Say the words “homemade pie crust” and many otherwise happy cooks run screaming from the kitchen. To their way of thinking, piecrust is a feat that only people who went to cooking school can master.
Not so! Think about it: A basic piecrust consists of only four ingredients: flour, fat (shortening or butter), salt and water. Not rocket science, right?
But, you’re thinking, what about all the things that can go wrong — like sticky dough or pastry that’s tough as cardboard?
Not to worry. If you keep a few tips in mind, your crust will turn out just right: flaky, golden-brown and delicious.
10 Steps to Perfect Piecrust
For a light, flaky piecrust, follow these 10 important steps:
1. Chill the fat — whether shortening, butter or a combination of both — in the refrigerator before making your crust. If using butter, cut it up into small pieces before chilling it.
2. Make sure the water is ice cold. Pour water into a small bowl and refrigerate it (feel free to add a few ice cubes) before making your crust. Cold water helps keep the fat chilled and results in dough that’s easy to work with.
3. Use a pastry blender or two knives to cut in the fat (once you’ve mixed your flour and salt), blending until you have pea-size particles.
4. To make sure your dough is ready for the ice water, pull out a small amount to see if it’s firm. If you can mold it into a small cube without getting your fingers greasy, the butter is cold enough and you can start adding the water. If the butter feels soft and your fingers look greasy, put the bowl in the refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes so the butter and flour pieces can firm up again.
5. Add the ice water a tablespoonful at a time, sprinkling it over part of the flour mixture. Gently toss with a fork. Push moistened dough to the side of your mixing bowl. Keep adding water until all of the flour mixture has been moistened. Do NOT overmix once you’ve added the water, or your pastry will be tough.
6. Form the dough into a ball. Cover it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
7. To prevent sticking when it’s time to roll out the dough, place the chilled dough on a lightly floured countertop. Use only a very little flour! If you add too much, the dough will absorb it and become tough.
8. Flatten the dough with your hands. Roll it out from the center to the edges, keeping the thickness even.
9. Make sure the dough does NOT stretch as you transfer it to the baking pan. If it does, you’ll end up with crust that shrinks as it bakes. Tool Tip: To prevent a soggy bottom crust, use a pie plate that is made of glass or aluminum with a dull finish. Shiny finishes reflect too much heat.
10. Place aluminum foil strips around the edges to prevent overbrowning. Remove strips 15 minutes before pie is done so that edges brown lightly.
There you have it — all you need to know to wow your family and friends with golden, flaky homemade piecrust. Mystery solved!
