Flaky All-Butter Pie Crust
A reliable crust requires a light hand and cold ingredients. Handle the dough as little as possible to prevent the gluten from toughening, and you will have a sturdy base that shatters when you cut into it.
Cold is your best friend.
If the kitchen is warm, chill your flour and bowl before starting. Work quickly so the butter does not soften into the flour.
- large mixing bowl
- pastry cutter or two table knives
- plastic wrap
- rolling pin
What goes in.
- 2 1/2 cupsall-purpose flour
- 1 tbspgranulated sugar
- 1 tspkosher salt
- 1 cupunsalted butter, frozen and cubed
- 1/2 cupice water
Maintain the Pea-Sized Chunks
Use your fingers or a pastry cutter to incorporate the butter until the mixture looks like coarse meal with some pea-sized pieces remaining; these pockets of fat are what create the flakes.
The method.
Mix the dry
Whisk the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl to ensure even distribution.
Cut in the fat
Add the frozen butter cubes. Use a pastry cutter to work the butter into the flour until you have pea-sized bits scattered throughout.
Hydrate the dough
Drizzle the ice water over the mixture, a tablespoon at a time. Toss with a fork until the dough barely clumps together when squeezed.
Chill the discs
Divide the dough into two balls, flatten into discs, and wrap tightly in plastic. Refrigerate for at least two hours.
Roll out
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough from the center outward, rotating it frequently to keep it from sticking.
Other turns to take.
Savory Crust
Omit the sugar and stir in two teaspoons of dried thyme or finely grated sharp cheddar into the flour mixture.
When it doesn't go to plan.
If the dough feels sticky while rolling, dust it with a thin veil of flour and chill it for ten minutes.
Always use a metal or glass pie plate for better heat conduction.
Keep your ice water extremely cold by adding extra ice to the cup before you measure.
The ones that keep coming up.
Why did my crust shrink in the oven?
The dough was likely overworked or not chilled long enough. Allowing the dough to rest in the fridge relaxes the gluten strands.
Can I use a food processor?
You can, but pulse sparingly. It is very easy to over-process and melt the butter, which results in a dense crust rather than a flaky one.