TIP OF THE DAY: Crumb Top Instead Of Pie Crust
 Use a yummy streusel topping instead of a dough top crust. Photo courtesy Grand Central Bakery | Portland. |
We’re not a huge pie crust pan. We prefer thicker, buttery, cookie-like tart crusts (here are the differences between pies and tarts).
Personally, we’d rather have a cobbler, crisp or grunt (the difference). If it has to be a conventional pie, give us a crumb topping instead of a top crust. For thus, that means streusel—the same topping that goes on top of crumb cake. WHAT IS STREUSEL? Streusel is a crumb topping made from butter, flour and sugar. It can also contain chopped nuts or rolled oats. We think it’s easier than a conventional dough crust. Pronounced SHTROY-zul, the word derives from the German “streuen,” meaning to sprinkle or scatter. Streusel is used as a topping for a variety of pies, fruit crisps, cakes and pastries, most notably coffee cakes. A pie with a streusel topping is sometimes referred to as a “crumble pie.” |
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RECIPE: EASY STREUSEL TOPPING Ingredients 1. COMBINE the flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl. With a pastry blender or fork, cut in the butter until fine crumbs form. 2. USE your fingers to squeeze the fine crumbs into large clumps (size as desired—we like large crumbs). Sprinkle over the top of the pie and bake per recipe instructions. That’s it! |
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