Electric pie makers and recipe ideas ;)

[jeninwa]

That's a great idea thank bedlam.

[judydawn]

Maybe my pie maker does make bigger pies    There is just no way I can get 4 bases out of one sheet of pastry.  The cutter for the bases measures 15.5cm in diameter ....... is that the same size as yours?

Either that, or else I am buying different pastry ...... I am using Borg's brand of pastry.

Pampas puff pastry sheets are 24.5 x 24 cm Karen.  The pie cutter base is about 10.5 cm and the top is 12 cms.

So your cutter is much bigger than mine and is obviously the problem.  What make is your pie machine? Don't answer that Karen, I've just read on another thread that it's a Sunbeam, the same as mine (mine's called the Sunbeam Pie Magic 4).  I wonder why the cutter size is different

[judydawn]

I have just unlocked this topic as one of our members would like to post something here.  This happens occasionally by persons unknown, it would have been accidentally done, I cannot think of an instance where we moderators have locked a topic

[Yarrenbool]

 .

I've had my Breville Mini-Pie maker for several months.  I've made a variety of items in it including chicken & leek pies (very good), Aussie meat pies (must find a better recipe), mini-deep-dish pizzas (surprisingly good), chocolate chip muffins (fair), egg mini-pies for breakfast (okay), and several other things.

Muffins: cooked directly in pie maker, no liner used, came out fine.

Pie lifter: ordered one just now, over-priced, hope it is worth it.

Pastry: to date have been using store-bought and not too thrilled. As of now I'll be making my own in my Thermomix.

Burnt edges: recently read a tip to raise the top part way through cooking just a tad by inserting a couple of wooden popsicle sticks. Plan to give this a test.

Preheating: after much use I've found it works best to NOT preheat the Breville. As the fillings must be pre-cooked that's not a problem. I let it cool down a bit between batches, makes it easier to put in the pastry, no burnt fingers and results are just as good as preheating, sometimes better.

Changes: detachable plates to make cleaning easier if the non-stick properties wear off in time though at the moment it cleans incredibly easily; a thermostat perhaps, not too sure if this might be useful; and it would be really good if they included a pie-lifter in the box.

The Breville pie maker was an online impulse purchase when I saw it at just $44 with free shipping. I am sure it must have been a mistake because it was much more expensive on the same site the very next day. I would probably never have bought it at its regular price but I am really glad I got it, I use it a fair bit, it's quick and easy, and pies generally freeze and reheat well.

I can't speak for other brands but I would recommend the Breville mini-pie maker to others as a useful and easy to use gadget.
 
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[astarra]

I have the Breville mini-pie maker too, love it. 

[mcmich]

I have the 4 pie maker and the mini pie maker and love them both. Usually I make the bottom pie cases myself (short crust pastry) and top with store bought puff pastry.

[KarenH]

After much experimenting, I do the same as mcmich.  I make the EDC shortcrust pastry myself and use store-bought puff pastry for the tops. 

I have found it makes it a bit easier to get the bases into the pie maker if I chill my shortcrust pastry circles for 5 mins or so in the freezer.  Just firms them up and makes them easier to handle and get into the pie maker quickly.

That's a really interesting idea about not preheating it Yarrenbool.  How do you know when they are cooked?  Do you just keep peeking inside to check?

[achookwoman]

Yarrenbool,  thanks for your tips.  I find the best meat pie filling has small pieces of beef and minced beef. The flavor  of the gravy is also very important and is worth taking some time to get just right. 
I have made curried Scallop pies and pasties,  as well as Apple pies,  all of which freeze well.

[mcmich]

I've made individual dampers in the pie maker. JD posted the recipe on pg 41 of this thread. I can't see the photo with it.
It's here

[dustbunny]

This thread is ridiculous! So I just had to summarize it and buy a piemaker. Uhh, did someone say something about cutting DOWN on appliances? Oh dear.

At least it was only $10 at an op shop, but I wish I had a pastry cutter.

Anyway, the summary - for those who are interested:
https://www.evernote.com/shard/s13/sh/c62a9e5e-7002-45d4-9832-7f88b3004311/ac669ad0cb8f4492bff0ef5fd6eba73a

I made some kind of chickeny vegetable improvisation in the thermomix and gave it a test run tonight. It's a success!
I am still building up the courage to make my own pastry in the TM...

[jo_nz]

I had to get one a while ago because of this thread too (all of $15 for me, also second hand). 

Thanks for the summary as I have not been very adventurous yet and need something to inspire me 

Give the pastry a go!  I've only made the EDC one for pies and it's been great.  I've done that for the base and bought puff sheets for the top, but I think I prefer just the EDC pastry for the lot. 
I was scared of pastry, and for the pies was my first attempt in years (first ever TMX attempt) and now I make all sorts of pies. 

[obbie]

since I bought my thermie 4 1/2 years ago, I now have heaps of appliances everywhere.
You will love your pie maker, especially in winter...

[astarra]

I have chicken and veg filling mix cooking in the slowcooker now, which will then be made into pies in my pie maker. 

[judydawn]

I've printed out your summary of ideas for the fillings dustbunny, I love those lists of yours.  Thank you.

[cookie1]

Dustbunny the thermomix saves us from needing rice cookers, blenders etc but now many of us have air fryers, icecream machines, pizza ovens, pie makers and goodness knows what.