BASIC FLAKY PIE CRUST
This pie crust is light, flaky tender and very crisp. It has a glorious butter flavor and is an ideal container for any pie or tart recipe. I strongly recommend commercial or homemade pastry flour, as it will result in a more tender crust than one made with all-purpose flour.
Provided by Rose Levy Beranbaum
Number Of Ingredients 21
Steps:
- Divide the butter into two parts, about two thirds to one third:
- For #1 2.5 ounces and 1.5 ounces (5 tablespoons and 3 tablespoons)
- For #2 3 ounces and 1.5 ounces (6 tablespoons and 3 tablespoons)
- For #3 4.5 ounces and 2.5 ounces (9 tablespoons and 5 tablespoons)
- Cut the butter into 3/4-inch cubes. Wrap each portion of butter with plastic wrap, refrigerate the larger amount and freeze the smaller for at least 30 minutes. Place the flour, salt, and baking powder in a reclosable gallon-size freezer bag and freeze for at least 30 minutes.
- Food processor method:
- Place the flour mixture in a food processor with the metal blade and process for a few seconds to combine. Set the bag aside.
- Add the larger amount of butter cubes to the flour and process for about 20 seconds or until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the remaining frozen butter cubes and pulse until all of the frozen butter is the size of peas. (Toss with a fork to see it better.)
- Add the lowest amount of the ice water and the vinegar and pulse 6 times. Pinch a small amount of the mixture together between your fingers. If it does not hold together, add half the remaining water and pulse 3 times. Try pinching the mixture again. If necessary, add the remaining water, pulsing 3 times to incorporate it. The mixture will be in particles and will not hold together without being pinched.
- For tiny 1-inch tartlets, omit the baking powder and allow the processing to continue just until a ball forms. The additional mixing produces a dough that is slightly less flaky but ensures that it will not puff out of shape in the tiny molds.
- Spoon the mixture into the plastic bag. (For a double-crust pie, it is easiest to divide the mixture in half at this point.)
- Holding both ends of the bag opening with you fingers, knead the mixture by alternately pressing it, from the outside of the bag, with the knuckles and heels of your hands until the mixture holds together in one piece and feels slightly stretchy when pulled.
- Wrap the dough with plastic wrap, flatten it into a disc (or discs) and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes, preferably overnight. (For a pie shell and lattice, divide it in a ratio of two thirds:one third - use about 9.5 ounces for the shell and the rest for the lattice, flattening the smaller part into a rectangle.)
- Hand method:
- Place a medium mixing bowl in the freezer to chill.
- Place the flour, salt, and optional baking powder in another medium bowl and whisk to combine them. Use a pastry cutter or rub the mixture between your fingers to blend the larger portion of the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse meal.
- Spoon the mixture, together with the cold butter, into a reclosable gallon-size freezer bag. Expel any air from the bag and close it. Use a rolling pin to flatten the butter into flakes. Place the bag in the freezer for at least 10 minutes or until the butter is very firm.
- Transfer the mixture to the chilled bowl, scraping the sides of the bag. Set the bag aside. Sprinkle the ice water and vinegar onto the mixture, tossing it lightly with a rubber spatula. Spoon the loose mixture back into the plastic bag. (For a double-crust pie, it is easiest to divide the mixture in half at this point.)
- Holding both ends of the bag opening with your fingers, knead the mixture by alternately pressing it, from the outside of the bag, with knuckles and heels of your hands until the mixture holds together in one piece and feels slightly stretchy when pulled.
- Wrap the dough with plastic wrap, flatten it into a disc (or discs) and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes, preferably overnight. (For a pie shell and lattice, divide it in a ratio of two thirds:one third - use about 9.5 ounces for the shell and the rest for the lattice, flattening the smaller part into a rectangle.)
- Store:
- Refrigerated, up to 2 days; frozen, up to 3 months.
- Understanding:
- Pastry flour offers the most tenderness while maintaining flakiness, but it is the addition of vinegar that relaxes the dough without losing flakiness, making it easier to roll, shrink less, and be even more tender. The baking powder lifts and aerates the dough slightly without weakening it, but it makes it seem more tender.
- Thes secret to success is finely incorporating about two thirds of the butter into the flour, which keeps the flour from absorbing too much water and forming gluten, which would make the crust tough. The remaining one third of the butter is incorporated in larger pieces, which serve to seperate the layers, resulting in the desired flakiness. This pie crust does not shrink or distort as much as the standard all-butter crust because there is less gluten development.
- If when adding the water, you find you need more than indicated in the recipe, chances are you haven't moisture-proofed the flour adequately (you haven't used the correct amount of butter or processed it fine enough), leaving the flour free to absorb more liquid. The resulting crust will be flakier but less tender.
- If you find you need less water than specified in the recipe, chances are you divided the butter incorrectly and used too much of it to moisture-proof the flour, preventing it from absorbing an adequate amount of water. The resulting crust will be more tender but not very flaky.
- Flattening the newly formed dough into a disc or discs before refrigerating makes it easier to roll without cracking. The dough is refrigerated to relax the gluten, making it less elastic and easier to roll. Chilling also firms the butter, preventing sticking and the need for extra flour when rolling, which would toughen it. Dough that has rested overnight before baking shrinks less.
FLAKY CREAM CHEESE PIE CRUST
This is my favorite pie crust. It took several years and over fifty tries to get it just right and is the soul of this book. It is unlike any other cream cheese pie crust because, in addition to being tender, it is also flaky. In fact, it is very similar in texture to almost as flaky but a little softer and more tender, and it browns more when baked, resulting in a rich golden color.
Provided by Rose Levy Beranbaum
Categories Food Processor Freeze/Chill Pastry Pie Quick & Easy
Number Of Ingredients 24
Steps:
- Food processor method:
- Cut the butter into small (about 3/4-inch) cubes. Wrap it in plastic wrap and freeze it until frozen solid, at least 30 minutes. Place the flour, salt, and baking powder in a reclosable gallon-size freezer bag and freeze for at least 30 minutes.
- Place the flour mixture in a food processor with the metal blade and process for a few seconds to combine. Set the bag aside.
- Cut the cream cheese into 3 or 4 pieces and add it to the flour. Process for about 20 seconds or until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the frozen butter cubes and pulse until none of the butter is larger than the size of a pea. (Toss with a fork to see it better.) Remove the cover and add the water and vinegar. Pulse until most of the butter is reduced to the size of small peas. The mixture will be in particles and will not hold together. Spoon it into the plastic bag. (For a double-crust pie, it is easiest to divide the mixture in half at this point.)
- Holding both ends of the bag opening with your fingers, knead the mixture by alternately pressing it, from the outside of the bag with the knuckles and heels of your hands until the mixture holds together in one piece and feels slightly stretchy when pulled.
- Wrap the dough with the plastic wrap, flatten it into a disc (or discs) and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes, preferably overnight. (For a pie shell and lattice, divide it in a ratio of two thirds:one third - use about 9.5 ounces for the shell and the rest for the lattice, flattening the smaller part into a rectangle.)
- Hand method:
- Place a medium mixing bowl in the freezer to chill.
- Cut the butter into small (about 3/4-inch) cubes. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes.
- Place the flour, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Add the cream cheese and rub the mixture between your fingers to blend the cream cheese into the flour until it resembles coarse meal. Spoon the mixture, together with the cold butter, into a reclosable gallon-size freezer bag. Expel any air from the bag and close it. Use a rolling pin to flatten the butter into thin flakes. Place the bag in the freezer for at least 10 minutes or until the butter is very firm.
- Transfer the mixture to the chilled bowl, scraping the sides of the bag. Set the bag aside. Sprinkle the mixture with the water and vinegar, tossing lightly with a rubber spatula. Spoon it into the plastic bag. (For a two-crust pie, it is easiest to divide the mixture in half at this point.)
- Holding both ends of the bag opening with your fingers, knead the mixture by alternately pressing it, from the outside of the bag, with the knuckles and heels of your hands until the mixture holds together in one piece and feels slightly stretchy when pulled.
- Wrap the dough with plastic wrap, flatten it into a disc (or discs), and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes, preferably overnight. (For a pie shell and lattice, divide it in a ratio of two thirds:one third - use about 9.5 ounces for the shell and the rest for the lattice, flattening the smaller part into a rectangle.)
- Store:
- Refrigerated, up to 2 days; frozen, up to 3 months.
- Understanding
- A classic cream cheese crust contains no water and is more tender than an all-butter crust but not at all flaky. I have found it to be so tender it is impossible to use for a lattice top and the bottom crust often develops cracks through which a filling will leak and stick to the bottom of the pan. Very little water is needed, because the cream cheese contains 51 percent water. The addition of a small amount of water connects the two gluten-forming proteins in the flour, producing the rubbery, stretchy gluten that strenghtens the structure just enough to prevent cracking when the crust bakes. This pie crust does not shrink or distort as much as an all-butter crust because there is less development of gluten. The acidity of the vinegar weakens the gluten that forms, making the crust still more tender and less likely to shrink. If desired, it can be replaced with water.
- Cream cheese is 51 percent water and 37.7 percent fat, so 3 ounces contain 1.53 ounces (about 3 tablespoons) or water and 1.13 ounces of fat. That means that the pie crust with 6.5 ounces of flour contains the equivalent of about 4 1/2 tablespoons of water. Compared to the all-butter crust, this crust has about 1 tablespoon more water, 1.13 ounces more of fat, and .34 ounce more milk solids. The extra fat in the cream cheese coats some of the proteins in the flour, limiting the development of gluten, which would make it tougher. The milk solids add both flavor and smoothness of texture.
- The baking powder lifts and aerates the dough slightly without weakening it, but it also makes it seem more tender.
- In developing this recipe, I found that if not using the vinegar and baking powder to tenderize the crust, it is advisable to add one quarter of the butter together with the cream cheese when using all-purpose flour. This helps to moisture-proof it but, of course, takes away a little from the flakiness, as there is less butter available to add in larger pieces to create layers.
BASIC FLAKY PIE CRUST
It is just what it claims to be. Use as unbaked pie shell.
Provided by stephanie
Categories Desserts Pies 100+ Pie Crust Recipes Pastry Crusts
Yield 8
Number Of Ingredients 4
Steps:
- Whisk the flour and salt together in a medium size bowl. With a pastry blender, cut in the cold shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Drizzle 2 to 3 tablespoons ice water over flour. Toss mixture with a fork to moisten, adding more water a few drops at a time until the dough comes together.
- Gently gather dough particles together into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 30 minutes before rolling.
- Roll out dough, and put in a pie plate. Fill with desired filling and bake.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 184.4 calories, Carbohydrate 14.9 g, Fat 13 g, Fiber 0.5 g, Protein 2 g, SaturatedFat 3.2 g, Sodium 73.2 mg, Sugar 0.1 g
FLAKY CREAM CHEESE PIE CRUST
Steps:
- 1. Cut butter into small cubes and freeze for 30 minutes. 2. Put dry ingredients in a ziploc bag and freeze for 30 min. 3. Add dry ingredients to a food processor and mix with the metal blade. 4. Break the cream cheese into a few pieces and add to the flour in a few pieces. Process until fully incorporated--should be of a sandy consistency. 5. Add the frozen butter and pulse until fully incorporated--should be of a coarser sandy consistency. 6. Add water and vinegar and process until the dough comes together. 7. Put in a ziploc bag and knead until dough has an elastic quality. Separate dough for pies and refrigerate for 45 minutes before using. Dough can also be frozen until needed. 8. Roll dough out between two pieces of floured plastic wrap.
FLAKY CREAM CHEESE PIE CRUST
This is unlike any other cream cheese pie crust because, in addition to being tender, it is also flaky. It browns more when baked, resulting in a rich golden color. It is worth using pastry flour; it will result in a more tender crust. If substituting, use just 2 cups of bleached all-purpose flour, "Cook Time" is chilling time for for the ingredients and the dough - a must!
Provided by Lise in Indiana
Categories Dessert
Time 2h10m
Yield 2 crusts
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- FOOD PROCESSOR METHOD.
- Cut the butter into small (about 3/4-inch) cubes. Wrap it in plastic wrap and freeze it until frozen solid, at least 30 minutes.
- Place the flour, salt and baking powder in resealable gallon-size freezer bag and freeze for at least 30 minutes.
- Place the flour mixture in food processor with the metal blade and process for a few seconds to combine. Set the bag aside for later use here.
- Cut the cream cheese into 3 or 4 pieces and add it to the flour. Process for about 20 seconds or until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
- Add the frozen butter cubes and pulse until none of the butter is larger than the size of a pea. (Toss with a fork to see it better.)
- Remove the processor cover and sprinkle in the water and vinegar. Pulse until most of the butter is reduced to size of small peas. The mixture will be in particles and will not hold together.
- Spoon half the dough into the plastic bag. (For a double-crust pie, it is easiest to divide the mixture in half at this point)
- Holding both ends of the bag opening with your fingers, knead the mixture by alternately pressing it, from the outside of the bag, with the knuckles and heels of your hands until the mixture holds together in one piece and feels slightly stretchy when pulled.
- Remove the dough from the bag and wrap it with plastic wrap, and flatten it into a disc. Repeat with remaining pie dough.
- Refrigerate the discs for at least 45 minutes, preferably overnight.
- Store refrigerated, up to 2 days; frozen, up to 3 months.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 1377.8, Fat 92.6, SaturatedFat 58, Cholesterol 253.3, Sodium 537.9, Carbohydrate 118.9, Fiber 2.5, Sugar 0.7, Protein 17.8
FLAKY CREAM CHEESE PIE CRUST
This is the last crust recipe you will ever use. This wonderful crust is tender and flaky and made with cream cheese. It also browns nicely when baked, resulting in a rich golden color.
Provided by ILIANITA
Categories Desserts Pies 100+ Pie Crust Recipes Pastry Crusts
Time 1h45m
Yield 8
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Place a medium bowl into freezer to chill.
- Wrap cubed butter in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Place 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon flour in a medium bowl; add salt and whisk to combine. Rub in cream cheese using clean fingers until mixture develops coarse crumbs. Place cream cheese mixture and chilled butter into a gallon-size resealable plastic bag.
- Flatten the cream cheese-butter mixture into thin flakes through the bag, using a rolling pin. Freeze until mixture is firm, about 10 minutes. Pour mixture into the chilled bowl. Sprinkle with water and vinegar, tossing lightly with a spatula. Knead until dough holds together and is slightly elastic.
- Place dough back into the plastic bag and flatten into a disk. Refrigerate, 45 minutes to overnight, before using.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 162.3 calories, Carbohydrate 12.9 g, Cholesterol 30.9 mg, Fat 11.3 g, Fiber 0.4 g, Protein 2.4 g, SaturatedFat 7.1 g, Sodium 95.7 mg, Sugar 0.1 g
CREAM CHEESE PIE CRUST
A combination of butter and cream cheese produces a forgiving crust that's supple and a joy to roll out. The cream cheese gives the crust a lovely tang. And the simple fluted edge is a traditional finishing touch. Use this recipe as a crust for our Pecan Pie.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Dessert & Treats Recipes Pie & Tarts Recipes
Yield Makes one 9-inch crust
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Combine water and vinegar in a small bowl. Combine flour and salt in another bowl. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, cut butter and cream cheese into flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some larger pieces remaining.
- Add water mixture to dough in a slow, steady stream, stirring, until mixture just begins to hold together. (Alternatively, pulse ingredients in a food processor.) Turn out onto a piece of plastic wrap, and wrap. Press dough into a disk using a rolling pin. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour or overnight. (Dough can be frozen for up to 1 month; thaw before using.)
- Roll dough into a 12-inch round on a lightly floured surface. Fit dough into a 9-inch pie dish. Trim edge, leaving a 1-inch overhang. Turn overhang under so that edge is flush with rim. Flute edge. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.
- Make filling (see our Pecan Pie recipe).
CREAM CHEESE PASTRY DOUGH
Categories Quick & Easy Cream Cheese Pastry Gourmet
Number Of Ingredients 4
Steps:
- In a food processor blend the butter, the cream cheese, the flour, and the salt, pulsing the motor, until the dough just begins to form a ball, gather the dough into a ball, and flatten slightly. Dust the dough with flour and chill it, wrapped in plastic wrap, for 1 hour. The dough may be made 1 day in advance and kept wrapped well and chilled.
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