Basic Pie Pastry Crust Tips Tricks Recipes

NEVER, NEVER FAIL PIE PASTRY

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in lard until mixture resembles coarse meal.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together water, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and vinegar. Stir into flour mixture and knead dough briefly, just until smooth. Allow to rest 15 minutes before rolling out. Pastry is easier to work with when chilled. Can be stored in refrigerator for up to 1 week.

EASY PIE CRUST

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the flour and salt; cut in shortening until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle with vinegar. Gradually add the milk, tossing with a fork until a ball is formed. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until easy to handle. , For a single crust, roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface to fit a 9-in. or 10-in. pie plate. Transfer pastry to pie plate. Trim pastry 1/2 in. beyond edge of plate; flute edges. Fill or bake shell according to recipe directions., For a double crust, divide pastry in two portions so that one ball is slightly larger than the other. Roll out larger ball on a lightly floured surface to fit a 9-in. or 10-in. pie plate. Transfer pastry to pie plate. Trim pastry even with edge of plate. Add filling. Roll out remaining pastry to fit top of pie; place over filling. Trim, seal and flute edges. Cut slits in top. Bake according to recipe directions.

BASIC PIE & PASTRY CRUST + TIPS & TRICKS

Steps:

• Cut shortening into flour/salt until it looks like peas.
• Add very cold water all at once and quickly toss with a fork; shape into a ball being careful not to over knead.
• Divide dough in half and roll thin.
• This makes two single piecrusts or one double crust pie.
• TIPS AND TRICKS:.
• To avoid a soggy crust, try brushing the bottom of the crust with egg white before adding fruit; filling the shell *just* before baking also helps prevent sogginess; sogginess can also be caused from the oven temperature being too low or the time too short.
• For a flakier upper crust, brush lightly with cold water before popping in the oven; also keep ingredients and dough cold until baked.
• To prevent the crust from shrinking, avoid stretching the dough as you roll it and avoid stretching it when placed in the pie plate; allowing the pie shell to rest about 30 minutes before baking will also help prevent shrinking.
• Never shake the flour while placing in the measuring cup; instead, level it with the back of a knife.
• Toss ingredients with a fork, lightly and quickly, rather than stirring.
• Don't use too much water; about 1/2 c of iced water to 2 cups of flour.
• To prevent burning of the crust, try baking the pie in a large paper bag stapled closed, being sure that it doesn't touch any part of the oven; or use an oven- roasting bag.
• Try rolling some grated cheese into the dough when making an apple pie.
• Try adding toasted slivered almonds to piecrust that you intend to fill with a cream filling or cherry filling.

PIE PASTRY

Steps:

• Rub the lard and butter into the flour with a generous pinch of sea salt until completely combined. Add the beaten egg and 100ml ice-cold water and mix until you have a soft dough. Transfer to the fridge and chill for at least 1 hr, or until needed.
• Divide the pastry into 12 equal pieces and roll out into rounds on a lightly floured surface. Use six of the rounds to line the bottoms of six individual pie dishes, leaving an overhang. Fill the pies with the mixture of your choice, brush the rims with some of the egg yolk, top with the remaining pastry rounds, then trim and crimp the edges. Decorate with the trimmings, if you like. Glaze with more egg yolk, or as indicated in the filling recipe, and chill until you're ready to cook.
• Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 6 with a baking tray inside. Put the pies on the hot tray and bake for 30-35 mins until golden. Leave to rest as directed, then serve in the dishes or turn out onto plates.

CLASSIC BUTTER PIE PASTRY

Steps:

• Combine flour and salt; cut in butter until crumbly. Gradually add ice water, tossing with a fork until dough holds together when pressed., Shape dough into a disk for a single-crust pie; for a double-crust pie, divide dough in 2 with 1 piece slightly larger than the other. Shape into 2 disks. Wrap and refrigerate 1 hour or overnight., On a lightly floured surface, roll 1 disk of dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle; transfer to a 9-in. pie plate. , For a single-crust pie: Trim crust to 1/2 in. beyond rim of plate; flute edge. Fill or bake according to recipe directions., For a double-crust pie: Add filling to pie. Roll remaining dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle. Place over filling. Trim, seal and flute edge. Cut slits in top. Bake according to recipe directions.