How did we manage before the invention of Google and its search engines? I go to it often in researching or searching for recipes.  And the latest was my discovery of ChefSteps, a site that focuses on cooking technique, recipes, and various how-to features.  Most of their recipes have videos showing how to prepare the recipe.  The Seattle-based group is led by some 50 contributors of writers, photographers, chefs, etc., who are experts in their field.

I’ve been trying to make a decent pecan pie, following recipes from various cookbooks, but I was not pleased with any of them.  I looked at ChefSteps  and found one of the most unusual methods of preparation, which ultimately offered the best pecan pie.  My judge was a friend of mine who’s a self-proclaimed pecan-pie maven.

Deep dish pecan pie

Deep dish pecan pie

Several steps, however, gave me pause.  It’s their theory that to make a perfect shortcrust or pâte brisée it’s accomplished by using bread flour instead of all-purpose or pastry flour. Their premises is based on this explanation:

Its protein content [of standard all-purpose flour] affects the way the dough absorbs water, can vary from season to season and brand to brand. Bread flour is engineered to have around 12 percent protein content, allowing us to get a better and more consistent result.

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