Thanks Amy

September 14, 2005

Amy

Thank you so much for the information on flour. I did purchase whole wheat pastry flour and can't wait to start substituting as you mentioned. I love baking and would like to make it healthier. My ds loves junk food like poptarts. I told my mom the other day I'd rather he ate my apple pie for breakfast. I need to remember that he is my stepson and there is very little I can do. Just offer him healthy alternatives, but don't let him know they are healthy

Your recipe sounds great, also.

Take care.

JennAmy <sandpiperhiker wrote:

> what is the difference between pastry flour and regular flour?Pastry flour is ground from a softer variety of wheat (ie, not hardwinter wheat), and can also be found as white or whole grain. It has alower proportion of protein, and will be softer in kneading andstructure. I often use whole grain pastry flour in place of allpurpose white in recipes, especially sweet ones like cookies, whereyou still would like a softer texture.> Do you have an oatmeal pastry shell recipe (may be farfetched, I > know)?Damn, I do, but it's on a truck. Pretty much it was quick rolledoats, mixed with a dab of brown sugar and enough melted butter (I usesmartbalance, which is a veg margarine, about half the time), andpressed into the pan. You can also make an oat flour by grindingthose rolled oats in a blender (they're soft enough to

grind thatway). If you mean rolled, you might need to add something??> Do you have a whole wheat pastry shell recipe?Same as above!!! :-( I'm sure someone else must though!> I've made two pies in the past three days. All apple, yummy. > Anyway, the last one I used one cup pastry flour and one cup whole > wheat flour. I love pies and would like to cup up with a healthier > type of pie crust.Here is a recipe from my files that uses a walnut crust, to add toyour list of experimentations. It's just yummy, and I use whole grainpastry flour.Cranberry-Walnut Galettesmakes 7 galettesCranberries and walnuts are an extraordinary combination for a falldessert. The richness of the walnuts complements the tartness of thecranberries nicely.Walnut pastry dough1/2 c walnuts, toasted3 c unbleached AP flour (substituted whole grain pastry flour)1/4 c sucanat (substituted sugar)1/4

tsp sea salt3/4 c canola oil1/2 to 3/4 c soy milkCranberry-walnut filling1/4 c orange liqueur (optional) (I used a few drops of orange oil)1/2 c water1/4 c fresh lemon juice1 1/2 c sucanat1 tsp ground cinnamon2 tbsp minced fresh ginger1 1/2 lbs fresh or frozen cranberries7 tbsp walnuts, toasted and choppedfrozen vanilla Rice Dream (substitute vanilla ice cream)To make the pastry dough:FInely chop the walnuts by hand or grind them in a blender or foodprocessor. Sift the flour into a bowl. Add the walnuts, sucanat, andsalt. Stir the dry ingredients together. Drizzle the oil into the dryingredients, coverin as much surface area as possible, and mix lightlywith a spatula until the flour and oil form dough balls about the sizeof marbles. Drizzle 1/2 cup soy milk into the bowl and stir until themixture forms a ball. If the dough does not come together, add moresoy milk 1 tablespoon at a time.

Wrap the ball in plastic wrap. Kneadlightly in the plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.To make the filling:In a medium saucepan, simmer the liqueur for one minute to remove someof the alcohol. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer until thecranberries have broken down, 15 to 20 minutes. Pour the hot fillingonto a sided baking sheet and let cool.To make the galettes:Preheat the oven to 350*. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.Divide th dough into 7 pieces. Roll 1 piece between sheets ofparchment or waxed paper to a rough circle 6 inches in diameter. Keepthe remaining doug wrapped in plastic.Reove the top sheet of paper to break the seal of the dough. Replaceit on top of the dough lightly, flip the dough over, and remove paperthat is now on top. With a paring knife, cut the dough into a 5 inchdiameter circle, using a small plate as a guide. Remove excess dough.Place 1/4 cup filling in the

center of the circle and top with onetablespoon chopped walnuts. Fold the sides of the circle over thefilling, leaving the center open and creating a square galette.Using a large metal spatula, transfer the galette to the preparedsheet. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. Bake for 35minutes, or until the crusts are golden brown. Let cool slightly on arack. Serve warm with Rice Dream.from The Millenium Cookbook, Eric Tucker & John Westerdahl (dessertrecipes by Sascha Weiss)