Do you have any tips for making pie crust?

This is my go to pie crust. Easy to make, easy to work with and equally good when used for savory or sweet applications. Good luck!

Put ice in your water & always use cold Crisco. After mixing, roll out quickly, don’t let it get too warm.

Use Vodka not water it should be cold.

Let your pastry rest for about 30 minutes after you’ve made it. Wrap it on some cling film and put it in the fridge.

Don’t handle it too much. Use your fingertips and a light touch. As @KNOWITALL said, use ice water and keep it as cool as you can.

@Eartbound Fingertips? I use a wooden roll pin. I’m way to impatient for fingers lol, but maybe I’ll try that soon.

Water and butter should be cold.

To rub the fat and the flour together. You want to end up with a breadcrumb textured mixture.

Use unsalted butter.

Cold, like freezer cold. Also, frissage the dough – start the video at 3:20 to see how.

If pre-baking the crust, put aluminum foil over it and fill the foil with dried beans (or you can get fancy and buy pie weights, but beans work fine) while cooking. This will help it stay flat and not bubble before you fill it.

BUTTER HAS NO SUBSTITUTE!

@deni Word.

60% butter, 40% vegetable shortening. Keep everything as cold as possible and handle the ingredients as little as possible.

A food processor can do a great job with pie crust, but a mixer often makes for tough crust.

Yes, don’t overmix! Tough crust is bad crust. I did that last time because my wetness factor always seems to be slightly off and by the end (though you have no way of really knowing this will happen until the pie is finished and you’re eating it) the crust is still tasty, but very tough, especially around the edges. So sad.

Don’t overwork the crust. If it becomes soft or sticky, let it rest for about 30 minutes in the refirgerator before rolling it out.

We had a bit of a family religious war going on for a few years (butter vs. shortening). The war ended with an official concession speech and multilateral agreement that involves the banning of shortening. The entire family can now rest knowing that there is no risk that one will unknowingly bite into a shortening crust again.

I’ve no idea how you Americans make a pastry for a pie.

I use a low-gluten flour (7–9%), typically Polish Krupczatka flour, butter, beaten egg, and a pinch of salt.

Work lightly until formed, wrap it up and stick it in the fridge for an hour or two.

The idea of using hydrogenated fats instead of butter horrifies me.

@Kropotkin Never try it. It’s gross.

@Dappled You know a lot of frosting is mostly Crisco, too. Think of that next time you eat frosting lol, yum

Frosting isn’t food.

@KNOWITALL And people wonder why there’s a diabetes and obesity epidemic.

@Kropotkin You should never go to a country church supper around here. Those old ladies use butter, cream, lard, etc…

@KNOWITALL “You know a lot of frosting is mostly Crisco, too.”

Not in my house! I make it with butter, sugar, and vanilla. Now that’s delicious.

@Kropotkin brought up the othe important thing – chill the dough before you roll it out.

As for the shortening versus butter discussion, butter give you a tender crust, shortening gives you a flaky crust. It depends on what you want for your crust.

@tedibear True that the butter/shortening choice affects texture – but it also greatly affects taste.

My own personal preference: butter

The more butter, the “shorter” the crust. Scottish shortbread is mainly butter.

Grandma made flaky crusts. Brush with butter & sprinkle with sugar before baking. Yummy.

Who in their right mind would use Crisco for frosting? Oh god the thought is frightening. I can’t fathom this.