GWAI LO INC. - Gwai Lo Pastry

APPLE PIE

Wine: Cream Sherry

Serves 6 to 8

MAKE THE DOUGH INGREDIENTS
2 cups of flour
1/3 cup shortening
6 tbsp. cold water
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg yolk for sealing the pie

ASSEMBLE THE FILLING
12 tart apples (Macintosh are excellent and are most readily available)
1/3 cup cinnamon
1 cup sugar
2 tbsp. flour
juice of 1 lemon

Take the 2 cups flour, 1/3 cup shortening and mix together until it resembles oatmeal. Add 6 tbsp. cold water and 1/2 tsp. Salt and continue to mix egg yolk for sealing the pie. Cut a piece of dough and roll it out. To line a pan - 9" pie pan 12 tart apples peeled, seeded, sliced 1/8 inch thick 1/3 cup cinnamon, 1 cup sugar, 2 tbsp. Flour, juice of 1 lemon mix all together very well.

DOUGH TOP
Cut another piece of dough and roll it out and cut four 1/2 inch holes in the top (to allow the steam to escape) cover and set aside. Fill the pie with the apple mixture and use the second piece of dough to cover. Paint the egg yolk on the dough rim and top it cover with prepared pastry and bake at 350Ą F for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

LEMON MERINGUE PIE

Wine: Ice Wine (very cold)

Serves 6 to 8

INGREDIENTS
1 x 9" BAKED PIE SHELL
1/2 TSP. SALT
8 TBSP. CORNSTARCH
2 CUPS SUGAR
3/4 CUP BOILING WATER
3/4 CUP LEMON JUICE
2 TBSP. BUTTER
6 EGG YOLKS MERINGUE
6 EGG WHITES
1/2 CUP SUGAR

Take a pie dough lined pan and line with paper and pie weights to bake blind, put in the oven to bake at 350Ą F for 15 to 20 minutes. In a pot put the of the filling for the pie EXCEPT THE EGG YOLKS. Bring to a boil Put the egg yolks in a bowl and add the hot filling and stir until well blended. Put the filling in the shell and cool. Whip the 6 whites and 1/2 cup of sugar to a stiff peak Pile high on the pie. Heat an oven to 450Ą F. Bake for 1 to 2 minutes until the meringue is golden brown, then cool.

Tip 1:
Whenever beating egg whites use a clean grease free bowl and whip (whisk). Add the sugar only after you have begun to beat the egg whites and they are frothy. A soft peak stage is when the whip is lifted out and the egg whites slowly fold back in. A stiff peak stage is when the peaks of the egg whites remain straight up when you lift the whip out. If you over beat the eggs they will separate and become watery and collapse.

Tip 2:
Some recipes require that the piecrust be "baked blind". To do this, line a pie pan with some piecrust, then place some baking paper inside and up the sides. Do not use wax paper as it will leave wax on your dough and create a lot of smoke in your kitchen. I use ceramic pie weights as they do not burn, they conduct heat well and they are washable. Some people use coffee beans or rice; use whichever you prefer. Make sure that you fill the shell well so that the sides do not collapse when baking. Another reason for adding weights is to prevent an air pocket from forming underneath the crust while it is baking. With this technique you can add a variety of cooked fillings such as that required for a lemon meringue pie.