Meat pies, hot water dough and pie dollies?

marilynfl

Moderator
Has anyone tried that dough and that tool?

Lately I've been buying Trader Joe's Steak and Stout pies. They're 3.25" in diameter and cost $7 for a box of 2.
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They aren't bad for a frozen food (I bake in conventional oven, not microwave) but there is no universe in which the actual filling is that moist with that much meat. I do have to say, the pieces of beef that are included are tender.

So I’d like to try them because I got seduced by this book from the library.
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And because of ALL the hundreds of items I've made over the years, the one thing people keep asking me is 'have you made hot water dough?" Because these are people who have watched all 15 seasons of The Great British Baking Show. And because I'm going to be in London this spring and want to compare my results with The Motherland's version.

For dinner tonight I made their leek & potato pie (under the Tart & Galette section) and wow, it was great! Nothing but blind-baked crust, leeks sauteed in butter and heavy cream, cooked potato slices and topped with gruyere and Parmesan. I blew the appearance by using the broiler to golden the cheese topping and managed to burn it and the pie crust rim. But taste-wise it was great. It's definitely going to be a guest dish.
(You're supposed to wait 15 minutes before cutting into it, but my neighbor was here so I just scooped out my slice and sent the rest of the pie home with her. So I don't really know if it cuts as clean as shown in the photo.)

They use a pie dolly to shape the meat filled crust, but also say you can just use a jar. I'll probably go that route because I've never used the mini wooden tart shaper I bought especially for shaping mini tarts. Or the wooden middle-eastern Maamoul cookie shaper I bought to shape middle-eastern Maamoul cookies.

I'll be working blind here, so any hints would be appreciated.
 
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I'm one of those people that watch all seasons! Please let me/us know how it goes when you make it! The leek and potato pie sounds absolutely scrumptious!
 
I was just watching something the other night where they were making them using the wooden pie dolly. A friend from the UK gave me his family's recipe and I have it SOMEWHERE and I have wanted to make them but never have. I have looked at the wood pie dollies and they aren't very expensive. Maybe we could have a bake along - anybody else want to try them? Anybody have a tried and true recipe?
 
I was just watching something the other night where they were making them using the wooden pie dolly. A friend from the UK gave me his family's recipe and I have it SOMEWHERE and I have wanted to make them but never have. I have looked at the wood pie dollies and they aren't very expensive. Maybe we could have a bake along - anybody else want to try them? Anybody have a tried and true recipe?
mcm, I plan to use the hot water dough recipe in this book. I liked how they mentioned the "standard" HWD recipe was a little tough and dry. So their amended version adds eggs.

6 oz lard
1/2 bunch fresh thyme
1 C water
20 oz bread flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs.

Combine the first three, bring to boil to melt lard and set aside for 10 minutes.

Sift flour/salt in stand mixer, slowly add eggs, beat 2 minutes.
Remove herbs from liquid and slowly add to mixer. Mix just enough to bring dough together.
Cover with plastic wrap, cool to room temp and then refrigerate 30 minutes or until ready to use.

Makes 2 pounds. One pie uses 6 oz for base and 2 oz for lid. (this makes enough for 4 3" pies)
 
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