Carlas Classic Pie Dough Recipes

SWEET POTATO PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Put the sweet potatoes on a foil-lined half-sheet pan. Bake, turning once, until very tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. When cool enough to handle, take the sweet potatoes out of their jackets and scrape the flesh into a 1-quart measuring cup. You should have 2 1/2 cups packed sweet potato.
• Raise the oven temperature to 425 degrees F.
• Line the frozen dough with foil and fill with pie weights. Bake until dry and set, about 25 minutes. Remove the foil with the weights and bake the dough until golden brown, about 5 minutes longer. Let cool completely, then place on a half-sheet pan.
• Transfer the sweet potato to a large bowl and add the cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, salt, butter, brown sugar, and the evaporated milk. Beat with a heavy whisk until smooth. Taste and add more brown sugar if you'd like. The amount will depend on the sweetness of your spuds. Add the eggs and whisk until fully incorporated. Pour into the pie crust and spread evenly.
• Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Bake until the top is golden brown and the filling has puffed and set, about 40 minutes. If the crust browns too quickly, cover it with foil and continue baking. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
• Dissolve the sugar and salt in 1/3 cup water and chill until cold.
• Pulse the flour and butter in a stand mixer until the mixture looks like coarse meal with some pea-size pieces. Add the water all at once and mix until the dough almost forms a ball. Divide the dough in half and flatten into two disks.
• Wrap each disk tightly in plastic wrap and chill until firm, at least 30 minutes or up to 3 days. You can freeze the dough for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before rolling.

CARLA HALL'S CRANBERRY APPLE PIE

Steps:

• For flaky pie crust(if using storebought crust, skip this):.
• Combine water, salt, and sugar in measuring cup. Stir and place cup in fridge for at least 15 min (to chill water and to dissolve sugar and salt). If possible, chill mixing bowl and paddle attachment if possible.
• Combine flour and butter pieces in mixing bowl. On medium speed with mixer, cut butter into flour until butter pieces are the size of small pebbles. With the mixer running, pour the water from previous step into the butter mixture. Mix until the dough comes together.
• Separate the dough into 2 disks. Wrap each with film and chill.
• Roll chilled pastry dish out to fit a 9-inch pie dish. Prick all over dough with a fork. Bake on 375 for 10-15 minutes, or until it is lightly golden. Set aside to cool.
• For Cranberry Apple Filling:.
• In a large bowl, combine apples and cranberries (frozen and dried) Stir in salt, sugars (brown and granulated), nutmeg, and cinnamon. Stir in the zest and juice of 1 lemon. If you don't like cranberries try dried cherries or raisins instead.
• In a small bowl, combine water, cornstarch, and vanilla. Quickly stir mixture into apples. Adjust seasoning if desired.
• Fill pie dish with apple filling.
• For Crumble Topping:
• Place all the topping ingredients into food processor and process until butter has been cut into the mixture. Carla tip: if you overmix your crumble just add extra nuts or oatmeal.
• Sprinkle topping over top of pie filling. Bake at 375 degrees F for 30 minutes.
• Enjoy!

CARLA'S CLASSIC PIE DOUGH

Steps:

• Dissolve the sugar and salt in 1/3 cup water and chill until cold.
• Pulse the flour and butter in a stand mixer until the mixture looks like coarse meal with some pea-size pieces. Add the water all at once and mix until the dough almost forms a ball. Divide the dough in half and flatten into two disks.
• Wrap each disk tightly in plastic wrap and chill until firm, at least 30 minutes or up to 3 days. You can freeze the dough for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before rolling.