How do you make a successful pie crust? Practice, practice, practice. The ingredients are easy, but it takes a few tries to get the feel for the pastry dough. Here's my basic recipe, with as many tips as I can think of off the top of my head. If any part seems confusing, let me know and I'll try to clarify. I've been making pie crusts since I was 12, so I may take some steps for granted:
***************************************************
Flaky Shortcrust Pastry (for a double crust pie)
3 cups all-pourpose flour - chilled if the weather is warm
½ cup unsalted butter - ice-cold and cut into pieces
½ cup vegetable shortening - ice-cold and cut into pieces
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup to ¾ cup ice water (depending on room humidity)
Directions
(TIP: If you live in a warm climate, chill your bowl, mixing tools, and rolling pin ahead of time.)
1. Sift the flour and salt into a chilled bowl
2. “Cut” the chilled butter/shortening pieces into the flour using a dinner fork or pastry blender (aka “pastry cutter”) until 40% to 50% of the butter/shortening pieces are still as large as peas.
(TIP: The large chunks of fat create flaky layers of pastry crust. If all the fat is too well-blended onto the flour, your crust will be as dense as cardboard.)
3. Sprinkle the ice water into the flour/butter mix, one spoonful at a time -- lightly mixing until the dough starts to clump together.
(TIP: By using ice water, you keep the butter/shortening solid.)
4. Pick up a small handful of dough and squeeze it in your palm. The dough should be just moist enough to hold together without falling apart (If it’s dry or crumbly, sprinkle a little more water into the dough).
(TIP: Be light-handed with the water. Too much water creates gluten, which will toughen the dough)
5. Transfer dough onto a sheet of wax paper or plastic wrap. For the double crust recipe, divide the dough in two.
(TIP: If you are making a double crust pie, make one half slightly larger than the other. You should use a little extra dough for the bottom crust.)
6. Gently pat dough into two balls.
(TIP: Do not compact dough too tightly - a little air is necessary for flaky crusts.)
7. Flatten each ball into a rough disk. Wrap each disk in wax paper/plastic and let chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour (can be left overnight).
(TIP: Chilled dough handles better, retains the solid fats for flakiness, and develops less gluten when worked.)
8. Turn chilled disk out onto lightly floured wax paper/parchment. Roll out dough with chilled rolling pin, rotating paper 1 quarter turn regularly to ensure a nice, even circle.
(TIP: If you work the dough too much, the crust will become tough and dense.)
9. Lift wax paper/parchment and flip the pastry dough right over the pan or filling. Position as necessary, and peel the paper off.
(TIP: Never stretch the crust; this will cause it to shrink as the pie bakes.)
10. Trim over-hanging dough with a sharp knife.
(TIP: You can patch tears in the dough by pinching it back together. Large gaps can be patched with scraps cut from the overhanging dough.)
11. Fill bottom pastry crust. Before adding top crust, cut “steam vents” in the top crust -- If you’re feeling fancy, make decorative cut outs which will serve the same purpose.
12. Crimp edges.
13. If desired, use pastry brush to lightly brush milk on the top crust for some “gloss”.
14. Put your pie in the oven!
(TIP: Set pie on a cookie sheet in the oven to catch any bubble-over spills.)
