Making Your Own Pie Crust?

[confettine]

I never really tried to make pie crust. It sold for a buck at the dollar store, so it was very convenient to buy it instead of figuring out how to make it. I think one time, with my granny, we made a sort of pie crust by crushing Corn Flakes and mixing them with butter or something? Cannot quite remember, and it was tasty, but did not held as reliably, so to say.

Now I'm in Germany and they just don't sell pie crusts! Agh.

Do you guys make your own? What recipe do you use? Do you need special tools/trick? (I once saw something with two blunt blades I think used to mash the crust or something)

 

[monkeyboots]

Hi,
Try this no-roll pie crust from The Splendid Table.
Just mix it up and press it in the pan!

http://www.splendidtable.org/recipes/shortcut-piecrust

I'm also a big fan of graham cracker crusts, oreo crusts, etc. Yum!

 

[ThatNewMommy]

I don't really eat sweets so I use a regular no-sugar pie crust from scratch. I use it for sweet pies and for savory pies. Sometimes Ia lso use it as a crumble over cheesy winter mix.

1 part ice cold water
2 parts cold butter
6 parts flour

First, I cut the butter into the flour. I either use my processor to process it until it almost looks like sand or if I'm making crumble I do it with my hands. (It's the fun part for my king and me especially since my processor is a manual one.) Then I add the cold water and process it a little more still it starts coming together (or again, use my hands). I wrap it up in plastic wrap (or a Ziploc- whatever I have on hand and put it in the refrigerator until I have the rest ready to go. Then if I'm going to use as a regular pie crust I roll it out, place in plate, fill, and if I'm using a top piece I'll put in the refrigerator until I roll out the top piece. (I have to put in fridge a lot because my house runs hot).

 

[Tina Nord]

TheNewMommy's recipe is about the same as what I use, but mine calls for a couple of tablespoons of sugar added too. During the year, it is much more cost effective to make your own pie crust, but during the holiday season, it is almost worth the money just to buy them premade at the store, They go on sale for cheap and with all the other holiday prepping that needs to happen, it is worth the money to buy one.

 

[Trellum]

Depends on the pie, for a cheese or lemon pie I simply crush vanilla cookies... you can easily find them in Germany. You can also try the digestive biscuits sold in the Netherlands, pretty sure you can find those in Germany. You just crush them, add melted butter, mix and bake or put into the freezer for a bit.

 

[Trellum]

I don't really eat sweets so I use a regular no-sugar pie crust from scratch. I use it for sweet pies and for savory pies. Sometimes Ia lso use it as a crumble over cheesy winter mix.

1 part ice cold water
2 parts cold butter
6 parts flour

First, I cut the butter into the flour. I either use my processor to process it until it almost looks like sand or if I'm making crumble I do it with my hands. (It's the fun part for my king and me especially since my processor is a manual one.) Then I add the cold water and process it a little more still it starts coming together (or again, use my hands). I wrap it up in plastic wrap (or a Ziploc- whatever I have on hand and put it in the refrigerator until I have the rest ready to go. Then if I'm going to use as a regular pie crust I roll it out, place in plate, fill, and if I'm using a top piece I'll put in the refrigerator until I roll out the top piece. (I have to put in fridge a lot because my house runs hot).

I use a similar recipe for apple and pecan pies, it tastes very good Not rubbery or anything, it is so good it melts in your mouth with every bite. i might share it later.

 

[DancingLady]

Some recipes will tell you to use Crisco, or vegetable shortening, but I say use butter. It is healthier for you and tastes much better. The trick to pie crusts is not adding too much water, just enough so it holds together.

Graham cracker crusts are also wonderful if you are making a pie that has custard or something along those lines. Those are just graham crackers and butter.

 

[confettine]

Vanilla cookies sure sound like a good idea! I also like oreo crusts, but Oreos are pretty expensive around here for a small package! :I

I really wish that for convenience's sake, pre-made could be bought in stores, but on the other side, it is kind of exciting to practice new baking techniques/recipes! Thanks for the inspiration so far!

 

[tangela]

I feel like pie crusts are one of those things that are really hard to make...like you have to get the butter temperature right and knead it just the right amount to make sure it isn't crumbly when you try to put it in the pan. My mother-in-law makes her own pie crust and it's always SO good, so I'll have to learn it from her and get her secrets

 

[Winterybella]

Well I can't make much of contribution here as I have never made any. I was always curious about whether it was something I would like to make from scratch. Reading some of post it seems it's not that difficult after all. Maybe I will try doing something from scratch in the not so distant future.

 

[Trellum]

I feel like pie crusts are one of those things that are really hard to make...like you have to get the butter temperature right and knead it just the right amount to make sure it isn't crumbly when you try to put it in the pan. My mother-in-law makes her own pie crust and it's always SO good, so I'll have to learn it from her and get her secrets

It really isn't rocket science, don't believe those who say it is, because it really isn't hard at all! I got my first pie crust right the first time, all you need is room temperature butter and that's it, no big deal. I get the perfect crust for apple and pecan pies EVERY single time.