World's worst pie crust maker (me) finally figured it out!

[donaldbuzz&minnie]

After too many humiliating fails, and years of deciding that grocery store crusts were my fate, I finally decided that this as going to be the holiday season I would conquer my fear of pastry. Eight practice crusts later, I think I have finally found a method that works for me! It's the Easy Pie Dough recipe on the website Serious Eats. I am so happy!

The standard pie crust method that works happily for millions is something that I have to admit has defeated me. Vodka, nope. Sour cream, ok but risky. Late last night, as I was about to default this year to yet another collaboration with the Pillsbury Dough Boy, I found the above technique that seems to actually work. It uses standard ingredients, but combines them in a food processor very differently from standard techniques. I can finally make pie crust!

 

[Kimberle]

The secret to a good flakey crust is to keep all your ingredients cold. I use butter, salt, flour and water. I don't have a food processer, so I cut my butter in small cubes before adding to the flour and salt. I then blend with my pastry blender until the butter is in tiny pieces. I'll add ice water as needed. I then divide into portions, wrap in cling wrap and put in the 'fridge for at least a night. When rolling, you'll want to make sure to see the tiny butter bits. You don't want it to melt at all. The flakiness comes when the butter "pops" when baking.

 

[jaiminee krikit]

I used to be unable to make a pie crust. It was so upsetting to me! I even asked my MIL (who makes pie crusts as quickly as I make toast) to teach me her ways and her response was “I don’t really know what I’m doing either” (translates to “Nah, figure it out yourself”). I was going to give up, but one day I tried something new. I took the cold stick of butter and grated it with a cheese grater. It came together amazingly after I did that!

 

[Wishing on a star]

Congratulations!!!!
But, I have to say, Vodka???? Sour Cream??? Food Processer???
As a home-made pie crust girl - IMHO, none of those would be necessary or recommended.

Cold fats, minimal water, a good pastry cutter... 2 minutes... Voila!!!

And, yes, I would think that the right grater would work as well as the pastry cutter!!!

People look forward to my homemade pies when I bring them for the Holidays!

 

[lifesavacation]

Ugh! I've made 2 batches of pie dough tonight trying to get it just perfect. I told my husband no more buying pies. I'm going to figure it out so expect a few mistake pies. I think I got my butter too cold with my first batch. The pastry cutter could hardly cut through it.

The recipe says to chill the dough for 2 hours or more before baking so I'm crossing my fingers that I'm not up making a 3rd batch late tonight.

 

[maddiel]

I read somewhere once that cooks tend to be either good at yeast dough or pastry/biscuit dough and it's true in my experience. Yeast doughs like warmth and a lot of mixing by hand and pastry doughs like cold and minimal touch.

I am more of a pastry dough cook and I also find that the more I want to swear at the dough because it's hard to work with, the flakier the finished product!

M.

 

[Micca]

But, I have to say, Vodka???? Sour Cream??? Food Processer???
As a home-made pie crust girl - IMHO, none of those would be necessary or recommended.

You don't put it in the crust silly.

 

[bobbiwoz]

Good for you!

My pies definitely look “homemade “ but they taste good, so I keep at it!

 

[kimblebee]

You don't put it in the crust silly.

Isn’t that exactly what you do? I was under the impression that you use the vodka in place of some of the water?

 

[leebee]

Isn’t that exactly what you do? I was under the impression that you use the vodka in place of some of the water?

I think Micca is referring to putting the vodka in the chef!

 

[slpeters]

Good for you!

Isn’t that exactly what you do? I was under the impression that you use the vodka in place of some of the water?

Yes. In theory the vodka helps inhibit the development of the gluten so it's harder to overmix. Whether it's that or the fact that more of the liquid bakes off in the cooking process, it makes for a very tender flaky crust.

 

[clh2]

I feel I can do an ok job with the actual crust, but have a hard time makes no it pretty. Last night, I merely crimped it with a fork.

 

[donaldbuzz&minnie]

Congratulations!!!!
But, I have to say, Vodka???? Sour Cream??? Food Processer???
As a home-made pie crust girl - IMHO, none of those would be necessary or recommended.

Cold fats, minimal water, a good pastry cutter... 2 minutes... Voila!!!

And, yes, I would think that the right grater would work as well as the pastry cutter!!!

People look forward to my homemade pies when I bring them for the Holidays!

Kudos to all of you who find making good pie dough easy - you have the magic touch. Using your method, my pie crusts would turn out too crumbly, hard to roll out, or tough. I just never could get the proportions right. I would mix the butter in with the flour too much or too little, and add too much or too little water.

The "Easy Pie Dough" recipe on the website "Serious Eats" de-bunked some common myths about why pie dough works and gave me a foolproof method that really works for me. This morning I made the third crust using his technique and my pie actually is something that would make my grandmother proud. If you have had the same problems with pie crust (and you happen to own a food processor) you might want to try it! I can't believe what a difference it made.

 

[Wishing on a star]

I think that this is the link:
https://www.seriouseats.com/2016/11/easy-pie-dough-crust-bravetart-food-lab.html

It is a really good link! And, it explains the different pie crusts/doughs.
I am the old-fashioned kind of pie-crust girl.
More like the second recipe.
But, I don't incorporate those extra steps and 'folding'... not really necessary!

The first pie crust, with the food processor, looks more like a pastry.

PS: by 'cold', we don't mean butter hard right out of the fridge. That def. would not roll out.
Just cool-cold... cooler than room temp.
And, another tip is to use water from a cup of ice-water when adding the minimal water necessary.
That too helps maintain the correct temperature.