Aunt Emma's Never Fail Pie Crust

3 c sifted flour
1 1/4 c Shortening
1 tsp salt
1 egg, well beaten
5 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp vinegar

Cut shortening into flour and salt.
Combine egg, water, and vinegar in a separate bowl.
Pour liquid into flour mixture all at once. Blend with spoon until flour is all moistened.
It can be re-rolled without toughening. Will keep in refrigerator for two weeks or divide into balls enough for one pie and wrap in Saran wrap and freeze indefinitely.

Makes 2 crusts

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Honey, Spice and All That's Nice

This week's French Friday's With Dorie project is Honey-Spiced Madeleines.  I was very anxious to try these, never had before, and now I had a good excuse to go buy a new tool, the pan.  As Dorie explains, what is now called a madeleine pan, the one with the shell-shaped indentations, "was once associated with medieval religious pilgrims".  The name Madeleine came from the king of Poland who enjoyed the little cakes made by a home baker of that name when he visited France.  Interesting!  And as it turns out, they really are little cakes, rather than cookies.

I was unfamiliar with this type of batter.  Whisk the dry ingredients together: flour, baking powder, spices, salt and pepper.  Yes, pepper.  Then rub the lemon zest (I didn't have an orange on hand) and the sugar together with your fingers.  Use the mixer's whisk attachment to blend the wet ingredients into the sugar: eggs, honey, vanilla.  Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet, followed by melted butter.


Dorie gives options at this point (I love her recipes for this.). I chose to fill the buttered pan, cover it and then refrigerate for 3 hours.











I baked and banged the pan on the counter.  All 12 little cakes popped right out onto the rack.

These are definitely guest-, or even hostess gift- worthy.  Tender and spicey. Not overly sweet.


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5 comments:

  1. Cher RockwellSeptember 24, 2011 at 2:42 PM

    I am glad I wasn't the only orange-less one in the group. These were fun little treats, weren't they?

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousSeptember 24, 2011 at 3:02 PM

    These were great! Not too sweet, but lots of flavour.

    ReplyDelete
  3. RobinSeptember 25, 2011 at 2:48 AM

    Hostess gift would be perfect for the holidays.

    ReplyDelete
  4. AdrianaSeptember 25, 2011 at 2:08 PM

    You nailed the description - tender and spicy but not too sweet. We loved them here too, even though I didn't use the right pan. Your madeleines are lovely!

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousSeptember 25, 2011 at 5:31 PM

    Your cakes turned out beautifully! I want to make them again!!

    ReplyDelete

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