Flaky Pie Crust

Pie Crust

First pie crust I’ve tried that wasn’t the pre-made kind, and it is very good. Highly recommended for sweet pies. This is the recipe for a single crust pie, double this for a covered pie. The refrigeration chill time is 4 hours, so plan accordingly. Don’t skip the refrigeration process, as it is necessary for the gluten to develop.

Keep in mind that a pie crust is flaky because of tiny pockets of cold butter that melt during the cooking process. It’s important to keep this cold and not overwork the dough. Run hands under very cold water before kneading to preserve cold temperature.

1 ¼ cups all purpose flour
¼ tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
½ cup butter, very cold and diced
¼ cup ice water/vanilla…place 1 tsp vanilla in measuring cup, add very cold water to make ¼ cup total.

In large bowl, combine flour,salt, and sugar. Cut in very cold, diced butter with a pastry blender until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add water, one teaspoon at a time, and toss with a fork, until all the water is incorporated. There should be small bits of butter visible. Run hands under cold water, then gather the crumbs into a flat ball, kneading only a little. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.

Roll out on lightly floured surface, and line pan with the bottom crust, fill with pie filling. Make an egg wash with 1 egg and a few tablespoons water, beaten together very well. Brush edges with the wash and add top crust. Crimp, fold, or decorate edges as desired. Don’t forget to cut a few vents. Bake as directed by pie recipe.

Pie tip: I always cover the outside edge with a gently pressed on lining of tin foil and let it the pie bake halfway and then pull the foil off so the edges don’t burn. Also, I egg wash the top of the pie with a light layer and sprinkle sugar on top before baking, looks pretty!