Old Fashioned Flaky Pie Crust
I’ve tried a lot of different pie crust recipes over the years. I have a collection of unusual ones like a boiled crust. While most are quite good, I find myself going back to the basic French recipe I’ve been using for a long time.
Treat your dough gently and you’ll have a wonderfully flaky crust. Double the recipe and put half in the freezer. It will make your next pie a cinch.
a double crusted pie ready to bake
Old Fashioned Flaky Pie Crust
makes one 10 inch pie crust
Ingredients:
5T butter, cut into 1 inch cubes. I usually keep a few sticks of butter in the freezer expressly for making pastry
5T shortening, very cold, just like the butter
2c all-purpose flour
1t salt
1 egg yolk (optional). Save the white to brush on your crust if you are blind baking your crust.
2t sugar (for a sweet crust)
1/4c ice water (more if you need it)
Utensils:
Food processor, a fork, measuring cup, measuring spoons
Method:
By Hand: On your counter or in a bowl add the butter, shortening, sugar (if using) and salt to the flour. Cream the butter and shortening into the dry ingredients by using your fingertips to rub the butter mix into the flour until it looks like coarse meal. Beat the water and egg together. Make a well in the center of the flour and gradually add the egg and water till the dough comes together. You can do this with a fork. Gently gather the mixture into a ball of dough. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes
In the Food Processor: Mix the flour, salt and sugar (if using) in the bowl with a few quick pulses.
Add the butter and shortening. Pulse the motor a few times until the mix resembles peas. Whisk the water and egg yolk. Leave the motor running while you slowly pour in the ice water/egg yolk mix. When the pastry starts to form a ball stop processing immediately. Empty the dough onto the counter, gather it up in plastic wrap and form a disk. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to give the gluten in the dough time to relax and the butter time to become solid again. I have been known to stick the dough in the freezer to speed the process.
Blind Baking for a pre-baked crust
Preheat your oven to 350F. When you want a pre-baked pie shell such as is needed for a lemon meringue pie, roll out the chilled dough and line your pan with it. Put it back in the refrigerator and chill it for 30 minutes. Place a disk of parchment paper or foil on top of the crust and place weights on the paper. I use beans or rice for weights. I save my rice and reuse it.
Bake the crust for 25 minutes then remove the parchment paper and weights. Brush the crust with lightly beaten egg white and bake for another 5 minutes. You now have the basis of, for example, Lemon Meringue Pie.