Betty Crocker’s Perfect Baked Pie Crust

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/3 c. plus 1 tablespoon shortening
• 2 to 3 Tbsp. cold water

Directions:

Heat oven to 475ºF. Mix flour and salt in medium bowl. Cut in shortening, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until particles are size of small peas. Sprinkle with cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost leaves side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons more water can be added if necessary).

Gather pastry into a ball. Shape into flattened round on lightly floured surface. Wrap flattened round of pastry in plastic wrap and refrigerate about 45 minutes or until dough is firm and cold, yet pliable. This allows the shortening to become slightly firm, which helps make the baked pastry more flaky. If refrigerated longer, let pastry soften slightly before rolling.

Roll pastry, using floured rolling pin, into circle 2 inches larger than upside-down 9-inch glass pie plate. Fold pastry into fourths; place in pie plate. Unfold and ease into plate, pressing firmly against bottom and side.

Trim overhanging edge of pastry 1 inch from rim of pie plate. Fold and roll pastry under, even with plate; flute as desired. Prick bottom and side of pastry thoroughly with fork. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light brown; cool on wire rack.

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Bunny Butt Cookie Recipe from Pillsbury™

Get the children involved by asking them to assemble and decorate their bunny.  You might want to get extra marshmallows for any little taste testers.

Yield: 22 Servings

These fun cookies will make a Hopp-y Easter for you and your family. Find the recipe here.

Ingredients: 

• 1 roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury™ refrigerated sugar cookies
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 container (12 oz) fluffy white whipped ready-to-spread frosting
• Pink gel food color, if desired
• 22 miniature marshmallows
• Assorted size candy sprinkles

Directions: 

1. Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, knead cookie dough and flour with hands until well mixed.
2. Reshape dough into 9×1 1/2-inch log.
3. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate 30 minutes.Remove plastic wrap. Cut cookie dough into 33 slices. Cut 11 slices into 4 equal wedges; shape each wedge into ovals for bunny feet. Place cookie dough slices and bunny feet on ungreased cookie sheet.
4. Bake 8 to 12 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.
5. In medium microwavable bowl, stir frosting and 1 to 3 drops pink food color until well blended. Microwave uncovered on High 10 to 15 seconds or until soft but not translucent.
6. To make bunny butt, frost 1 whole cookie slice and 2 bunny feet with frosting. Place bunny feet on bottom of cookie as shown in photo. Place 1 marshmallow in center of each cookie for tail. Decorate bunny paws with candy sprinkles. Repeat with remaining cookie slices and bunny feet.

Tips

• To add ears to your bunny, place candy-coated almonds or jelly beans at top of each cookie.
• You can bake and freeze cookies up to 2 months ahead.

Presidential “Crustmaster” Leaves White House

Executive Pastry Chef Bill Yosses*Photos by Pete Souza/White House.

White House Pastry Chef William “Bill” Yosses, dubbed the “Crustmaster” by United States President Barack Obama, is leaving for New York. He plans to teach children and adults about eating better. For details, read more in this New York Times article written by Marian Burros. (just click on link)

If you want to bake a pie fit for a President, then click here for Yosses’ Apple Pie recipe.

Apple Pie served at a White House dinner made by Executive Pastry Chef Bill Yosses*Photos by Pete Souza/White House.

 

 

Blackcurrant and Mascarpone Victoria Sponge

FrugalFeeding

Victoria sponge – the quintessential English teatime treat – is, according to tradition, a basic sandwich cake filled with either strawberry or raspberry jam and dusted liberally with icing sugar (though a little whipped cream might make an appearance). Delightful as tradition is, there’s nothing wrong with zesting proceedings up a little – literally. The addition of orange and lemon zest is a great way of achieving a very special flavour, without doing away with the lightness of the perfect sponge cake.

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