How to Make a Simple Pie Crust

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A lot of people get intimidated about making their own pie crusts. While some store bought varieties are good, homemade pie crust is very buttery and flaky and serves as a fantastic medium for showcasing your pies. This pie crust is an easy one and makes use of only 5 ingredients. This is how it is done:

INGREDIENTS:

(1) 130 Grams All Purpose Flour (1 Cup)

(2) 70 Grams Cold Unsalted Butter (About 5 Tablespoons)

(3) 1 Tablespoon Shortening

(4) 2-3 Tablespoons Very Cold Water

(5) 1/2 Teaspoon Salt

PROCEDURE:

(1) Cut butter and shortening into cubes and place in freezer for about 15 minutes. You need these to be vary cold. The small bits of butter and shortening embedded in the crust is what makes it flaky. While you can use only butter for your pie crust, shortening adds to the flakiness. Also place your water in the freezer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

(2) After 15 minutes, mix your flour and salt in a large bowl, put in your butter and shortening and blend using a pastry blender or 2 forks. You can also use your hands but be careful not to melt the butter with the warmth of your hands. Blend the butter and shortening into the flour till it resembles fine bread crumbs. A few lumps is fine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(3) Add your cold water 1 tablespoon at a time and knead dough. I used 2 tablespoons here, but you might require less or more. You want the dough to come together. You do not want it very wet or sticky.

 

 

 

 

 

 

(4) When dough has come together, shape into a disk and wrap with plastic wrap. Place dough in fridge for about 1 hour. This will harden dough and make it easier to roll out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

NOTE: You can do all of the above steps in a food processor. Place flour and salt in food processor and pulse for a few seconds to mix. Add cold butter and shortening and process till bred crumbs form. Finally add your water and keep pulsing till the dough starts coming together.

(5) After 1 hour, take dough out, unwrap and place on a lightly floured surface. Begin rolling. Its always good to start from the middle of the dough and roll out. Flour your rolling pin and work surface as often as needed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

(6) It is good practice to always lift the dough up as you roll. This way you can ensure that nothing is sticking to your work surface. If the dough tears, don’t fret. Just repair the tear with your fingers and keep rolling. Rotate dough as you roll till you have enough surface area to cover your pie pan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

(7) Transfer rolled out dough to pie pan and mold into pan. Do not stretch dough as it will shrink back during baking if you do. Gentle tuck dough into corners of pan. Patch any holes and tear with some dough. Press edges of dough against the rim of the pan to remove excess dough.

 

 

 

 

 

 

(8) Place dough in freezer to cool for about 15 minutes.

(9) Take dough out of freezer and poke some holes on the bottom with a fork. This will prevent dough from puffing up during baking.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Your pie dough is ready for use. If the recipe calls for a prebaked pie crust like my Grilled Salmon and Sun-Dried Tomato Quiche, this is how to prebake your pie crust:

(1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

(2) Grease some foil paper and cover pie surface with it. The greased part of the foil paper should be touching the pie crust.

(3) Pour some pie weight on the foil paper making sure it gets to all the edges of the pie. I make use of some beans which I keep for this purpose. You can also use some rice or buy pie weight from a store.

 

 

 

 

 

 

(4) Place pie in oven and blind bake for 15 minutes.

(5) After 15 minutes, take pie out of oven and remove foil paper and pie weights. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees and return pie to oven and bake for another 10 minutes or till pie is light brown.

You prebaked pie crust is ready for use. Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can find a recipe for a Shortbread Pie Crust here.