Can I Freeze My Butter Pie Crust
Aside from its simplicity, another bonus of this recipe is that it makes a double crust. So if you need two crusts for a pie, you’re good to go. But if you only need a bottom crust, you have another whole crust to stash in the refrigerator or freezer until you’re ready for it!
Wrapped in several layers of plastic wrap followed by foil or a freezer-thickness plastic baggie, a disk of this pie dough may be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. I like to write the date on the wrapping with a sharpie to keep track of how fresh it is. Simply thaw in the refrigerator for a couple days — and then allow to come to room temperature for a few minutes — before rolling it out.
Lard And Butter Pie Crust
This lard and butter pie crust is light, flaky and perfect for sweet or savory recipes. Make it by hand, or in a food processor, for a quick & easy shortcut!
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Peaches are starting to fill the grocery shelves, and it fills me with a small pang of loss, since we lost our old Reliance peach tree to the winter last year. I loved that old tree, and will so miss canning jar after jar of beautiful peaches from its branches.
We’ve planted a new tree, but of course we won’t have peaches of our own again for a few years yet.
To make myself feel better, I decided to splurge and buy store-bought peaches, and make turnovers with the kids. If a peach turnover won’t make you feel better, I don’t think anything will.
Thankfully, I just rendered some leaf lard a few weeks ago, and have a good supply of perfectly white, neutral-flavored lard on hand. Because what is pie crust without lard?
Can You Make Pie Crust Without A Food Processor
Yes, yes you can. But its a huge pain to try and get the cold butter dispersed evenly and it will take you 10 times the time and you will probably break your pastry cutter like I have. So using a food processor to make pie dough it always recommended. Dont have one? I bet a friendly neighbor or friend does! This recipe can be made weeks before you use it and stored in the freezer so find a time to borrow it and use it!
Here we are step one: Mixing some of the flour with the other dry ingredients.
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The Only Butter Pie Crust Recipe You’ll Ever Need
Pie pastry, when made correctly with high-quality ingredients can be a work of art. A properly cooked pie pastry should be so crispy it shatters when you bite it but also be delicate enough that it melts in your mouth.
This basic all butter pie recipe results in a classic American style flaky pie pastry. Many bakers, both novice and experienced, tend to be intimidating by making pie crust. After reading through this article, you’ll be armed with all the knowledge you need to make the best flaky pie crust.
Want to know just the basics and make the pie dough? Scroll on down to the recipe and everything basic you need is there. Want to learn more about pie dough? Keep reading, there is so much information throughout this post.
How To Roll Out A Pie Crust & Make It Look Pretty
Rolling out a pie crust is pretty simple. Here are a few tips that I recommend for making a pie crust that doesnt fall apart when you roll it out:
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Foolproof Pie Dough Recipe
I dont ever recall making cake from scratch or even making chocolate chip cookies with my mother growing up. But we would make PIES! And we would always make pie dough from scratch. So Ill try to zip through some of the basic tips but always give you some sneaky tips to making the best pie dough and crust. This recipe is all butter, but can you make a pie crust with shortening? Of course! Shortening has its own baking benefits but this recipe is for people who prefer only butter. Its the recipe I always use myself.
See that little pie crust leaf on top of the whipped cream in the picture above? I cut that leaf and THIS is what was inside. Layers and layers of flakiness heaven. This pie crust is amazingly flaky and buttery.
So After All That Talk Did It Work
Yes. It really did. Our pie crust was tender with long thin layers of dough, making it perfectly flaky.
We love this method for two reasons:
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How To Make Perfect Homemade Apple Pie
Its taken us a while to zero in on our favorite method for making apple pie, but I think weve finally nailed it. This simple recipe guarantees perfectly cooked apples surrounded with a thick gently spiced sauce. Theres no need for precooking the sauce or apples and the steps to make this pie are simple, you just need a little time.
As with all of the pie recipes on Inspired Taste, we start with this homemade pie crust. Im a stickler on this one. It has never failed us and is our go-to recipe for pumpkin pie, tarts, and other fruit pies like blueberry pie.
You can make the crust in advance. It can be refrigerated or frozen. Definitely check our pie crust recipe for our tips on making it .
As for the apples, we use a lot of them and like to use two or more varieties for the most apple-flavored pie. Ive listed some of our favorites below. It isnt a complete list, but it should give you some inspiration when shopping for your homemade pie. If you find yourself with extra apples, try making homemade applesauce!
We dont precook the apples before adding them to the crust.
Instead, we toss peeled and sliced apples with sugar, salt, and spices in a large bowl. When the apples are well coated, we set the bowl aside and let the apples sit for about an hour.
In this hour, the sugar and salt work on the apples to help them release their delicious liquid . The apples also soften quite a bit. We do this when making apple bread, too.
Lets Talk About Gluten
The first 2 rules exist almost exclusively to control the amount of gluten formation. Huh? Okay, Ill specifically break it down for you.
Gluten is two proteins that are found in wheat that, when hydrated and agitated, form a felt-like network. They are in essence responsible for the structure in your pie crust. You need a certain amount of gluten to create a flakey crust that wont just crumble or fall apart after slicing. But gluten is also what makes your pastry shrink or become tough when it should be delicate.
In general, there are several key steps in pastry making that are all about making sure only the appropriate amount of gluten forms. Gluten forms best in a warm environment, so back to the #1 rule of keeping it cold. Cutting in the butter coats some of those gluten strands so that they cannot form a tight, cohesive network.
This brings us to the second rule of pastry. You need to work quickly once you begin adding the water because gluten needs to be hydrated before it forms. The faster you work and the colder your water, the less gluten has a chance to form.
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Making Homemade Pie Crust
Before beginning, fill a large glass with ice cubes, then top with cool water. Working with cold butter and ice water are essential to making a delicious and flaky pie crust.
1. Measure 250 grams of all-purpose flour and ¼ teaspoon of salt in a mixing bowl.
2. Mix the flour and salt with a spoon.
3. Add 125 grams of cold, unsalted butter cut into small cubes or grated on the side of a box grater.
TIP: Cold butter is essential to making a good, flaky pie crust. Be sure to keep butter in the freezer or refrigerator until you are ready to make your crust.
4. Using a pastry cutter, cut butter into the flour. You can also use a stand mixer or even a food processor to cut the butter into the flour in less time. You could even mix cold butter in the flour with two forks, knife or your finger-tips.
5. The mixture should have pea sized butter dispersed in the flour together with tinier or smaller pieces of butter. These different sizes of butter contribute to getting a flaky crust in the pie.
6. Add cold water in parts.
7. Begin to mix gently with a spoon.
8. Continue adding water in parts and mixing until the flour mixture comes together in a ball. You can also use your hands when adding water to gently mix the dough. Do not knead you need to just barely bring the mixture together to form a dough. The specks of butter should still be visible when you are done.
What Type Of Flour Should You Use In Pie Crust
I recommend using a high quality all purpose flour. I love Bobs Red Mill Unbleached All Purpose Flour, but honestly, you can use whatever all purpose flour you have on hand and it will work!
You might ask why I dont use pastry flour in my pie dough. I mean, I get the question because essentially a pie crust is a type of pastry. And when I tested pie crust with pastry flour, there is no denying that the crust was delicious and very tender, as pastry four has less protein than all purpose, BUT it didnt hold up as a crust as well as the crust made with all purpose flour. If you are looking for a flaky, yet sturdy crust for your pie, I definitely recommend all purpose flour.
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How To Make The Dough
Start by cutting cold butter into 1/2-inch cubes and place it in the refrigerator. Place all the dry ingredients in a bowl and whisk them to combine.
Add the cold butter to the dry ingredients and toss the cubes of butter in the flour until they’re all coated with flour.
Use your hands to mix the butter into the flour mixture, but smashing the butter into flat pieces and or use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour.
Add the lemon juice to the ice water and add 4 tablespoons of water to the dough. Use a silicone spatula to toss the water with the butter-flour mixture. Add the remaining water 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough holds together when you press some of it in your hand.
Knead the dough and form the dough into a ball, making sure that all the flour is mixed in. Divide the dough into two even pieces, about 390 grams each.
Shape each ball of dough into a flat disc and wrap each one in plastic wrap. If making the pie the same day chill the dough for at least 45 minutes.
Store the dough in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Or freeze it for up to 2 month bu placing the dough in a freezer bag.
Secrets For Flaky Pie Crust
Want that flaky crust? Cold. Keep your butter cold and keep your pie crust cold. when those bits of butter melt in the oven they will create pockets of air making the dough flaky. So start with cold butter and dont over work it or sit and let your kids play with it with their warm hands! Only add as much liquid as you need, no more!
Here we are step 2: Adding in that COLD butter!
Step three: You can see the blended ingredients in coarse crumbs and then the rest of the flour being added.
Step four: The ice water has gone in! How do I make ice water? I just put a bunch of ice and water in a pyrex and let it sit while I do everything else for the pie and by the time I need it the water is cold and I can just use a tablespoon to scoop out the water I need!
This is how you know you have added enough water, the pie crust mixture sticks together when you pinch it!
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How To Mix The Ingredients
Chop the butter into about eight pieces using a knife and blend them into the flour by pulsing with a food processor or using a pastry blender. Keep working until the butter is the size of small peas.
Add the salt, sugar, shortening, and water and stir by hand or with the food processor. Mix until a dough forms. It will look slightly dry and crumbly, but should come together as a ball. If it does not, add more water one teaspoon at a time.