Hot-Water Crust and Raised Pies
Cooking Skills: Pastry 2
Chapter 6 · Hot-Water Crust and Raised Pies
Skill goal
Make a firm pastry from hot fat and water, and raise it into a free-standing pie.
Shopping list for this chapter
The basics
Hot-water crust is the traditional pastry for pork pies, game pies and Scottish pies. Fat and water are boiled together and poured onto flour, which makes a warm, pliable dough that is moulded while still warm. As it cools, it sets firm, strong enough to stand without a tin and to hold a heavy meat filling. It is not light and flaky like shortcrust; it is crisp, sturdy and delicious, and eaten cold or at room temperature.
The skill is working fast: the dough sets hard as it cools, so keep it covered in a warm place, and mould it before it stiffens. The filling is packed tightly and cooked inside the crust. Because the pie bakes and then cools, the meat shrinks away from the crust, so a stock jelly is poured through a hole in the lid to fill the gap, keeping it moist and holding the meat in place. Shortcrust pies are in Cooking Skills: Pastry 1, chapter 4.
The method
- Boil the fat and water together, pour onto the flour at once and mix to a soft dough.
- Keep the dough warm under a bowl or cloth; cold dough will not mould and cracks.
- Raise the case by pressing dough over the base of a jar, or lining a tin; keep the walls even, about 4 mm thick.
- Pack the filling firmly, put on the lid, crimp and cut a hole for steam.
- Bake until cooked through (75°C in the centre for meat), cool, then pour in the jelly and chill.
| Pastry | Fat | Texture | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shortcrust | Rubbed in cold | Short, crumbly | Tarts, pies in dishes |
| Rough puff | Folded in lumps | Flaky | Pie lids, pastries |
| Hot-water crust | Melted with water | Firm, crisp, sturdy | Pork pies, raised pies |
| Suet pastry | Shredded suet | Soft, spongy | Steamed puddings, dumplings |
Hot fat, raw pork and jelly
Steam from choux and hot paste: hot choux paste spits, and steam escapes fast when you open the oven or pierce a bun. Beat the hot paste with a wooden spoon, keep your face back, and use oven gloves when you open the oven door.Raw pork and cooking through: pork must be cooked right through to 75°C in the centre (general guidance), with no pink and clear juices. Keep raw meat on its own board and plate, wash hands, boards and knives in hot soapy water, and chill cooked pies promptly.
Jelly and chilled pies: pies with jelly must be chilled below 5°C and eaten within about 2 days. Do not leave them at room temperature for more than about 2 hours. Gelatine is made from animal bones; use agar or leave the jelly out for a vegetarian version.
Try it
Level 1 · Start here
Hot-water crust dough
Make this dough first and work quickly while it is warm. Boil the fat and water until the fat has fully melted, then pour it onto the flour all at once. Knead it briefly until smooth. If it cools and cracks, warm it in the microwave for 10 seconds.
Ingredients (1 batch)
- 300 g plain flour
- 1 tsp fine salt
- 100 g lard
- 125 ml water
- 1 egg, beaten (for glazing)
- Mix the flour and salt in a bowl and make a well in the centre. Boil the lard and water in a small pan until the lard has melted and the water is bubbling.
- Pour the hot liquid into the flour at once, stir with a wooden spoon until it forms a ball, then knead for 1 minute until smooth.
- Keep the dough covered in a warm bowl and use it within 15 minutes, while it is still warm and pliable.
Hot fat, raw egg and allergens
Steam from choux and hot paste: hot choux paste spits, and steam escapes fast when you open the oven or pierce a bun. Beat the hot paste with a wooden spoon, keep your face back, and use oven gloves when you open the oven door.Raw dough and raw flour: raw flour and raw egg can carry germs, so don't taste raw pastry or filling that contains raw egg or raw meat. Wash hands, bowls and the worktop afterwards, and keep tasting for the cooked result.
Allergens: pastry contains gluten (flour) and milk (butter); egg washes contain egg. Use a plant block fat for a dairy-free version, and note that gluten-free flour needs a different method.
Level 2 · Small
Small pork pies
Small pork pies are made in a muffin tin to hold the shape. Use fatty cuts of pork, and season generously, because cold meat tastes blander than hot. Cook right through. Eat cold with mustard and pickle.
Ingredients (8 small pies)
- 1 batch of hot-water crust dough (above)
- 350 g pork shoulder, finely chopped
- 100 g unsmoked bacon, finely chopped
- 1 tsp chopped fresh sage
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- 1 tsp fine salt
- 1 egg, beaten
- 200 ml hot low-salt chicken stock
- 1 tsp powdered gelatine
- Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan, gas 6). Roll two thirds of the dough and cut 8 circles to line the tin; use the rest for lids. Mix the pork, bacon, sage, pepper, nutmeg and salt.
- Line the muffin tin holes with the pastry, pack the filling firmly, brush the edges with egg, add the lids, crimp, and cut a hole in the top of each. Glaze with egg.
- Bake for 20 minutes, then at 180°C (160°C fan, gas 4) for 25 to 30 minutes until the centre reaches 75°C. Dissolve the gelatine in the hot stock, cool slightly, pour through the holes, and chill for 4 hours.
Raw pork, hot oven and jelly
Raw pork and cooking through: pork must be cooked right through to 75°C in the centre (general guidance), with no pink and clear juices. Keep raw meat on its own board and plate, wash hands, boards and knives in hot soapy water, and chill cooked pies promptly.Hot oven and hot trays: ovens, trays and tins are hot enough to burn badly. Use dry oven gloves (a damp cloth conducts heat), pull the shelf out a little before lifting a tray, put hot things on a heatproof surface and keep children away from the oven door.
Jelly and chilled pies: pies with jelly must be chilled below 5°C and eaten within about 2 days. Do not leave them at room temperature for more than about 2 hours. Gelatine is made from animal bones; use agar or leave the jelly out for a vegetarian version.
Level 2 · Large
A chicken and ham raised pie
A large pie in a loose-bottomed cake tin. Line the tin with two thirds of the pastry and keep the lid for last. Pack the chicken and ham in layers, and add a layer of chopped herbs for flavour. Cook right through; a thermometer takes the guesswork out.
Ingredients (8 portions)
- 1.5 batches of hot-water crust dough (above)
- 500 g chicken thighs, boneless, chopped
- 200 g cooked ham, chopped
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
- 1 tsp chopped fresh sage
- 1 egg, beaten
- 300 ml hot low-salt chicken stock
- 2 tsp powdered gelatine
- Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan, gas 6). Line a 20 cm tin with two thirds of the dough, pressing it up the sides, and pack in the chicken, ham and herbs in layers; season.
- Brush the edge with egg, add the lid, crimp, cut a steam hole and glaze. Bake for 30 minutes, then at 180°C (160°C fan, gas 4) for 1 hour 15 minutes until the filling is 75°C in the centre.
- Cool, then dissolve the gelatine in the hot stock and pour it in through the hole. Chill for at least 6 hours before cutting.
Raw chicken, hot oven and jelly
Raw chicken and meat: keep raw meat on its own board and plate, wash hands, knives and boards in hot soapy water afterwards, and cook meat fillings right through (no pink, juices running clear) before they go under a pastry lid.Hot oven and hot trays: ovens, trays and tins are hot enough to burn badly. Use dry oven gloves (a damp cloth conducts heat), pull the shelf out a little before lifting a tray, put hot things on a heatproof surface and keep children away from the oven door.
Jelly and chilled pies: pies with jelly must be chilled below 5°C and eaten within about 2 days. Do not leave them at room temperature for more than about 2 hours. Gelatine is made from animal bones; use agar or leave the jelly out for a vegetarian version.
Level 3 · Vegetarian
A vegetable raised pie
Roasted leeks, mushrooms and Cheddar bind with an egg inside the crust, so no jelly is needed. The filling must be dry: roast the vegetables first so they do not soak the pastry. Eat warm or cold.
Ingredients (6 portions)
- 1.5 batches of hot-water crust dough, made with vegetable fat instead of lard
- 3 leeks, sliced
- 300 g mushrooms, sliced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 150 g mature Cheddar, grated
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- Roast the leeks and mushrooms with the oil at 220°C (200°C fan, gas 7) for 20 minutes until dry and golden. Cool and mix with the cheese, 1 egg and thyme.
- Line a 20 cm tin with two thirds of the dough, pack in the filling, brush with the other egg, add the lid, crimp and cut a steam hole.
- Bake at 200°C (180°C fan, gas 6) for 30 minutes, then at 180°C (160°C fan, gas 4) for 35 to 40 minutes until golden. Cool for 20 minutes before cutting.
Hot oven, raw egg and allergens
Hot oven and hot trays: ovens, trays and tins are hot enough to burn badly. Use dry oven gloves (a damp cloth conducts heat), pull the shelf out a little before lifting a tray, put hot things on a heatproof surface and keep children away from the oven door.Allergens: pastry contains gluten (flour) and milk (butter); egg washes contain egg. Use a plant block fat for a dairy-free version, and note that gluten-free flour needs a different method.
Allergens: contains gluten, milk and egg.
Experiments
Experiment
Warm or cold dough
Working it.
- Mould one pie with warm dough and another after the dough has cooled for 15 minutes.
Look for: The warm dough moulds smoothly; the cold dough cracks and tears. Work while warm.
Experiment
Hot-water crust against shortcrust
Strength.
- Make one small pie in each pastry and pick both up.
Look for: The hot-water crust stays rigid; the shortcrust crumbles. Hot-water crust is made for sturdy, heavy fillings.
Experiment
Free-standing or in a tin
Shape.
- Bake one pie in a tin and one moulded round a jar without a tin.
Look for: The tin holds a neat shape and is easier; the free-standing pie bows out and needs a collar of foil.
Experiment
Jelly or not
Gaps.
- Cut a pie with jelly and one without, after chilling both.
Look for: The jelly fills the gap between meat and crust, keeping the meat moist; without it there is a dry space.
Tasting notes
| What I tried | Method or amount | What I saw | What I thought | Will I do it again? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hot-water crust dough | ||||
| Small pork pies | ||||
| Chicken and ham raised pie | ||||
| Vegetable raised pie | ||||
| Warm or cold dough | ||||
| Hot-water crust against shortcrust | ||||
| Free-standing or in a tin | ||||
| Jelly or not |
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Dough cracks as you mould it | Gone cold | Warm it for 10 seconds in a microwave, or cover and rest in a warm place |
| Pie collapses | Walls too thin or no support | Make walls 4 mm thick; bake in a tin or with a foil collar |
| Soggy base | Wet filling | Pack the filling firmly and bake on a hot tray |
| Meat shrinks from crust | Normal | Pour in the jelly after baking |
| Raw filling | Pie not cooked long enough | Cook until the centre reaches 75°C |
| Jelly leaks | Poured into a hot pie, or crust cracked | Cool the pie first and seal the cracks with dough |
Hot oven, raw meat and chilled pies
Hot oven and hot trays: ovens, trays and tins are hot enough to burn badly. Use dry oven gloves (a damp cloth conducts heat), pull the shelf out a little before lifting a tray, put hot things on a heatproof surface and keep children away from the oven door.Raw pork and cooking through: pork must be cooked right through to 75°C in the centre (general guidance), with no pink and clear juices. Keep raw meat on its own board and plate, wash hands, boards and knives in hot soapy water, and chill cooked pies promptly.
Jelly and chilled pies: pies with jelly must be chilled below 5°C and eaten within about 2 days. Do not leave them at room temperature for more than about 2 hours. Gelatine is made from animal bones; use agar or leave the jelly out for a vegetarian version.
Checkpoint: can you do this now?
- I can make hot-water crust and work it while warm.
- I can raise a small pie in a tin.
- I can pack and seal a filling.
- I can check a raised pie is cooked through.
- I can add a jelly and chill the pie safely.
Next chapter
Cooking Skills: Pastry 2, chapter 7 is Suet Pastry and Puddings: steaming and baking with suet crust.