Flaky Double Pie Crust

  • Looking for your official standby pie crust?  That reliable staple that does justice to your favorite pie or tart?  I think you’ll be happy with this fella- he’s easy to work with, and tasty to boot.  The butter gives it the flavor and texture you know you want, and the shortening acts as the structure insurance policy- with an extra bit of flakiness.  Enjoy. 

    3 cups flour

    1 ¼ tsp salt

    1 tbsp sugar

    1 ½ sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter (very cold & diced)

    1/3 cup vegetable shortening (very cold & diced)

    7-8 tbsp ice water

    1. Pulse dry ingredients in a food processor until mixed.
    2. Add butter & shortening and pulse until mixture resembles shape of peas (approx 10 pulses).
    3. Drizzle ice water into feed tube of running processor, and then pulse until dough starts to form into a ball.
    4. Place dough onto a floured surface, shape into two equally sized balls, and refrigerate (in separate plastic wrapped packages) for 30 minutes.
    5. Roll each dough ball out on a well-floured surface, into 12” circles that will fit over a 9” pie plate. 
    6. Partially roll your bottom crust onto the rolling pin and lift over pie plate, to make placement easier as you unroll the crust into the bottom of the plate. 
    7. Trim the edges of the crust to about an inch overhang, fill with your favorite pie filling (like a Sweet Cherry Pie, perhaps?) and place the top crust on top of the budding masterpiece.  Crimp both top and bottom crusts together with your fingers to seal.
    8. Refrigerate until ready to fill and bake according to pie recipe directions.


    Tips:

    • Using a silicone rolling pin will make this a far better experience for you- trust me- I have failed at rolling dough for years until this puppy came into my life.  (I am still failing at rolling crust, but just not to the colossal extent that I used to.)
    • Don’t use too much flour… scoop your flour into your measuring cup, then level it off with a knife (instead of scooping the flour out with your cup).  Packing the flour in like brown sugar will only cause you baking hardship and sorrow- something baking shouldn’t be.  Baking should be pure wonder, glory, and gluttony.

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    January 2nd, 2012 | More Sweets Please | No Comments | Tags: ,

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