Soupy strawberry pie

I'm hoping that someone out there in cyberland can help me with a problem recipe. A year ago I attempted to make the fresh strawberry pie in Rose Levy Beranbaum's Pie and Pastry Bible, but it always failed. Since then I have tried a number of variations on a glaze, but everysingle time my pie turns to water after about 12 hrs. I have tried numerous thickeners: cornstarch, casava, arrowroot, even gelatin. For those of you who are from the East Coast and have eaten the Fresh Strawberry Pie at Bob's Big Boy, that is what I'm going for. Major questions: will cut strawberries hold a glaze? If so, for how long? P.S. My boiled glaze looks, tastes, and holds in the frig just fine but when I fold in the berries and pour into a prebaked shell I get soup. Please, HEEEELLLPP.

[thebighat]

I tried that pie once too, that's the one with glaze made from cran raspberry concentrate? I don't think it's got much of a shelf life due to the acidity of the strawberries munching away on the cornstarch. Can you get your hands on any kind of instant starch? I saw it for sale in the pharmacy at Walgreens' and they told me it was for thickening pureed food. I read the label and that's all it was--modified starch. Might be worth a try.

[Pooh]

Have you tried Instant Tapioca?

[momoreg]

I assume your strawberries are cooked before going into the pie, rather than folded into the gel?

That modified starch is also known as clearjel, and may yeild better results than cornstarch.

[m brown]

momoreg is on the money, clear gel will solve your strawberry pie woes. The berries should be raw, and the gel can be warm or cold.

[m brown]

Rick, in the past I have made the pie with clear gel red gel and WHOLE berries, no green tops. Perhaps keeping the berries whole adds to the shelf life. I would say 36 hours 48 tops is okay.

First, the pie I'm referring to uses fresh uncooked strawberries and the recipe calls for slicing them then folding into the glaze. Second, I've tried using tapioca flour as a thickener and in combination with cornstarch. Clear Gel is a new one to me. I'm assuming that since it is a food starch it would be boiled. I will check with my local market to see if they carry it. One other thought, does anybody happen to know how long of a shelf life this pie could have ? I'd hate to be trying for 36-48 hrs. if that is not possible. Thanks for your input.

[W.DeBord]

I make my fresh sb. pie with surejel (that comes in a box, you'll find it by the canning items in the grocery store or by the puddings).


Basicly your thickening a sweetened strawberry sauce or puree (I add a hint of red food color too) and covering your fresh berries with it. You really have to slice or half your berries because it becomes quite unsightly and hard to eat with huge berries. I slice and toss them with the thickened sauce for the bottom layer of my pie. But for the top, I like to arrange the berries nicely then pour the sauce over the top to coat.

I can't remember how long it held but definately 24 hrs. Do you need the recipe?

Dear W. DeBord, yes I would very much appreciate having the recipe. thanks to everyone for your help with a very frustrating problem.

[momoreg]

PS- I saw clear Jel in the King Arthur Catalog this morning.

[thebighat]

I wouldn't mind the recipe either, if you don't mind. I love that pie. Oh, and get this. We opened for lunch and a dinner buffet this week at the country club. When I asked the general manager what he wanted see for desserts, he said, I think we'll skip desserts this year and just put a plate of cookies on the table. there goes like 20% of my job, out the window. How fussy can YOU get making cookies?

[W.DeBord]

Cookies are the biggest seller at my club....yes, it's frustrating but I'd be more than happy to talk cookie recipes........

Strawberry Pie (one of the very few baking recipes I've ever gotten out of Cooks Illustrated):

2 qt. sb.'s (or more depending on how full you want your crust)
1 c. sugar
1 tbsp. sure jell powdered pectin for lower sugar recipes (it says for lower sugar on the box)
pinch of salt
3 tbsp. cornstarch
pinch cinnamon (opt.)
1/4 tsp. vanilla
pre-baked pie shell

Puree 1 pt. sb. bring puree, sugar, pectin, salt to a boil for 1 min. (skim off any foam). Mix cornstarch and 1/4c. cold h2o then cook that into strawberry sauce bring to boil again, until it's thick and clear. Add cinnamon and vanilla, cool to room temp.. Reserve 1/4c. of glaze.
Fold sliced sb'c into glaze, pour into shell and smooth down, arrange remaining berries 1/2s on top. Add 2 tbsp. h20 to reserved glaze and brush the top berries with this. Store in the cooler.

I used strawberry sauce I had on hand and thickened with sure jell and cornstarch....worked great, quick too.

[thebighat]

The maite'd tells me, "Honey, you just spend hours making two Fabulous desserts." So I do that, and the waitstaff eats them. I'm not freaked out they don"t want my gateaux, I just don't want the paycheck impacted too much. I like making cookies. I've got the French Cookie Book, Nick Malgieri's book, Rose Levy Beranbaum's book--got plenty of recipes and I actually think this is an opportunity, rather than any kind of slap in the face. The gm said spend more time making breads. That's fine too. I just dragged my butt in after an 11 hr day and thought I made good stuff- challah, pizza, focaccia, grissini, baguettes,pecan rolls, dipped strawberries, lemon squares, fruit tarts, eclairs, macaroon fruit tarts, rugelach, chocolate crackle cookies and ginger orange sables. All this for one party, and most of it will still be there tomorrow. Thanks for the recipe.