![]() ![]() You can easily make it yourself, and it’s well worth the effort. But here’s the thing, this pie crust recipe is made with only four ingredients: flour, shortening, water and a sprinkle of salt. Bake according to the instructions called for in your favorite pie recipe.Somewhere along the line, people got the idea that homemade pie crust is hard to make. Roll the dough out into a circle, about 1/8 inch thick. When you’re ready to make your pie, take the dough from the refrigerator and place it on a cool, generously floured surface.Wrap each disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour or up to 2 days. Press each ball into a disc the shape and side of a saucer. ![]() (Be gentle! You don’t want to overwork the dough.) Sprinkle the vodka and the water over the dough, using a rubber spatula to fold the liquid into the dough, pressing it down with a folding motion until the dough sticks together. Give the processor another 4 or 5 quick pulses to mix in the last of the flour. ![]() Scrape the dough down from the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.At this stage, it should look a little like cottage cheese. Add the butter and shortening and process for 10 to 15 seconds, until clumps of dough just start to form. Place 1.5 cups of flour, plus salt and sugar into a food processor.I even use it in most of my recipes, including my bourbon pecan pie. Using vodka in your pie dough definitely sounds like a crazy idea but it really is the best way to get a flaky, tender, perfect pie crust every single time. When it does, it leaves lots of lovely little air pockets in the dough, which gives you a beautifully flaky crust. During the baking process, that alcohol evaporates. Vodka has no flavor (I know there are flavored versions out there, but don’t try using them in this recipe). Here is why putting a little vodka into your dough makes for a perfect pie crust. Not the baker.) Weird, right? But it works wonders! (Before somebody makes the joke, the vodka goes into the dough. My perfect pie crust recipe calls for vodka. And I also put the vodka in the freezer before I use it for the pie. I don’t just use cold water, I use ice water. I also pop the butter in there for about 20 minutes before I make the pie. I keep the shortening sticks I use for pie in the freezer. Some people swear by rolling their dough on a marble slab.Īnd your ingredients should be cold, really cold. (I even put mine in the refrigerator before I roll my dough.) Your counter should be cool. If you want to make a great pie crust – or any good pastry – you’ve got to embrace the cold. This is important.) I want to talk about temperature. The Perfect Crust – Not Just a DreamĪbout ten years ago, I came across a recipe that fulfilled all my pie baking dreams an easy and reliable recipe that turned out a perfect pie crust every single time! How? Well, it’s all due to a surprising secret ingredient that I never, ever expected to find in a pie recipe.īut before I get to that secret ingredient (I know the suspense is killing you but hang in with me. The next time my pie crust would turn out flat and doughy and dreadful. But often it seemed to be a happy accident. Every now and again, I would manage to make a flaky pie crust. Those were the kinds of pies I wanted to make, but I just didn’t seem to have the knack. Homemade crusts with fresh fruit and lots of love. You know what I’m talking about, those little-hole-in-the-wall spots where some sweet old lady named Flo or Aunt Mary makes every pie and pie crust from scratch. But they’re also not great.įor all those years when I was buying my pie crust at the grocery store, I kept thinking about those sublime crusts I would run across now and then when I ordered pie at some little diner or café. I did for years and years because, honestly, they’re pretty reliable and not that bad. So, it’s no wonder that many truly fine home cooks and bakers buy those refrigerated packages of pre-made pie dough from the grocery store. (This is a metaphor for so many things in life, I find.) With no leavening agent in the recipe, achieving that light, flaky, tender crust that marks a truly terrific piece of pie can be tricky. Finding the Perfect Balance in a Pie Crustīut the fact that it is so simple is part of what makes pie crust so complicated. You don’t even have to worry about it rising too little or too much. There’s no complicated list of ingredients. It’s basically flour, some kind of fat, some liquid, and a little salt. In theory, nothing could be easier than making pie crust from scratch. ![]()
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