Alans Pie Crust Food

FLAKIEST (AND EASIEST) PIE CRUST

Steps:

• In bowl of food processor, place flour, salt, and sugar; process once to combine all.
• Chill shortening briefly - about 3 minutes in the freezer will do.
• Break shortening into bits; distribute around steel blade in bowl.
• Process with 7 on-off pulses, until shortening is broken into dry ingredients well.
• Add ice water.
• Process with 7 more on-off pulses, or until dough forms into a ball.
• Roll out.
• Proceed with pie recipe.
• This recipe doubles well.

ALAN'S PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Mix the flour and the salt in a large bowl. Add the butter or margarine and lard; mix with hands until crumb like texture is achieved. Mix in the water. Pat into a ball, and wrap in wax paper. Refrigerate for at least two hours.

BLUEBERRY PIE WITH SWEET ALMOND CRUST

Steps:

• Ground the almonds in the food processor until fine.
• Add the flour, salt, and sugar. Pulse a few times to mix. Add the COLD butter and shortening cubes and pulse until the mixture resembles peas.
• Add the amaretto and 1 tablespoon of cold milk. Pulse again until the dough comes together. Add another 1-2 tablespoons of milk if needed. Dump the dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap.
• Separate into two equal pieces and flatten into two disks. Wrap each disk in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, mix the blueberries with the following 5 ingredients and set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Move to racks to a lower and middle position.
• Flour a work surface and roll out one disk of dough in a 12 inch circle. Fold the dough over the rolling pin to transfer it to a 9 inch pie pan. Repair any cracks.
• Crimp or pinch the edges.
• Roll out the second disk of dough and cut out shapes with a floured cookie cutter.
• Pour the berry filling into the pie crust and top with 2 tablespoons of butter cubes. Arrange the dough shapes over the filling. Whisk an egg with 1 tablespoon of water and brush the egg wash over the pie crust.
• Place the pie on the lower rack and bake for 15 minutes. Lower the heat to 375 degrees F, and move the pie up to the middle rack. Bake another 35-45 minutes-until the crust is golden brown and the blueberry filling in bubbling. If the pie crust browns too quickly, cover it with foil.
• Once out of the oven, resist the urge to cut into the pie and have a slice. The pie needs to cool to room temperature for the filling to thicken up! It usually takes about 2 hours!

BEST PIE CRUST EVER!

Steps:

• Combine first 5 ingredients in the *magical* pie dough transformer (food processor).
• PULSE these ingredients together only slightly. Too much pulsing causes excess friction which melts the butter and creates a dense, yucky pie dough.
• Gradually add the ice cold water while pulsing. Dough should just start to come together but will still seem somewhat dry. Pea-sized butter chunks are what makes the world go 'round.
• Pour/dump dough out, combine and knead gently & slightly, just to bring dough together.
• Divide into two rounds & freeze/chill until ready to use.
• Whenever possible, thaw dough to room temp., but you can cut frozen dough into large chunks & microwave CAREFULLY.
• Remember to declare your love to the dough -- this always makes the best pies.

ALAN'S PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Mix the flour and the salt in a large bowl. Add the butter or margarine and lard; mix with hands until crumb like texture is achieved. Mix in the water. Pat into a ball, and wrap in wax paper. Refrigerate for at least two hours.

ALTON BROWN'S PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Place butter and lard in freezer for 15 minutes. When ready to use, remove and cut both into small pieces.
• In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour and salt by pulsing 3 to 4 times. Add butter and pulse 5 to 6 times until texture looks mealy. Add lard and pulse another 3 to 4 times. Remove lid of food processor and spritz surface of mixture thoroughly with water. Replace lid and pulse 5 times. Add more water and pulse again until mixture holds together when squeezed. Place mixture in large zip-top bag, squeeze together until it forms a ball, and then press into a rounded disk and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Place 2 metal pie pans in the refrigerator to chill.
• Remove dough from refrigerator. Cut along 2 sides of the plastic bag, open bag to expose dough, and sprinkle both sides with flour. Cover again with plastic and roll out with a rolling pin to a 10 to 11-inch circle. Open plastic again and sprinkle top of dough with flour. Remove pie pans from refrigerator and set first pan on top of dough. Turn everything upside down and peel plastic from bottom of dough. Place second pan upside down on top of dough and flip again. Remove first pan from atop dough. Trim edges if necessary, leaving an edge for meringue to adhere to. Poke holes in dough and place in refrigerator for 15 minutes.
• Place a large piece of parchment paper on top of dough and fill with dry beans. Press beans into edges of dough and bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove parchment and beans and continue baking until golden in color, approximately 10 to 15 minutes longer. Remove from oven and place on cooling rack. Let cool completely before filling.