Just cool your heels for an hour and let the butter sit are room temp. Is there some emergency?

go with the cold butter first,for sure...good luck!

I'm sleepy. :) Thanks, ladies!

Oh, I forgot to mention that this crust (w/egg and vinegar,) needs to be refrigerated and I'm going to do it overnight. Just finished putting it together and in its raw state it looks pretty good. Thanks again for the help.

This might not help you now, but I always let the butter come to room temperature, then I mix it well with the shortening. Then I chill it, and then I carry on with the recipe.

Would have suggested chilling the shortening. Sushipup, whatever fat used for pastry need to be as cold as possible, not warm.

:)

{{gwi:1590478}}

I'm so sorry I didn't see this last night.

For the best pie crust ALWAYS freeze your shortening/butter, as well as your flour. The colder the ingredients, the flakier the pie crust. I even chill my work surface by putting some bags of frozen veg on it for a few minutes. Again, it's being cold that keeps the fat from mixing too much with the flour--which, during the baking process means that the fat layers melt and you're left with lovely flakes.

moni - that was perfect!

And Azzalea is right - I always chill my marble rolling pin and the granite counter - and freeze my shortening.

What type of pie crust are you making that needs to be frozen overnight?

Yep, my butter and shortening are cold as well.

I always keep my butter in the freezer, and when I want to use it, I grate it on the holes of my box grater (those 4-sided graters). It's perfect. I do that with pastries, biscuits, cobblers, etc.

I never ever make pie crusts anymore. I buy those pre-made Pillsbury crusts. I always get a flaky tasty pie crust. And plenty of compliments!

I do the same, Jannie - no fuss, no muss!

Moni, that was so cute! I did have the butter (Keri) VERY cold and hard and pulsed that with the flour a few times, adding just 1/4 cup of the soft shortening at the end. I made disks with waxed paper between them and tossed them into the fridge overnight. I will let them sit out until they are roll-able. Oooooo, the idea of grating the butter is a good one! Next time I will remember to cool/freeze the shortening as well. Thanks, everyone.

Try not to let them sit out at room temp more than a minute or two--the crusts should be ice cold when filled and baked. If the crust does reach room temp, after rolling and fitting into the pan, pop it into the freezer for 15-30 minutes before proceding.

Thanks, Azzalea, that sounds good. I can't start until dh wakes up; he was in Japan, arrived home late this morning and wanted a "nap" straight away. He is a lousy sleeper and never slept a wink on the flight. Our house is one floor and smallish, so it's like I have an easily wake-able baby sleeping in the house. :) But if he has any hope of sleeping tonight I'll have to wake him soon with the rattling of pie pans!