Easy as Pie Dough

A good pie is made up of two parts: a delicious filling and a flaky pie crust. Too often do people spend hours putting together a delicious pie filling and a beautifully decorated crust, only to eat the filling and throw away the rest. When I ask people why they don't make a fresh crust instead of buying a frozen one, most people respond that it is simply too difficult. Making pie dough is, well, easy as pie and the outcome is delicious!

Measure out all your ingredients before chilling them

In fact, pie dough is simply made of flour, butter and water. I use all butter for my crust. A lot of people use shortening in their crust. Though it does provide a little more flakiness to the crust I think that flavor of an all butter crust makes up for the slight loss of flakiness. And, honestly, there is something about shortening that just doesn't seem quite right to me. If you insist on using that stuff in the blue can, make sure to increase the flour slightly because it adds more moisture to the mix.

When making pie dough, here are three rules to remember:

• The first rule of making pie dough, is don't talk about making pie dough.
• The second rule of making pie dough, is don't talk about making pie dough.
• The third rule of making pie dough, is make sure your ingredients are cold!

The colder your ingredients, the more flaky your pie is going to turn out. So before starting your dough, put everything (including your bowl!) in the freezer. Add a few ice cubes, as well, to your water to allow it to get very cold. This will keep all your ingredients cold throughout the mixing process and will allow you a little more time to work the ingredients. 

Cover all the cubes of butter with flour before "cutting"

After chilling your ingredients, mix the flour and sugar together in your large, chilled bowl. Add the salt to the water to allow it to dissolve to ensure even distribution throughout the dough. Toss the cubes of butter into  the bowl and cover them with flour. Now you want to "cut" the butter into the flour. This simply means rubbing the butter between the tips of your fingers to break them up into smaller pieces. Make sure to use the tip of your fingers and not your palms to keep the ingredients cold!

The butter properly cut in

Your dough should be "sandy" in texture and the butter pieces should be differing in size but none larger than a pea. Don't worry if you over work the butter and cut it into too small of pieces. Keep this dough to use for bottom crusts. Since it is mealier it won't absorb juices as easily and won't become soggy during baking. I wouldn't use it for a top crust, however, because it won't be as flaky.

Use fingertips to lightly press in liquid

Add a little water at a time to the dough. Using your fingertips, press the liquid lightly into the dough. Do not mix the dough. This will cause gluten to begin to form in the dough and make it too tough.

Pull dry dough up from the bottom of the bowl

Remember to pull any dry dough up from the bottom of the bowl. Continue to add water to the mix until the dough begins to come together.

Dough is coming together but still dry

Sometimes dough will take more water to come together and sometimes it will take less. Keep an eye on the dough and add only a little water at a time. You can always add more water but not take it away.

Dough is done!

Just enough water is added to the dough for it to come together. It should be ragged not smooth and you should still see some little bits of butter present.

Wrap dough tightly

Once finished, dump the dough out on a work surface and divide it in two. Roll each section into a ball and flatten slightly with the palm of your hand. Wrap each half in plastic wrap and chill before rolling out. I always make a double-crust even when I only need a single because the dough can always be frozen and saved for future use!

Your pie dough is now ready to be used to make your favorite pie! Yum!

Live. Love. Bake.

Easy as Pie Dough
Makes a double-crust

Ingredients

2 3/4 cups flour
1 Tb. sugar
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
About 1/2 cup cold water 


Method

1. Measure out all ingredients and put them in the freezer along with your bowl. Let all the ingredients chill.
2. Put the flour and sugar in the bowl. Mix slightly. Add ice cubes to your water and mix in the salt. 
3. Put the cubes of butter into the bowl and cover with flour. Using your fingers break up the cubes of butter until the dough is "sandy" in texture and the butter pieces are no larger than the size of a pea.
4. Slowly add the water to the dough (do not add the ice cubes). Using the palm of your hands, press the liquid into the dough, pulling any dry mixture up from the bottom. Continue to add water to the mix just until the dough comes together. 
5. Dump the dough out onto your work surface and divide the dough into two halves. Flatten each half slightly with the palm of your hand and wrap each piece in plastic wrap. 
6. Chill dough for at least 2 hours before using. Can be frozen for up to one month.