Perfect Tender Flaky Pie Crust Recipes

Steps:

• Cut each stick of butter into 8 pieces, and refrigerate until needed. Place the flour, salt, and sugar in a large mixing bowl, and mix to combine.
• Add the chilled butter. Using a pastry blender, incorporate the butter into the flour mixture; the mixture should resemble coarse meal with small pieces of butter, the size of small peas, remaining visible.
• Drizzle 2 tablespoons ice water over the flour-butter mixture, and blend. Repeat with an additional 2 tablespoons water. At this point, you may have to add more water: When a handful of dough squeezed together just holds its shape, you've added enough; if the dough crumbles, continue incorporating water, 1 tablespoon at a time, checking the consistency after each additional tablespoon.
• Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface. Divide into two equal pieces, and place on two separate sheets of plastic wrap. Flatten, and form two disks. Wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• Lightly dust a clean, dry work surface with flour. Place the chilled dough in the center of the work surface, and dust the dough as well as the rolling pin with flour. Position the rolling pin on the center of the disk, and begin rolling the dough away from you. Give the disk a quarter turn, and roll again. Continue turning and rolling until you have an even 1/8-inch thickness. Turning the dough as you roll will prevent it from sticking to the work surface. A dry pastry brush is handy to remove any excess flour during and after the rolling process.
• Lightly butter the pie plate. To minimize stretching when moving the dough, roll it around the pin, lift up, and unroll over the buttered pie plate. Using your fingers, gently pat the dough into place. Trim any excess dough with a paring knife or kitchen shears, leaving a 1-inch overhang; then fold dough under to reinforce the edge.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix together flour, salt, and sugar until well combined. Using clean hands, add butter and toss until just coated. Rub butter between thumb and forefingers to incorporate into flour mixture until butter is in lima bean-sized pieces and comes together in quarter-sized clumps when squeezed in palm, about 2 minutes. Add shortening, toss until just coated in flour, then rub into flour mixture until mixture forms pea-size pieces (some big chunks should remain) and comes together in fist-sized clumps when squeezed, about 1 minute. Drizzle in half ice water and rake through mixture with fingers until just moistened. Drizzle in remaining water 1 tablespoon at a time and comb through mixture with fingers to moisten. It will go from being a shaggy mess to coming together. Dough is moist enough when it is moistened through but is not wet when pressed. (Do not overwork the dough or it will become tough.)
• While rotating the bowl with 1 hand, push dough between other palm and side of bowl to gather into a ball. Turn dough onto a piece of plastic wrap, press it into a flat disk, then close in wrap. Place in coldest part of refrigerator (usually back bottom shelf) at least 30 minutes before rolling out and forming into a crust.

Steps:

• 1. In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, salt and sugar.
• 2. Add the shortening and break it up with your hands as you start to coat it all up with the flour. Add the cold butter cubes and work it into the flour with your hands or a pastry cutter. Work it quickly, so the butter doesn't get too soft, until the mixture is crumbly, like very coarse cornmeal. Add the ice water, a little at a time, until the mixture comes together forming a dough. Bring the dough together into a ball.
• 3. When it comes together stop working it otherwise the dough will get over-worked and tough. Divide the dough in half and flatten it slightly to form a disk shape. Wrap each disk in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. On a floured surface roll each disk out into a 10 to 11-inch circle to make a 9-inch pie.
• 4. Note: Food processor method - which is what I use : I place the flour, salt, and sugar in processor bowl. Pulse to blend. I then add the shortening, pulse about 6 times. Add the cold butter, pulse 10 - 12 times, then add the water, pulse till all starts to come together and will hold together ...I never have to chill it. The above directions are what were on the back of the box of flour..My way is so much easier, if you have a food processor, I would suggest that method.

Steps:

• Measure flour and salt into bowl. Add oil; mix with a fork, until particals are the size of small peas. Sprinkle with water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until flour is moistened and dough almost cleans the sides of the bowl. (If dough seems too dry, 1 to 2 tablespoons oil can be added. Do not add water.If dough seems a bit too wet, add a tiny bit of additional flour).Gather dough together;PRESS FIRMLY INTO A BALL. After pressing firmly into a ball,the less the dough is handled the more flaky the crust will be.
• Divide dough in half ; place one half cut side down and flatten into a round. Roll each round of dough between two sheets of wax paper. Gently peel off one sheet of wax paper and turn dough upside down. Peel off remaining sheet of wax paper after placing bottom crust into pan leaving a 1/2 inch overlap around pan edge.( Fill with desired pie filling.) Repeat with top crust rolling out same as bottom crust leaving 1 inch overhang around pan edge). Fold and roll top edge under lower edge, pressing on the rim to seal; flute edges as desired.
• Cut slits to vent steam in top of pie. I usually moisten my hands with a little water and dab across top crust. Sprinkle a tiny bit of sugar across the top of the pie, but not on the fluted areas of crust. Bake as directed following your pie recipe.
• *Do not use quick mixing flour in this recipe. If using self-rising flour,omit the salt. Pie crusts made with self-rising flour will differ in flavor and texture from those made with regular flour. (I always use regular flour.).
• Lots of people say they can't make a good pie crust. You can using this recipe,just work with the dough. It may take a time or two, until you become used to making the dough and working with it. Just remember to press the dough into a firm ball before rolling it out between the wax paper sheets. Another small bonus for me is that it uses oil instead of hydrogenated fats.

Steps:

• Whisk flour with salt in a bowl; use a fork to stir in vegetable oil. Mix in water, 1 tablespoon at a time, before adding more water. Gather dough into a ball, divide in half, and roll out on a floured work surface.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in water, a tablespoon at a time, until mixture forms a ball. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
• Roll dough out to fit a 9 inch pie plate. Place crust in pie plate. Press the dough evenly into the bottom and sides of the pie plate.