# Pie formers



## gus3049 (17 Aug 2011)

I remember seeing them in china as a kid.

A customer has asked me to make a couple in wood. Anyone have any idea of the best wood for this. I though beech but I have no idea how it will stand the temperature, juices etc.


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## jpt (17 Aug 2011)

If you are talking about pork pie moulds they are traditionally made from beech, plain not spalted. I have made a few recently they seem to be coming back into fashion.

john


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## PsyMan (17 Aug 2011)

http://goo.gl/HYzJI

That the sort of thing?


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## gus3049 (17 Aug 2011)

PsyMan":bkj23821 said:


> http://goo.gl/HYzJI
> 
> That the sort of thing?



EXACTLY that sort of thing thanks. I had just found that and sent it to the customer to confirm. Interesting to note the price as she wants two. Now she knows ...ish.


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## bugbear (17 Aug 2011)

jpt":24hfkzd9 said:


> If you are talking about pork pie moulds they are traditionally made from beech, plain not spalted. I have made a few recently they seem to be coming back into fashion.
> 
> john



Sycamore is the "premium" English food wood, being non tainting, but beech is probably a close second, and perfectly good.

In the US you'd use maple.

Yeah, and seconded on the "not spalted". Spalt = rot and softness, albeit decorative rot and softness, and not something you want in this context.

BugBear


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## nev (17 Aug 2011)

this made absolutely no sense to me whatsoever, til i put my glasses on and realised it didnt say pig farmers  

if , by the looks of it, the farmer is just for shaping the pastry, would any wood with a suitable food safe finish not be suitable?


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## bugbear (17 Aug 2011)

PsyMan":1xtg7x37 said:


> http://goo.gl/HYzJI
> 
> That the sort of thing?



A bit more googling has revealed that the commonest name for these is "pie dolly", with "pie former" (per thread title) being used sometimes, and "pie mould" also being used. The latter is also used for external containers (c.f. jelly moulds) which is not helpful when searching.

Armed with these names I found:

Somebody selling them on eBay, around a tenner each:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/lacia57/m.htm ... m270.l1313

Vintage one:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/frenchtart/5388119227/

Instructions on use (with annoying javascript)

http://www.btinternet.com/~happydudevir/piedolly.htm

Dolly's from Melton Mowbray

http://www.foxylots.co.uk/page17.htm

Enough for now.

BugBear


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## chrisbaker42 (17 Aug 2011)

The prices in BugBear's findings seem a lot more realistic to the first ebay ad but that is an old one.


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## gus3049 (17 Aug 2011)

Indeed, the prices are there or therabouts to where I was thinking. She does want one the size of theor medium size one but the other one is to be 140mm diameter so that will be a bit more.

Thank you all for your investigations. Helps a lot.


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## Jonzjob (17 Aug 2011)

Gordon, looking at this I don't think your pie dollys are going to have to stand much in the way of temp or liquids?

"9. On a floured work surface, roll out the remaining three-quarters of pastry to about 3/4 centimetre thick and cut out circles 12cm in diameter. Place the pie dolly (jar) into the middle of the pastry circle and draw the edges of the pastry up around the sides of the dolly to create the pie casing, this will also tin the pastry further to about 1/2 centimetre. Carefully remove the dolly from the pastry once your pie casing is formed. It should look like a little cup about 7cm high that will stand on it’s own."

From http://peasepudding.wordpress.com/2009/ ... pork-pies/ .

I would use beech with no finish, just the bare, but very smooth wood. Nice and easy bit of spindle turning...

You said that you saw them in china as a kid? You were in china, or they were in china :mrgreen:


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## gus3049 (17 Aug 2011)

Jonzjob":tprccfy4 said:


> Gordon, looking at this I don't think your pie dollys are going to have to stand much in the way of temp or liquids?
> 
> "9. On a floured work surface, roll out the remaining three-quarters of pastry to about 3/4 centimetre thick and cut out circles 12cm in diameter. Place the pie dolly (jar) into the middle of the pastry circle and draw the edges of the pastry up around the sides of the dolly to create the pie casing, this will also tin the pastry further to about 1/2 centimetre. Carefully remove the dolly from the pastry once your pie casing is formed. It should look like a little cup about 7cm high that will stand on it’s own."
> 
> ...



Indeed. I misunderstood their usage right from the start. This 'ere forum put me straight. Beech is the one wood that I haven't seen locally. Will have to visit the woodyard tomorrow.

I was thinking of the old type china widgets that me mum used to put into the centre of pies - not the same thing at all. Haven't been to China but lots of China has come to me.


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## bugbear (18 Aug 2011)

gus3049":3fgnu88j said:


> Beech is the one wood that I haven't seen locally. Will have to visit the woodyard tomorrow.



Via the power of google translate, it appears that Cormier might also be suitable. I think it's a sought after (=pricy) timber though.

BugBear


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