarify, you are supposed to use sifted confectioner's sugar, since any larger crystals will have a hard time dissolving.
These doughs are generally made as shortbread (= simple mixing), not as a pate brisee (which is hot water). But I think the French do make sweet pate brisee. Couldn't find a source though, since it seems modern French websites don't care much for the traditional distinction of pate sablee (cold method) and pate brisee (hot water method). Still, I would just go ahead and try it - mix the confectioner's sugar into the dough and see how it works out.
Also, I wouldn't substitute the lard. I love the texture it gives, and I am personally not at all put off by its taste in sweet recipes. I know some people may react to it as weird, simply because they have never encountered the combination, but if you give it a chance, you may be pleasantly surprised.