The key to making pie crust is to chill. Chill, as in keep the ingredients cold, and chill, as in relax. It’s not hard — butter and shortening, flour, salt, sugar and water — you just have to handle them with care. Read up before you roll. (Recipe, 8D).
Ingredients
Butter and shortening. Why both? Butter brings its rich flavor and melt-in- the mouth texture. Shortening makes the dough easy to work. More butter: Think shortbread, rich and crumbly. More shortening: Think puff pastry, flaky layers. A pie crust strikes a balance between these two extremes. Both fats need to be cold so that they don’t combine too easily with the flour, leaving it ready to absorb the water. The butter flecks will melt out, leaving airy layers.
Flour. All-purpose, unbleached white flour has the right amount of protein to create the texture we expect in pie crust. Lower protein yields a crumbly crust; higher protein makes a stretchier dough, more like phyllo. You can substitute up to a third whole- wheat pastry flour for a heartier crust.
Salt and sugar. These two flavor enhancers balance each other out and round out the flavor of the dough. If you like a sweeter crust, play around with the proportions, but keep the sugar to 2 tablespoons or less.
Water. Water binds the flour-fat mixture into a dough. The amount you need will vary depending on the humidity, so measure out 3/4 cup and then add a couple of ice cubes.
Equipment
Food processor. The metal blade makes combing the fats and flour a breeze. If you don’t have one, use a pastry cutter or even a fork to mix them.
Large bowl. A large, shallow bowl works best for combining the flour mixture with the water because you can use the sloped sides to aid in pressing the water into the dough.
Sturdy spatula. A flexible but firm spatula helps to press the water into the flour without overmixing.
Silpat mat. These heat-resistant silicone mats are ideal for rolling out dough. Parchment paper and waxed paper work well, too.
Rolling pin. Gotta have one for rolling out the dough — this is what creates the flaky layers. Whether you use the tapered French design or the kind with handles, a wooden pin is best. Just don’t push down too hard. And if you don’t have a rolling pin, a wine bottle will work.
Glass pie plate. The basic Pyrex glass plate conducts heat best for an evenly cooked crust that’s golden on the bottom.
Baking sheet. Preheating a rimmed baking sheet on the lowest oven rack will help to ensure a cooked bottom crust, and the baking sheet will catch any overflow.
Foil. If the crust starts to get too brown, cover it loosely with foil for the rest of the baking time.
HandlingChill. Chill all ingredients before starting. Put the butter and shortening in the freezer for at least a half-hour . Keep the flour in the fridge. Use ice water.
Mix. Use a light touch, whether you cut in the butter by hand or with a food processor. You don’t want to overwork the dough and cause the gluten to develop and get stretchy. Once the fats and flour are combined, use a long, firm but flexible spatula to press the water into the mixture.
Chill again. Gather dough into two discs, patting gently into shape. Wrap in plastic or wax paper and refrigerate for at least a half-hour (longer is better), up to 24 hours. (If you need to store it longer, wrap tightly and freeze. Thaw in fridge before proceeding.) This allows the water to penetrate the flour and keeps the fats cold. Remove about a half-hour before you plan to roll out dough.
Roll. Sprinkle flour over rolling surface and rub a little on rolling pin. Place the dough disc in the center and, using the rolling pin, gently press disc into a 6-inch flattened circle. The goal is to flatten the disc without creating too many fault lines. Try to press firmly but not so much that cracks form on the edges. Once it’s flattened, roll from center to outside, forming a circle. Do not roll back and forth over the dough, as this will develop the gluten and make it tough. Place rolled-out dough in pie plate and crimp edges.
Chill once more. Fill prepared crust and return to the fridge for about half-hour. This allows the gluten to relax and helps the crust to “set” so that it doesn’t shrink when it goes into the oven.
Kristen Browning-Blas: 303-954-1440 or kbrowning@denverpost.com
