Sugar Crust Recipes

SUGAR PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a bowl, combine the flour and powdered sugar. Add the butter and mix with a pastry blender until coarse crumbs form. Form the crumbs into a dough (you may need to add a little cold water if it is too crumbly). Press the dough into an 8 or 9 inch pie plate. Prick the bottom of the dough with a fork. Place the pie crust in the oven and bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let the crust cool completely before using.

MILK TART WITH BROWN-SUGAR CRUST

Steps:

• Crust: In a food processor, pulse brown sugar and 1/4 cup flour to combine. Add salt and remaining 1 cup flour; pulse to combine. Add butter and pulse just until mixture forms peasize clumps. Add egg yolk and ice water and pulse just until mixture starts to come together. Turn out dough onto a piece of plastic wrap and bring together in plastic to form a disk. Wrap and refrigerate until firm but still pliable, about 30 minutes.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a 13-inch round. Press into bottom and up sides of a 10-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Trim edges flush with rim. Refrigerate until firm, about 45 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line dough with parchment; fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake 25 minutes, then remove parchment with beans. Bake until crust is golden and set throughout, about 10 minutes more. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
• Filling: In a medium saucepan, heat milk and cream with vanilla pod and seeds until almost boiling. Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together egg and granulated sugar until combined and thick, then whisk in flour, cornstarch, and salt. Reduce heat to medium, then slowly whisk egg mixture into cream mixture. Continue whisking until bubbles appear in center of pan, about 3 minutes.
• Remove from heat and stir in butter until melted. Pass through a fine sieve into a bowl; discard solids. Pour filling into cooled crust. Sprinkle with cinnamon and refrigerate at least 3 hours and up to overnight. Cut into wedges to serve.

BUTTERY CRUNCH CRUST

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• In a medium bowl, mix together pecans, sugar, and flour. Stir in melted butter or margarine. Reserve 1/2 of the mixture for topping the pie, then press the rest evenly into a 9 inch pie pan.
• Bake in preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until golden brown. Allow crust to cool before filling.

GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST II

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a medium bowl, mix together graham cracker crumbs and melted margarine. Place mixture in a 9 inch pie pan and press firmly into bottom and sides of pan.
• Bake in preheated oven for 8 minutes.

BROWN SUGAR CRUST FOR CHEESECAKES

Steps:

• NOTES: 2/3 cup butter equals about 1 stick + 3 tablespoons aprox. You can also add chopped pecans, walnuts or almonds to the crust ingredients for a special flavor.
• Heat oven to 375°F Grease and flour 13 x 9" baking pan or a 12-inch pizza pan.
• In medium bowl, mix flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter, using fork or pastry blender until crumbly. Press firmly and evenly against bottom and side of pan.
• Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until light brown and cool.

SUGAR CRUST SPONGE

Steps:

• TIN PREPARATION (VERY IMPORTANT).
• Lightly grease a 21cm wide, 5 - 6cm deep, cake tin. Put a disc of baking paper on the bottom, also grease this.
• Put one heaped tablespoon (maybe more) of caster sugar in tin and shake it around to coat the bottom and sides, tap out excess.
• Repeat with same amount of flour and tap out excess. If tin is not non-stick, also line the sides with paper.
• Preheat oven to 170degrees Celsius.
• MAKING THE CAKE.
• 1. Sift the flour and salt onto a piece of greaseproof paper. Break the eggs into a bowl and whisk with a hand held beater until they are frothy, then whisk in the sugar, a tablespoon at a time.
• 2. Whisk until the mixture is pale and thick. Continue whisking until it forms "ribbons" when you stop beating and lift the beaters out of the mixture (the mixture will fall off the beater in a thick trail).
• 3. Sift the flour (again) over the top and fold it into the whipped eggs, along with the lemon zest, using a large spoon or rubber scraper. Use the spoon to lift up mixture from the sides of the bowl, then let it cascade over the top. Do not beat as this will knock out the air.
• 4. Turn the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 15 - 20 minutes (regular bake not fanbake) in the preheated oven, or until the cake is springy to the touch and is just starting to pull away from the sides of the tin (it may take as long as 25 minutes, but is better to keep the sponge soft and moist).
• 5. Cool five minutes in the tin then turn out onto a cooling rack and peel off the paper. Let the sponge cool thoroughly before assembling the cake.
• ASSEMBLY.
• 1. Whip the cream with the sugar and seeds from vanilla pod (or essence or paste).
• 2. Gently melt the redcurrant jelly over a gentle heat with the berries (if frozen heat till thawed and warm).
• 3. Split the sponge in half with a breadknife and fill with the cream. Brush the top of the cake with hot juices/melted jelly then arrange fruit on top.
• The sponge is best eaten on the day it is made soon after assembly but keep it refrigerated if you must make it ahead.