The Best Pie Crust Recipes

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:

• 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:

• Blend the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor. Add the butter and shortening; pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Drizzle 4 tablespoons ice water over the mixture. Process just until moist clumps form, adding more ice water by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather the dough into a ball and flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic. Chill 1 hour. Use the dough with your favorite pie recipe.
• Roll out the dough on a lightly floured work surface into a 14-inch round. Transfer the dough to a 9-inch diameter glass pie dish. Fold the overhang under. Crimp the edges decoratively. Pierce the bottom of the crust all over with a fork. Freeze the crust for 15 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep frozen.)
• For recipes that call for a pre-baked pie crust: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line the crust with aluminum foil. Fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the weights and foil. Bake until golden and set, about 10 minutes. Cool. (Crust can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Let stand at room temperature.)

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.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in water until mixture forms a ball. Divide dough in half, and shape into balls. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
• Roll out dough on a floured counter. Don't over work it. Use as directed in pie recipe.

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:

• Place flour, salt,and sugar in the bowl of a food processor, pulse a few times to combine.
• Add butter and shortening to the flour mixture, and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds.
• With the machine running, add vinegar and 3 tablespoons ice water in a slow, stady stream through the feed tube of food processor until dough holds together.
• Do not process for more than 30 seconds.
• Divide dough in half, and turn each half out onto a piece of plastic wrap.
• Press each half into a flattened circle, wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.