Perfectly Flaky Pie Crust Food

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.

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 TENDER FLAKY PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Measure flour and salt into bowl. Add oil; mix with a fork, until particals are the size of small peas. Sprinkle with water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until flour is moistened and dough almost cleans the sides of the bowl. (If dough seems too dry, 1 to 2 tablespoons oil can be added. Do not add water.If dough seems a bit too wet, add a tiny bit of additional flour).Gather dough together;PRESS FIRMLY INTO A BALL. After pressing firmly into a ball,the less the dough is handled the more flaky the crust will be.
• Divide dough in half ; place one half cut side down and flatten into a round. Roll each round of dough between two sheets of wax paper. Gently peel off one sheet of wax paper and turn dough upside down. Peel off remaining sheet of wax paper after placing bottom crust into pan leaving a 1/2 inch overlap around pan edge.( Fill with desired pie filling.) Repeat with top crust rolling out same as bottom crust leaving 1 inch overhang around pan edge). Fold and roll top edge under lower edge, pressing on the rim to seal; flute edges as desired.
• Cut slits to vent steam in top of pie. I usually moisten my hands with a little water and dab across top crust. Sprinkle a tiny bit of sugar across the top of the pie, but not on the fluted areas of crust. Bake as directed following your pie recipe.
• *Do not use quick mixing flour in this recipe. If using self-rising flour,omit the salt. Pie crusts made with self-rising flour will differ in flavor and texture from those made with regular flour. (I always use regular flour.).
• Lots of people say they can't make a good pie crust. You can using this recipe,just work with the dough. It may take a time or two, until you become used to making the dough and working with it. Just remember to press the dough into a firm ball before rolling it out between the wax paper sheets. Another small bonus for me is that it uses oil instead of hydrogenated fats.

PERFECTLY FLAKY PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Make a paste from your cold water, 1/3 cup of your all purpose flour and almond extract.
• Cut shortening into your remaining flour and salt until you have small dime sized lumps. Add your paste to the shortening/flour mixture. Work together into a ball. Separate into two equal balls. Well-flour a smooth surface and roll out one of your dough balls into a round crust.
• Do NOT overwork this dough -- it will be fairly sticky so make sure to flour your rolling pin as well.
• If you are making a fruit pie, this recipe will make your top and bottom crust. If you are baking a crust to form later, after forming your crust, lay into a pie pan, press into the bottom of the pan, and finish your edges as you like. Poke the bottom of the crust with a fork to keep bubbles from forming in the crust and bake for 12 - 13 minutes in a 425 oven or until beginning to brown. You can also brush the edges of your crust with an egg wash to create a shiny browned appearance.

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 (NO FAIL)

Steps:

• Blend flour, Crisco and salt until crumbly (use a pastry blender).
• In a separate bowl, beat egg, add water and vinegar.
• Moisten flour mixture with this and separate into three sections.
• Roll out for single crust.
• This recipe makes three single crusts.
• Very flaky every time.

FLAKY PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Mix flour, sugar and salt with fingers or fork till corse mill.
• Combine two mixtures with fingers or fork just until barely moistened. If you over combine you will make it tough and lose flakiness.
• If it looks under stirred and falls apart then you're there! Tightly wrap it in plastic wrap (it will continue to combine by itself while wrapped) and chill for half hour.
• Flour surfaces before rolling out.