Homemade pie crust, can be made many ways, but for a simple pie crust, most recipes either call for the use of shortening, lard, butter or sometimes a combination. This easy, homemade pie crust recipe is not only easy, but tried and true.This recipe is a butter-based pie crust, commonly known in the pastry world by it's french name, pate brisee or by it's Italian name, paste brisee. Americans refer to it simply as "pie crust". It's the perfect compliment for your holiday pie.
Lard, Shortening or Butter?
As far as taste there is really no difference between using butter and using lard or oil based shortenings. Many people substitute shortening for butter, which can sacrifice the flavor. The only real difference to consider when contemplating lard, shortening, and butter is that butter is from the fat solids found in whole milk, shortening is vegetable oil that is hydrogenated to produce a grease like substance that doesn't flow as well with your arteries, and lard is made from animal fat, usually pigs. You can substitute the shortening for the butter but the flavor is sacrificed.
Easy, Homemade Pie Crust Recipe
Makes 2 pie crusts or 1 double crust pie
- 2.5 cups of flour
- 1teaspoon salt, preferably Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar
- 1 cup (2 sticks) of cold butter cut into small pieces
- 1/4 to a 1/2 cup of water poured over ice cubes (ice water)
Directions:
- Whisk butter, salt, and sugar together with a hand whisk -- if using a food processor, place all ingredients into food processor and whirl around for two or three pulses.
- Add butter to mixture and using either a dough cutter or two butter knives, mix the flour mixture and butter mixture together, incorporating them until the butter is pea-sized and saturated in flour. If using food processor, add butter and pulse it until butter results into desired size.
- Gradually, spoonful by spoonful, add the ice water, working it into the dough until it just comes together. The pie crust dough should not be breaking, but you should also be able to see the chunks of butter still in there. This is important because when the pie crust is rolled out, it will result in a marbled look, which helps create the crispy, buttery even-ness of a good pie crust. If using food processor, slowly pulse dough until it comes together forming a ball in the middle of the food processor.
- Knead dough for ten minutes. To satisfy all your kneads (pun intended) fold over the dough into itself while making a circle and pushing it down.
- Divide dough into two balls, one for each crust, on a large sheet of parchment paper or plastic wrap that has been lightly floured.
- Place dough ball in the middle and fold part of wax paper on-top of dough, push the dough-ball into a flat disk with the parchment paper or plastic wrap and use excess to wrap around the dough to keep it fresh while storing it.
- Chill for at least a half hour.
Important Tips to Remember for Perfect Pie Making
- Using ice water instead of room temperature water helps bring solids together with liquid. Always use ice water for dough.
- After cutting your butter into pieces, it is important to put them in the refrigerator. The combination of ice-water and cold butter bring the dough together.
- As a rule, butter has a much lower melting point then shortening. This means that you really want to make sure that you preheat your oven (at least 20 minutes for newer ovens; 40 minutes for older models). After you line your pie tin, put the crust in the fridge to firm up for about 10 minutes. If you pre-bake your crust (which I highly recommend for pumpkin pie), add your pie weights and bake at 400F (375F if your oven runs hot). Bake for about 12-15 minutes or until it's beginning to golden :).
- A common rule in baking with pate brisee is to freeze-cold and bake-hot. The key to a perfect crispy pie crust is to make sure it bakes from being as frozen as it can.
- Dough can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than four days. It can be stored in the freezer for about 6 months. This is a great recipe to make in bulk and store the disks for later use.
Authors Related Articles:
HOL101
 |
