LOOKING for: light flaky pastry flour pie crust

16 years ago

I've been experimenting with pastry flour pie crust.

So far with mixed results. Usually it comes up a bit to wet.

I've been using 2 1/4c pastry, 1/3 c water, 1/3c shortening, 1/3c butter and 1/4 tsp salt. The cold stuff is cold.

I pulse in a Bosch mixer a couple of times until I get the little nuggets.

Pull it together in a 1" think 6-8" diameter disc, then wrap in parchment and freeze for 15 mins or so.

I've also tried a variation with crushed frozen walnuts as a partial substitute for some of the fat, for apple pies.

Ideas welcome

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (8)

lindac
16 years ago
Try using half all purpose flour...2 cups flour total with 1/4 tsp salt...and 1/3 cup butter and 1/3 cup shortening...
Pulse until well blended, then dump into a bowl and add ice water one tablespoon at a time while tossing with a fork. You will need about 6 to 7 tablespoons of water.
As with most things with flour, the amount of flour to liquid can't be measured precisely...it depends on the humidity, where the flour was grown etc. The proper amount of water to add to a short pie crust is best determined by how the dough feels. It should just come together...any more water and you risk pasty crust.
Linda C
ginger_st_thomas
16 years ago
Just add ice water a tablespoon at a time until it just comes together when you squeeze a bit of it in your fingers. You can always add more but you can't remove it if you use too much.
Related Discussions
Recipe for chicken pot pie using puff pastry
Q
Comments (17)
I am going to use the pre-baked puff pastry idea myself in the future. Here is a to-die-for recipe for chicken potpie from Ina Garten. When I made it, I just used a "red box" pie crust (I'm so NOT a baker). I baked the filling as a whole double-crusted pie. Even though I used a deep dish pie plate, I had filling leftover. I froze that. Can't remember if I've used it yet or not - I'll have to go look lol! Ingredients: 3 whole (6 split) chicken breasts, bone-in, skin-on 3 tablespoons olive oil Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 5 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade 2 chicken bouillon cubes 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter 2 cups yellow onions, chopped (2 onions) 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 cup heavy cream 2 cups medium-diced carrots, blanched for 2 minutes 1 (10-ounce) package frozen peas (2 cups) 1 1/2 cups frozen small whole onions 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley leaves For the pastry: 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 cup vegetable shortening 1/4 pound cold unsalted butter, diced 1/2 to 2/3 cup ice water 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash Flaked sea salt and cracked black pepper Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the chicken breasts on a baking sheet and rub them with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, or until cooked through. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then remove the meat from the bones and discard the skin. Cut the chicken into large dice. You will have 4 to 6 cups of cubed chicken. In a small saucepan, heat the chicken stock and dissolve the bouillon cubes in the stock. In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the onions over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until translucent. Add the flour and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the hot chicken stock to the sauce. Simmer over low heat for 1 more minute, stirring, until thick. Add 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and heavy cream. Add the cubed chicken, carrots, peas, onions and parsley. Mix well. For the pastry, mix the flour, salt, and baking powder in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add the shortening and butter and mix quickly with your fingers until each piece is coated with flour. Pulse 10 times, or until the fat is the size of peas. With the motor running, add the ice water; process only enough to moisten the dough and have it just come together. Dump the dough out onto a floured board and knead quickly into a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic and allow it to rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Divide the filling equally among 4 ovenproof bowls. Divide the dough into quarters and roll each piece into an 8-inch circle. Brush the outside edges of each bowl with the egg wash, then place the dough on top. Trim the circle to 1/2-inch larger than the top of the bowl. Crimp the dough to fold over the side, pressing it to make it stick. Brush the dough with egg wash and make 3 slits in the top. Sprinkle with sea salt and cracked pepper. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour, or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling hot. seagrass
...See More
The results of pie crust 101, or why I hate Thanksgiving
Q
Comments (34)
It's the morning after, and I am thankful for all you good people who took the time to post and get me through a bad moment. I learned from your posts, and I laughed with your posts. Most importantly, I found out that even on a cooking forum, not everyone makes the perfect, flaky, homemade pie crust. Thank you for telling me that I am not alone. I am through with pies and pie crusts. This year will have been the 20th year of trying, and it was the worst yet. It is time to move on. I am a market gardener, and I grow wonderful organic strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and rhubarb. When I bake with the fruit, I do a crisp, a cobbler, or a tart. DS has a love of pumpkin pie, and I think my efforts are emotionally entwined with being the "good mother", but I am going to find a good bakery next year. You are all right- there is more than one way to skin a cat (that is a horrible saying isn't it?) I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving. You all helped make mine a good one. :)
...See More
Pie crust questions
Q
Comments (14)
The pie crust pouch looks like it would work well. I had a terrible time making pie crust for years. I won't go into detail on the various problems, but I was a total failure with pie crust. Until Nancy posted her recipe and now I only have problems with 2 crust pies. The upper crust is what gives me problems now but my Mom suggested to freeze the dough for the upper crust and then grate it over the pie. The grated frozen dough makes an interesting top crust and it works wonderfully. I now make so many pies that I always have a recipe of Nancy's Pie Crust in my refrigerator ready at all times. Single-Crust with Vodka (Nancy) Vodka is essential to the texture of the crust and imparts no flavordo not substitute. This dough will be moister and more supple than most standard pie doughs and will require more flour to roll out (up to 1/4 cup). 1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (6 1/4 ounces) 1/2 teaspoon table salt 1 tablespoon sugar 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter (3/4 stick), cut into 1/4-inch slices 1/4 cup chilled solid vegetable shortening , cut into 2 pieces 2 tablespoons vodka , cold 2 tablespoons cold water 1. Process 3/4 cups flour, salt, and sugar together in food processor until combined, about 2 one-second pulses. Add butter and shortening and process until homogenous dough just starts to collect in uneven clumps, about 10 seconds (dough will resemble cottage cheese curds with some very small pieces of butter remaining, but there should be no uncoated flour). Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl with rubber spatula and redistribute dough evenly around processor blade. Add remaining 1/2 cup flour and pulse until mixture is evenly distributed around bowl and mass of dough has been broken up, 4 to 6 quick pulses. Empty mixture into medium bowl. 2. Sprinkle vodka and water over mixture. With rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix, pressing down on dough until dough is slightly tacky and sticks together. Flatten dough into 4-inch disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 45 minutes or up to 2 days. 3. Adjust oven rack to lowest position, place rimmed baking sheet on oven rack, and heat oven to 425 degrees. Remove dough from refrigerator and roll out on generously floured (up to Â¼ cup) work surface to 12-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick. Roll dough loosely around rolling pin and unroll into pie plate, leaving at least 1-inch overhang on each side. Working around circumference, ease dough into plate by gently lifting edge of dough with one hand while pressing into plate bottom with other hand. Leave overhanging dough in place; refrigerate until dough is firm, about 30 minutes. 4. Trim overhang to Â½ inch beyond lip of pie plate. Fold overhang under itself; folded edge should be flush with edge of pie plate. Flute dough or press the tines of a fork against dough to flatten it against rim of pie plate. Refrigerate dough-lined plate until firm, about 15 minutes. 5. Remove pie pan from refrigerator, line crust with foil, and fill with pie weights or pennies. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove foil and weights, rotate plate, and bake for 5 to 10 minutes additional minutes until crust is golden brown and crisp. Notes: I do not add the 2 TBL of water. And I do add extra flour until the dough is the right texture to roll out. Michelle
...See More
LOOKING for: Non-graham cracker crust for key lime pie
Q
Comments (2)
This is a post script: I just tried baking the roll out refrigerated crust and it's awful...the pastry has no sweetness. So I guess I'm ISO a crust I can make out of crushed gingersnaps or vanilla cookies, maybe some sliced almonds crunched up in it? (my original post took 24 hours to show up - is there something wrong with this website lately?)
...See More
jannie
16 years ago
Do you use a hand pastry cutter? That's the way I was taught and my pie crusts come out flaky golden and tasty. Also the water must be ICE COLD.
giftguru
16 years ago
Hey, I just had a revelation with pie crust. I must share the joy....
Momma's Pie Crust...try a teaspoon of apple cider.
You can see how it turned out on my page , there is a pic.

Here is a link that might be useful: Taste E Treats
lucyny
16 years ago
Fritzgarden,

Are you adding everything in the mixer all at one time? When making a pastry crust it's important that the flour & fats get combine just until their just slightly smaller than pea size. During the baking process it's those fat pockets that create the flaky crusts.

After I measure out the fats, I place them in the freezer 10 minutes, then I take a cup of water to which I've added ice. When ready, I'll measure out the ice water.

Mix together:the flour, salt,shortening & butter mix until the mixture resembles peas size. Slowly add the water, as soon as comes together remove from the mixer. Gather it together,then make your disk, place that in refrigerator, it's important that this pastry rest 30 to 60 minutes, it's also very important that the fats get cold once again, before rolling out to ensure a flaky crust.
lucyny
16 years ago
I have a KA mixer w/the metal bowl, & forgot to mention that there's a little trick I learned many years ago which is: Starting w/very very cold ingredients is the key, while I've place the fats in the freezer for 10 minutes, I place the measured flour in the metal bowl, along with the beater & refrigerate at the same time, then follow through w/directions.

Lucy
fritzgarden (7a)
Original Author
16 years ago
Mix together:the flour, salt,shortening & butter mix until the mixture resembles peas size. Slowly add the water, as soon as comes together remove from the mixer. Gather it together,then make your disk, place that in refrigerator, it's important that this pastry rest 30 to 60 minutes, it's also very important that the fats get cold once again, before rolling out to ensure a flaky crust.

that's pretty much my method, except that I don't "re-chill" the fats after measuring because they're already pretty cold., but maybe I'll give that a go.
And I put the disc in the freezer for around 15-30mins.

Always worked well with AP flour, but I like the taste of pastry better, if I can just get the combo correct.
I must be getting over anxious with the water.
lucyny
16 years ago
Fritzgarden,
Being over anxious with the water is a problem, slow down :-) Literally when adding the water take it easy after the 5th tablespoon. I measure out the tablespoonfuls of water as indicated into a small measure cup w/a spout, & slowly add the water, as soon as it comes together, Stop...then proceed w/making the disk w/o overworking it, the heat from your hands can & will effect the dough if handle too much.

No need to freeze, more importantly it needs to rest & be chilled.

Lucy

LOOKING for: light flaky pastry flour pie crust

Comments (8)

lindac

ginger_st_thomas

Related Discussions

jannie

giftguru

lucyny

lucyny

fritzgarden (7a)
Original Author

lucyny

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

LOOKING for: light flaky pastry flour pie crust

Comments (8)

lindac

ginger_st_thomas

Related Discussions

jannie

giftguru

lucyny

lucyny

fritzgarden (7a)Original Author

lucyny

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

fritzgarden (7a)
Original Author