Basic Pie Pastry Crust Tips Tricks Recipes

Steps:

• Whisk the flour and salt together in a medium size bowl. With a pastry blender, cut in the cold shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Drizzle 2 to 3 tablespoons ice water over flour. Toss mixture with a fork to moisten, adding more water a few drops at a time until the dough comes together.
• Gently gather dough particles together into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 30 minutes before rolling.
• Roll out dough, and put in a pie plate. Fill with desired filling and bake.

Steps:

• In a food processor, briefly pulse flour, salt, and sugar. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few pea-size pieces of butter remaining. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons ice water. Pulse until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed (if necessary, add up to 2 tablespoons water, 1 tablespoon at a time). Dont overmix.
• Turn dough out onto a large piece of plastic wrap. Fold plastic over dough; press to shape into a 1-inch-thick disk. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour (or up to 3 days).
• On a floured piece of parchment paper, roll dough to a 14-inch round with a floured rolling pin. Wrap dough around rolling pin, discarding paper; unroll over a 9-inch pie plate (opposite). Gently fit into bottom and up sides of plate (do not stretch dough).
• Using kitchen shears, trim dough to a 1-inch overhang. Fold under itself to form a rim, and press to seal. Using thumb and forefinger, crimp rim of crust. Refrigerate until ready to use, up to 1 day.

Steps:

• Mix flour and salt together in a large bowl. Cut in butter using a pastry blender until the mixture resembles fine cornmeal. Pour in water slowly; knead dough into a firm ball.
• Pour in additional water as needed if dough is too dry or additional flour if too moist. Divide batter into equal halves. Roll out dough halves into rounds on a lightly floured work surface using a lightly floured rolling pin to desired thickness.
• Press one round into the bottom of a 9-inch pie pan. Use the other round as a top crust or for a separate bottom crust. Bake according to desired filling instructions.

Steps:

• Cut shortening into flour/salt until it looks like peas.
• Add very cold water all at once and quickly toss with a fork; shape into a ball being careful not to over knead.
• Divide dough in half and roll thin.
• This makes two single piecrusts or one double crust pie.
• TIPS AND TRICKS:.
• To avoid a soggy crust, try brushing the bottom of the crust with egg white before adding fruit; filling the shell *just* before baking also helps prevent sogginess; sogginess can also be caused from the oven temperature being too low or the time too short.
• For a flakier upper crust, brush lightly with cold water before popping in the oven; also keep ingredients and dough cold until baked.
• To prevent the crust from shrinking, avoid stretching the dough as you roll it and avoid stretching it when placed in the pie plate; allowing the pie shell to rest about 30 minutes before baking will also help prevent shrinking.
• Never shake the flour while placing in the measuring cup; instead, level it with the back of a knife.
• Toss ingredients with a fork, lightly and quickly, rather than stirring.
• Don't use too much water; about 1/2 c of iced water to 2 cups of flour.
• To prevent burning of the crust, try baking the pie in a large paper bag stapled closed, being sure that it doesn't touch any part of the oven; or use an oven- roasting bag.
• Try rolling some grated cheese into the dough when making an apple pie.
• Try adding toasted slivered almonds to piecrust that you intend to fill with a cream filling or cherry filling.

Steps:

• Combine the flour, sugar, salt, and lemon zest in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and mix with a pastry blender or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the egg yolk and ice water and work that in with your hands. (Or do the whole thing in a food processor, pulsing a couple of times to combine the dry ingredients, then pulsing in the butter, and then the egg.) Check the consistency of the dough by squeezing a small amount together between thumb and forefingers: You want there to be just enough moisture to bind the dough so that it holds together without being too wet or sticky. If it's still crumbly, add a little more ice water, 1 teaspoon at a time. When you get it to the right consistency, shape the dough into a disk and wrap it in plastic. Put it in the refrigerator and chill for at least 30 minutes.

Steps:

• Divide the butter into two parts, about two thirds to one third.
• Cut the butter into small cubes, about 1/2 inch.
• Cover butter with plastic wrap.
• Refrigerate the larger amount and freeze the smaller for a minimum of 30 minutes.
• Place the flour, salt, and baking powder in a reclosable gallon-size freezer bag and freeze for a minimum of 30 minutes.
• Place the flour mixture in a food processor with the metal blade and process for a few seconds to combine.
• Set the bag aside.
• Add the larger amount of butter cubes to the flour and process for about 20 seconds or until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
• Add the remaining frozen butter cubes and pulse until all of the frozen butter is the size of peas.
• Add the lowest amount of the ice water and the vinegar and pulse 6 times.
• Pinch a small amount of the mixture together between your fingers.
• If it does not hold together, add half the remaining water and pulse 3 times.
• Try pinching the mixture again.
• If necessary, add the remaining water, pulsing 3 times to incorporate it.
• The mixture will be in particles and will not hold together without being pinched.
• Dump the mixture back into the bag and work it from the outside of the bag gently until it comes together into a ball.
• Refrigerate if the butter starts to melt (the heat from your hands will melt the butter) Wrap dough ball with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour before rolling (preferably overnight).
• Don't skip this step, the gluten must relax for proper rolling!
• You can refrigerate the dough up to 2 days, freeze up to 3 months (thaw in the refrigerator overnight).
• Allow the dough to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes then roll the dough to about 1/8" thickness on a cool, lightly floured surface.
• Work the dough from the center out, turning over occasionally.
• Add the minimum amount of flour as too much will produce a tough dough.
• Once again if the dough gets too warm allow it to rest in the fridge till cool.
• Fold the rolled out crust in quarters and gently place into pan, unfold and tuck gently into pan, trim excess (leave about 1 inch overhang to form edge).

Steps:

• Put all ingredients into a food processor and utilizing the "S" blade, process well.
• Mold the resulting dough into a 9 " glass pie pan.
• This recipe also makes great candy. Just roll the dough into little balls and sprinkle with coconut, sesame seeds or ground almonds.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, sift together the flour and salt. Blend in the butter and shortening until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
• In a cup, combine the water and vinegar or lemon juice. Sprinkle the liquid over the flour mixture. Using your fingers, work the liquid in and gather the dough into a ball. Divide the dough into two equal pieces.
• Roll out as needed or wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill.
• To partially bake the pastry, preheat the oven to 425°F Cut a piece of parchment, foil or waxed paper to fit inside the pie plate. Fill the paper with dried beans and bake for 15 minutes. Lift out the paper and beans and proceed with the rest of the recipe. Or use unbaked as required in your recipe.
• Makes enough pastry for one 9-or 10 inch double crust pie.
• Lucy Waverman's Cooking School Cookbook.

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in lard until mixture resembles coarse meal.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together water, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and vinegar. Stir into flour mixture and knead dough briefly, just until smooth. Allow to rest 15 minutes before rolling out. Pastry is easier to work with when chilled. Can be stored in refrigerator for up to 1 week.