Foolproof Pie Crust Food

FOOLPROOF PIE DOUGH

Steps:

• Process 1 1/2 cups flour, salt, and sugar in food processor until combined, about 2 one-second pulses. Add butter and shortening and process until homogeneous dough just starts to collect in uneven clumps, about 15 seconds (dough will resemble cottage-cheese curds, and there should be no uncoated flour). Scrape bowl with rubber spatula and redistribute dough evenly around processor blade. Add remaining cup flour and pulse until mixture is evenly distributed around bowl and mass of dough has been broken up, 4 to 6 quick pulses. Empty mixture into medium bowl.
• Sprinkle vodka and water over mixture. With rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix, pressing down on dough until dough is slightly tacky and sticks together. Divide dough into two even balls and flatten each into 4-inch disk. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 45 minutes or up to 2 days.

FOOL PROOF PIE CRUST RECIPE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, and salt.
• Cut the butter and shortening into small cubes. Add to the flour mixture as you cut it and toss in the flour so the cubes don't stick together.
• Use a pastry cutter to cut the butter and shortening into the flour, rocking the pastry cutter back and forth, until the mixture is the texture of a coarse meal or sand.
• Mix cold water and chilled vodka together. Slowly pour into the flour mixture (about 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring between additions, until just mixed together. Do not overwork.
• Use your hands to gently press the dough into a ball. Divide dough into two equal pieces. Lay two 12-inch long pieces of plastic wrap onto the countertop. Transfer the dough onto the center of the plastic wrap.
• Flatten each dough ball into a 2-inch disc. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before rolling. (Discs can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before using.)

FOOLPROOF PHILLY PIE CRUST RECIPE

Steps:

• Place flour in large bowl. Cut in cream cheese and butter with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Shape dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate 1 hour.
• Place dough between 2 lightly floured sheets of waxed paper; roll into 10-inch round. Discard top sheet of waxed paper. Spray 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray; invert over dough. Flip pie plate, holding pie plate and dough together. Discard second sheet of waxed paper. Gently press dough onto bottom and up side of pie plate. Flute edge of crust, if desired, then use as desired.

MARTHA STEWARTS FOOLPROOF PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Put the flour, salt and sugar into a food processor and pulse once or twice.
• Add the butter and process until the mixture looks grainy.
• Then slowly, while pulsing, add the water until you can form the dough by pressing it between your fingers.
• Decant the loose dough onto a piece of plastic wrap.
• Using the wrap, fold the loose dough towards the middle and press with the back of your hands to form dough.
• Split into two pieces and wrap each and chill for at least 4 hours before using.
• Dough can be made ahead for up to one week.

NO FAIL PIE CRUST I

Steps:

• Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Cut in shortening until it resembles coarse crumbs.
• Mix egg, water, and vinegar together in a separate bowl. Pour into flour all at once and blend with a fork until dough forms into a ball. Divide into 3 equal-sized rounds.
• Wrap with plastic and chill in a refrigerator until ready to prepare.

PERFECT PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Mix the flour, sugar, and salt: Put flour, sugar, and salt into the bowl of a food processor and pulse a couple times to mix.
• Add the butter, half at a time, pulsing several times after each addition: Add about half of the butter to the food processor and pulse several times. Then add the rest of the butter and pulse 6 to 8 times until the largest pieces of butter are about the size of large peas.
• Slowly add the ice water: Sprinkle the mixture with 4 tablespoons of the ice water (make sure there are no ice cubes in the water!) and pulse again. Then add more ice water, a tablespoon at a time, pulsing once or twice after each addition until the dough just barely begins to hold together. You may not need all the water. The mixture is ready when a small handful of the crumbly dough holds together when you pinch it with your fingers.
• Make two dough discs: Carefully empty the crumbly dough mixture from the food processor on to a clean, dry, flat surface. Gather the mixture in a mound. Divide the dough mixture into two even-sized mounds. Use your hands and knead each mound just enough to form each one into a disc. Do not over-knead! Kneading develops gluten which will toughen the dough, not something you want in a pastry crust. You should just knead enough so that the dough holds together without cracks. If you started with cold butter you should be able to see small chunks of butter speckling the dough. This is a good thing. These small bits of butter will spread out into layers as the crust cooks so you have a flaky crust! Sprinkle each disc with a little flour, wrap each one in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for one hour or up to 2 days.
• Remove dough from refrigerator and let sit for a few minutes: Remove one crust disc from the refrigerator. Let sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes in order to soften just enough to make rolling out a bit easier.
• Roll out dough, place in pie dish: Roll out with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface to a 12-inch circle; about 1/8 of an inch thick. As you roll out the dough, check if the dough is sticking to the surface below. If necessary, add a few sprinkles of flour under the dough to keep the dough from sticking. Carefully place onto a 9-inch pie plate. Gently press the pie dough down so that it lines the bottom and sides of the pie plate. Use a pair of kitchen scissors to trim the dough to within 1/2 inch of the edge of the pie dish.
• Add filling to the pie
• Roll out second disc, place on top of filling: Roll out second disc of dough, as before. Gently place onto the top of the filling in the pie. Trim excess dough with kitchen shears, leaving a 3/4 inch overhang. Fold the edge of the top piece of dough over and under the edge of the bottom piece of dough, pressing together. Flute edges using thumb and forefinger or press with a fork. Score the top of the pie with four 2-inch long cuts, so that steam from the cooking pie can escape.
• Freeze the crust it for at least a half hour: until chilled. This is an important step in pre-baking. Otherwise the crust will slip down the sides. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
• Line pie crust with aluminum foil: When the pie crust is sufficiently chilled, line the pie crust with aluminum foil. Let the foil extend over by a few inches on two sides to make it easier to lift to remove the pie weights when the baking is done.
• Fill with pie weights: Fill the crust to the top with pie weights - dry beans, rice, or sugar. (Sugar works best.)
• Bake: Bake at 350°F for 45-50 minutes if making a crust for a pie that will require further cooking, for example a quiche. Bake for 60 to 75 minutes if making a crust for a pie that you don't need to bake further.
• Cool completely before filling: You may need to tent the edges of the pie with aluminum foil when you bake your pie, to keep the edges from getting too dried out and burnt. See more detailed instructions and photos for how to blind bake a crust here .
• Make the dough: Combine flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor; pulse to mix. Add the butter and pulse 4 times. Add shortening in tablespoon sized chunks, and pulse 4 more times. The mixture should resemble coarse cornmeal, with butter bits no bigger than peas. Sprinkle 6 tablespoons of ice water over flour mixture. Pulse a couple times. If you pinch some of the crumbly dough and it holds together, it's ready. If the dough doesn't hold together, keep adding water, a teaspoon at a time, pulsing once after each addition, until the mixture just begins to clump together.
• Form discs: Remove dough from machine and place in a mound on a clean surface. Divide the dough into 2 balls and flatten each into 4 inch wide disks. Do not over-knead the dough! Dust the discs lightly with flour, wrap each in plastic, and refrigerate for at least an hour, or up to 2 days before rolling out.
• Roll out the dough: After the dough has chilled in the refrigerator for an hour, you can take it out to roll. If it is too stiff, you may need to let it sit for 5-10 minutes at room temperature before rolling. Sprinkle a little flour on a flat, clean work surface and on top of the disc of dough you intend to roll out. (We use a Tupperware pastry sheet that has the pie circles already marked.) Using a rolling pin, apply light pressure while rolling outwards from the center of the dough. Every once in a while you may need to gently lift under the dough (a pastry scraper works great for this) to make sure it is not sticking. You have a big enough piece of dough when you place the pie tin or pie dish upside down on the dough and the dough extends by at least 2 inches all around.
• Place into pie dish: When the dough has reached the right size, gently fold it in half. Lift up the dough and place it so that the folded edge is along the center line of the pie dish. Gently unfold. Do not stretch the dough.
• If single crust pie: trim edges: If you are only making a single crust pie, use a pair of kitchen scissors to trim the dough to within 1/2 inch of the lip of the dish. Tuck the overhang underneath itself along the edge of the pie dish. Use your fingers in a pinching motion, or the tines of a fork to crimp the edge of the pie crust.
• If making double crust pie: roll the second crust: If you are making a double crust pie, roll out the second disc of dough. Gently place onto the top of the filling in the pie. Use a kitchen scissors to trim the overhang to an inch over. Fold the edge of the top piece of dough over and under the edge of the bottom piece of dough, pressing together. Finish the double crust by pressing against the edges of the pie with your finger tips or with a fork.
• Make vents in the top: Use a sharp knife to cut vents into the top of the pie crust, so the steam has a place to escape while the pie is cooking. Before scoring, you may want to paint the top of your crust with an egg wash (this will make a nice finish).
• Beat egg yolk with cream and brush on the surface of the pie with a pastry brush.

FOOLPROOF PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl with a fork or pastry blender. Cut in the shortening until crumbly. In a small bowl, whisk together the water, vinegar, and egg until smooth. Add to the flour mixture and stir until the ingredients are incorporated. Divide the dough into 5 equal pieces. Pat each into a round disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Place in refrigerator for 30-60 minutes before using. Dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for 6 weeks. If frozen, bring to room temperature before using. To use the crust, flour each side lightly and roll out on a floured board. Fit into pie plate or use as top crust as directed in your recipe.

FOOLPROOF PIE SHELLS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt; cut in shortening until crumbly. Whisk the egg, water and vinegar; gradually add to flour mixture, tossing with a fork until dough forms a ball. Divide into four portions. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour., On a lightly floured surface, roll out each portion of dough to fit a 9-in. pie plate. Transfer pastry to pie plates. Trim each pastry to 1/2 in. beyond edge of plate; flute edges. Fill or bake shells according to recipe directions.

FOOLPROOF PHILLY PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Place flour in large bowl. Cut in cream cheese and butter with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Shape dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate 1 hour.
• Place dough between 2 lightly floured sheets of waxed paper; roll into 10-inch round. Discard top sheet of waxed paper. Spray 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray; invert over dough. Flip pie plate, holding pie plate and dough together. Discard second sheet of waxed paper.
• Gently press dough onto bottom and up side of pie plate. Flute edge of crust, if desired, then use as desired.

PERFECT PIE CRUST

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.

EASY FOOD PROCESSOR PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Place the flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor. and pulse 4 or 5 times until combined.
• Cut the cold butter and shortening into small pieces. Add to the flour mixture in the food processor and process about 20 seconds or until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Add the vinegar and 4 tablespoons water and pulse about 6 times. Add additional water by the tablespoon and pulse until mixture begins to hold together. You may not need to use all the water.
• Remove pastry from the food processor bowl, divide in two, and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to two days.
• When ready to roll out, remove the crust from the refrigerator and let it rest on the counter for about 10 to 15 minutes. Flour a large board and using a rolling pin, roll the pastry out until it is large enough to fit your pie plate, leaving about a 1-inch or 2-inch overhang. Press the pastry gently down into the plate and then trim the edges to fit the pan with a sharp knife. Tuck top edge of crust over and flute with your fingers. To ensure the bottom crust will cook through, poke the bottom of the crust all over with a fork before filling. If blind baking your crust, skip this step. The crust is ready to be filled and baked according to your pie recipe's directions.

FOOLPROOF SHORTCRUST PASTRY (FOOD PROCESSOR METHOD)

Steps:

• Cut the butter into small cubes and arrange on a small plate. Freeze for 20 minutes.
• Add the flour and salt to a food processor, then pulse to combine. Add the butter and process for 10 continuous seconds, until the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs.
• Add the egg and process for 5 seconds. Add the ice water and process for 20 seconds. The dough should now start clumping together. Turn the mixture out onto a work surface. The mixture will easily hold together when pressed. Using your hands, gather the dough into a ball then flatten into a disk, kneading it as lightly as possible.
• If you're making shortcrust pastry right before you need to use it, gather it into a disk, set it on a lightly floured surface, and roll it out to the required size. Ease into a pie or tart pan, lay flat on a baking sheet, or cut out and fit into muffin pans if making tartlets. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour. Use as instructed by the recipe.
• You can alternatively wrap the ball of shortcrust pastry in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 3 days, or freeze for 1 month.
• Bring refrigerated shortcrust pastry back to room temperature at least 30 minutes before rolling. Thaw frozen shortcrust pastry overnight in the refrigerator, then bring back to room temperature at least 30 minutes before rolling.

BUTTER PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Pulse the butter, flour, and salt in a food processor until the mixture resembles coarse sand, with some small lumps of butter (no larger than pea-sized) remaining. This will probably take 15 to 20 (1-second) pulses.
• Feed one tablespoon of ice water at a time through the feed tube of the food processor, pulsing 4 to 5 times after each addition. Stop adding water when the mixture begins to form large clumps and pulls away from sides of the food processor bowl.
• Dump the mixture onto a work surface and push it together into a big lump using your hands. Evenly divide the dough in half. Quickly form the halves into two balls and flatten them into 4-inch disks. Place each disk in a plastic baggie or wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least an hour and up to 4 days. Remove the dough from the refrigerator 3 to 4 minutes ahead of time so that it just starts to soften and is easier to roll.
• Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin. Roll out the disk of dough from the center moving outward, turning it a quarter turn and repeating until the diameter of the whole crust is about 4 inches larger than the pie pan. If the edges of the crust start to split, pinch them together before continuing. Once the crust is rolled out, allow it to rest for 5 minutes.
• Carefully transfer the pie crust to the pie pan, flute the edges, and proceed with your pie recipe as directed. (To prebake your crust, see 'Notes' section below for directions. Further details can also be found in the post above the recipe card.)

PERFECT PIE CRUST

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.