Alices Pie Crust Recipes

Steps:

• In a food processor, pulse together the flour and salt. Add butter and pulse until the mixture forms lima bean-size pieces. Slowly add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse until the dough just comes together. It should be moist, but not wet.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gather into a ball. Flatten into a disk with the heel of your hand. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt to combine. Add the butter, tossing the cubes through the flour until the pieces are separated from one another and each piece is coated.
• Cut the butter into the flour by pressing the pieces between your palms or fingertips, flattening the cubes into big shards and continuing to toss them in the flour to recoat the shards. The size of the butter will vary depending on the kind of pie you're making: For fruit pies, stop when the butter pieces are about the size of walnut halves. For custard pies, stop when the butter pieces are smaller, about the size of peas.
• Make a well in the center of the mixture. Add 3 tablespoons ice water and mix it in by tossing the flour in the bowl. (This tossing movement lets the moisture incorporate without allowing too much gluten formation.)
• Continue to add ice water 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time until the dough begins to come together. As it comes together, fold it over itself a few times to make sure it's homogenous. The dough should hold together without noticeable cracks (a sign of underhydration), but it should not be wet or tacky to the touch (a sign of overhydration).
• Form the dough into a disk about 1-inch thick. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before using, and up to 2 days. (It can also be frozen for up to 3 months, then thawed overnight before using.)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• In a medium mixing bowl combine butter or margarine, sugar, and eggs. Beat until smooth. Add applesauce and vanilla. Mix thoroughly.
• Pour custard mixture into pie shell. Sprinkle top lightly with cinnamon.
• Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until set in center.

Steps:

• Put the egg and vinegar in a 1 c measuring cup fill to top with water.
• Mix all dry ingredients and make a well in the center.
• Pour liquids into well and mix with pastry fork just till flour is blended.
• Store in ziplock in fridge till ready to use.
• This also freezes well.

Steps:

• Dice the butter and return it to the refrigerator while you prepare the flour mixture. Place the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse a few times to mix. Add the butter and shortening. Pulse 8 to 12 times, until the butter is the size of peas. With the machine running, pour the ice water down the feed tube and pulse the machine until the dough begins to form a ball. Dump out on a floured board and roll into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Cut the dough in half. Roll each piece on a well-floured board into a circle, rolling from the center to the edge, turning and flouring the dough to make sure it doesn't stick to the board. Fold the dough in half, place in a pie pan, and unfold to fit the pan. Repeat with the top crust.

Steps:

• Have ready in a measuring cup: 6 tablespoons ice-cold water
• Mix together: 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon salt A pinch of sugar
• Add: 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes 3 tablespoons chilled lard
• Using a pastry blender or your fingertips, quickly work the butter and lard into the flour mixture until most of the fat has been broken into small pieces but there are still a few large flakes. Don't try to make the mixture look uniform.
• Dribble in the tablespoons of ice water, mixing and tossing the dough with a fork. Don't try to force the dough into a ball, just keep adding water until it starts to cling together in clumps. After all the water has been added, check for dry dough mixture in the bowl and add drops of water to moisten.
• Collect the dough and press it together into two balls. Shape the balls into plump cakes, making the edges as smooth as possible, and wrap in plastic. Press down on the plastic lightly to compress the dough. Refrigerate the dough for several hours before using to allow the gluten to relax and the flour to fully absorb the water. Dough may be stored in the refrigerator for 2 days or in the freezer for 1 or 2 months. Thaw frozen dough overnight in the refrigerator before using.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Combine the water, milk and vinegar; gradually add to crumb mixture, tossing with a fork until dough forms a ball. , Coat a 9-in. pie plate with cooking spray. Set aside a third of the dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll out remaining dough to fit pie plate. Transfer pastry to plate; trim even with edge., In a large bowl, combine apples and raisins. Combine the sugar substitute, flour, brown sugar and cinnamon; add to apple mixture and toss to coat. Spoon 3 cups into the crust; cover with applesauce. Top with remaining apple mixture; dot with butter. , Roll out reserved portion of dough; make a lattice crust. Trim and flute edges. Bake at 375° for 40-45 minutes or until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool on a wire rack.