Easy, Delicious Buttermilk Pastry

This recipe creates a truly unique, crisp pastry and is one of my favourites. The recipe makes one double crust pie or 18 tarts. I use the scraps to make shapes that I can bake and freeze to float on soup or garnish a bowl of pudding. Shapes are also perfect for embellishing the top of a pie.

Moist Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter, chilled and cubed

1/3 cup vegetable shortening or lard, chilled and cubed

3/4 cup buttermilk

Method:

I cut the butter and shortening into small pieces the evening before I make the pastry. Store the prepared fat in the refrigerator.

In the morning, add the cold butter and shortening to the dry ingredients and, using a pastry blender or two forks, cut the fats into the dry ingredients until pea-sized crumbs form.

Dry Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and levelled

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

Whisk dry ingredients together and set aside.

Pour the buttermilk over the flour mixture and toss lightly with a fork, just until the dough starts to hold together. Add a few more drops of buttermilk if the dough seems crumbly. You will need to add more buttermilk in dry climates.

Bring the dough into a ball and then divide it in half. Flatten each half into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, or until you are ready to roll the pastry.

Sour Cream Raisin Pie or Tarts

This is my mother’s recipe and it’s easy to make. It is neither too sweet nor too spicy; it’s mind-blowingly delicious.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

A pinch of salt

2 egg yolks (keep the whites for the meringue)

Instructions:

1 cup high fat sour cream (15%)

1 cup raisins (I wash and remove stems)

1/4 teaspoon of baking soda (set aside)

Make the meringue, while the filling cools for a few minutes.

Meringue Recipe

3 egg whites (yes, you need to crack another egg)

1/4 cup granulated sugar

Mix the first 6 ingredients in a medium size saucepan and cook over medium heat until thickened, stirring constantly. When thickened, remove the filling from the stove and stir in the baking soda. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Whip the egg whites with an electric hand mixer until foamy. Slowly add 1/4 cup sugar while still beating the whites. When stiff peaks form, set aside while filling the baked shells with the Sour Cream Raisin Tart filling. Add a dollop of meringue to each tart. Brown the meringue in the preheated oven for 5 to 7 minutes. Keep an eye on the tarts because meringue browns quickly.

BY: JULIE BARNES