Mastering Buttery Pie Crust
A good crust relies on tension and temperature. Treat the dough gently, and it will shatter when you take your first bite.
Cold fat is your only priority.
If your kitchen is warm, chill your flour and bowl before you begin. The goal is to keep the butter solid until the moment it hits the heat of the oven.
- large glass mixing bowl
- bench scraper
- rolling pin
- pastry blender or two knives
What goes in.
- 2 1/2 cupsall-purpose flour
- 1 tspkosher salt
- 1 cupunsalted butter, cubed and kept chilled
- 6-8 tbspice water
Leave the Butter Chunks
Do not overwork the butter into the flour until it disappears. You need visible, marble-sized pieces of butter throughout the dough to create air pockets during baking.
The method.
Whisk dry ingredients
Combine the flour and salt in the bowl. This ensures even seasoning before the fat enters.
Cut in the butter
Use your pastry blender to work the cold butter into the flour. Stop when the mixture looks like coarse meal with some larger, visible butter shards remaining.
Bind the dough
Drizzle in 6 tablespoons of ice water. Toss with a fork. Add more water, one tablespoon at a time, only until the dough holds together when squeezed.
Chill the disc
Gather the dough into two discs, wrap them tightly in plastic, and refrigerate for at least two hours to let the flour hydrate and the butter reset.
Roll and bake
Roll on a lightly floured surface, turning the dough frequently to prevent sticking. Bake according to your specific pie filling requirements until the crust is a deep, honeyed brown.
Other turns to take.
Sugar Crust
Add 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar to the flour for fruit pies.
Herbed Crust
Mix in 1 tablespoon of finely minced fresh thyme or rosemary for savory meat or vegetable pies.
When it doesn't go to plan.
If the butter begins to soften while mixing, put the entire bowl in the freezer for 10 minutes before continuing.
Avoid over-rolling the dough, which toughens the gluten and results in a hard crust.
Use a marble rolling pin if you have one; it stays naturally cold to the touch.
The ones that keep coming up.
Why did my crust shrink in the oven?
The gluten in the flour was too active. Chilling the dough discs fully before rolling, and then chilling the shaped crust in the pie pan for 30 minutes before baking, prevents this.
Can I use salted butter?
You can, but omit the additional salt in the ingredient list to keep control over the flavor.
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