Perfect Pie Crust I Food

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.

PERFECTLY FLAKY PIE 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.

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.

PERFECT PIE CRUSTS

Steps:

• In a food processor using on/off turns, blend 1 1/2 cups instant flour, 1/4 cup butter, 1/4 cup shortening, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until mixture is crumbly and pieces of butter and shortening are the size of small peas. Add 1/4 cup ice water and mix in using on/off turns until dough forms large moist clumps.
• Flatten dough into 7-inch round, enclose in plastic, and place in refrigerator 30 minutes. Repeat process with remaining ingredients to make second pie crust.

PERFECT PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Directions as stated in magazine:.
• In a food processor, pulse together flour, sugar, and salt.
• Add butter, and pulse until largest pieces are the size of peas.
• In a cup, combine water and vinegar; drizzle, a little at a time (just using amount needed), while pulsing, into flour mixture until a dough just starts to form (mixture will appear dry but will form a soft dough when pressed with fingers. If dough still crumbles, pulse in a little more water mixture.
• Turn dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap and quickly form a ball by gathering together and pressing with hands. Halve and wrap each piece in plastic wrap, pressing to flatten disks. Refrigerate until ready to use. (Can be made ahead. Place wrapped disks in heavy-duty resealable plastic bags and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw in refrigerator at least 5 hours before using.).
• My directions:
• Place flour sugar, and salt in large bowl and stir to combine.
• Using a pastry blender, cut butter (or margarine) into flour mixture, until flour mixture is crumbly and the butter (or margarine) are no longer large pieces.
• Mix the cold water with vinegar (water mixture) and slowly add to flour mixture until dough starts to form.
• Turn the soft dough onto a lightly floured board or pastry sheet. Divide dough into 2 equal balls.
• Roll dough between two sheets of wax paper to the size of your pie pan. Place these in refrigerator for 10 minutes or until you are ready to use. (Hint: I put ice in a glass with water while I measure out my dry ingredients. Then I pour the cold water (no ice) into a measuring cup until I have 1/2 cup of cold water. Add your vinegar and your water mixture is ready to use.).

PERFECT PIE CRUST

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt to combine. Add the butter, tossing the cubes through the flour until the pieces are separated from one another and each piece is coated.
• Cut the butter into the flour by pressing the pieces between your palms or fingertips, flattening the cubes into big shards and continuing to toss them in the flour to recoat the shards. The size of the butter will vary depending on the kind of pie you're making: For fruit pies, stop when the butter pieces are about the size of walnut halves. For custard pies, stop when the butter pieces are smaller, about the size of peas.
• Make a well in the center of the mixture. Add 3 tablespoons ice water and mix it in by tossing the flour in the bowl. (This tossing movement lets the moisture incorporate without allowing too much gluten formation.)
• Continue to add ice water 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time until the dough begins to come together. As it comes together, fold it over itself a few times to make sure it's homogenous. The dough should hold together without noticeable cracks (a sign of underhydration), but it should not be wet or tacky to the touch (a sign of overhydration).
• Form the dough into a disk about 1-inch thick. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before using, and up to 2 days. (It can also be frozen for up to 3 months, then thawed overnight before using.)

PERFECT PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Pour flour and salt into a medium sized bowl.
• For sweet pies you can add the sugar and cinnamon at this stage, or you can add the onion and garlic powders for savory items as well.
• Cut butter into small pieces (I quarter my butter lengthwise and then cut off the pieces).
• Add butter to flour. Mix butter in until you have what resembles course meal.
• In small bowl, combine egg yolk with 2 tablespoons of the water and beat together.
• Add to flour and butter mixture and blend together until you have a firm ball of dough.
• Wrap in plastic cling wrap and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes.
• Remove dough and roll out evenly on either waxed paper or a floured surface.
• Press rolled dough firmly into pie plate, poking holes along bottom and sides with a fork to allow venting.
• Beat egg white with remaining tablespoon of water and brush the inside of your bottom crust with mixture. This helps the bottom crust bake flaky and remain crispy when baked with a filling.
• If using this to make a 2-crust pie, beat remaining egg white/water mixture with 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar until slightly foamy. Place a thick glaze of this on the top crust for sweet pies to get a lovely sweet golden brown flake on the top of your pie! For savory pies omit sugar but still glaze. It makes your pie look beautiful!
• Bake at 325 degrees for 15 minutes if only baking shell, and approximately 35 minutes when baking with filling. Crust is done when it is golden brown.

PERFECT PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.
• Using fingertips, rub in butter and shortening until mixture resembles coarse meal.
• Add vinegar.
• Use a fork to mix in enough water to form moist clumps.
• Gather dough into ball, divide dough into two equal portions.
• Flatten each portion into a disk.
• Wrap each in plastic wrap, chill 45 minute.
• Soften slightly at room temp.
• before rolling out.
• Fill pie with filling of your choice and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes at 400 degrees.

BAREFOOT CONTESSA'S 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.
• **Ina Garten prefers to use Crisco shortening, that has been stored in the refrigerator.
• ***Cook time does not include 30 minute refrigeration time.

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.

FLAKY FOOD PROCESSOR PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Measure the flour into the processor with the regular blade attached. Add the unsalted butter, cut into cubes, and shortening, cut into cubes. (Your fat should be frozen or very cold. You may vary the proportions, or use some lard, but the total should be 9 tablespoons.) Add salt. Pulse three times with three counts per pulse to lightly mix the ingredients.
• With the motor running, pour ice water into the workbowl just until the dough just starts to get noticeably crumbly. Don't wait until it is a big clump or it will be way too wet and will turn out tough.
• Stop the machine, dump the crumbly dough into a bowl, and gather the dough into a ball with your hand. you can squeeze it a bit to make it stick together. If it just won't form a ball, add a tiny bit more water. (Note that if you are making crust in the food processor, you will use less water than most recipes call for.)
• Wrap your dough ball in wax paper or plastic wrap and chill it about 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Roll it out on a cool surface if you can. Then follow your pie recipe for baking.

PERFECT PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Sift measured flour and salt into a bowl.
• Pour oil into glass measuring cup and add cold milk to make 3/4 cup liquid.
• Pour liquid into bowl and stir with a fork to mix well.
• Stir until it forms into a soft ball.
• Save half the dough to use later.
• Roll remaining half of dough into circle between two sheets of wax paper.
• Peel off top layer of wax paper.
• Place pie pan upside down on top of rolled out dough.
• Slide hand under bottom wax paper with top hand lightly on pan.
• Flip pan, crust and wax paper over gently.
• Crust and wax paper will gently settle into pan.
• Then peel second wax paper off crust.
• Fit crust into pie pan, make standing rim, and prick with fork.
• I use pie weights to keep shell flat.
• Bake in oven 450°F for 8- 10 minutes.