Foolproof Pie Dough

18 years ago

I was intrigued by the article about pie dough in the November issue of Cook's Illustrated. Add vodka to pie dough?? They even recommend Grey Goose. OK by me, that's the brand we like anyway... :)

I gave the recipe a try yesterday, easiest dough I have ever rolled out. It was tender and very flaky, the flavor was perfect.

Nancy

This link should take you to the recipe.

Here is a link that might be useful: Cook's Illustrated recipe

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Comments (31)

CA Kate z9
18 years ago
Thanks for doing the experiment! I've been wondering about the Vodka part.
And, the pie looks delicious. Is that from Cook's too?
wizardnm
Original Author
18 years ago
OOPS...I meant to mention the filling.

I saw a new item at the grocery, Kraft Caramel Bits. They are the same caramel as the cubes that you have to unwrap. The filling was just apples, my usual flour, sugar, cinnamon mixture and about half a bag of the caramel bits.
I like to layer an apple pie...starting with some of the flour mixture then 2 apples sliced, sprinkle with more flour mixture and about 1/4 C of the caramel bits. I repeat that a couple more times and then used a few extra caramel bits on top. I used a 10" glass pie dish and 8 Northern Spy apples and had plenty of dough for the top crust.

Nancy
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A quick Pie Story: I may have told it before. But what the H3ll, I'm older than you all and allowed to do that. My MIL always tried to emphasize being carefull with the Gas Range, washing machines , etc. That was to my wife when she was growing up. Well when we were married about two weeks, I was coming home to my 2 nd floor apt. and my wife came running down the stairs, stopping me from going up to the apt. She said " don't go up there !!!" The oven is ready to explode. I went up to see what the problem was and heard a strange noise from the oven. Poof!!! poop!! Poof !!! Plop !!! I opened it, not knowing what to expect??? Here were two Apple pies Poofing away, she didn't make any slits in the top and the Whole Crust was lifting up and down and Poofing, Ploping away Her mother always warned her about the Oven exploding. At that time you had to light the oven with a match at a small hole in the oven bottom. If you turned on the gas and waited too long, there would be a BOOM!!! This was just one story of the many stories in Lou's " Life with my Wife "" I should have written a book. Like many other Recipe's , Most of the Pie Crust recipe's are about the same . I have had, and made, the one with Baking Powder added and it seemed to make a difference. How it is handled makes the biggest difference. LISA : Try rolling it up on your Grandmother's Macaroni stick not the Rolling Pin and then roll it out over the Pie dish. In the Army the pies were about 16 X 20. Think you can do one of those ? Keep practicing , when it don't work, roll it into a ball and throw it at your DH. Then he will give you the Wooden Spoon treatment. You will learn fast!!! PS : I don't believe you dipped bread in the gravy on Sunday morning. My Grandmother had about 25 notches on her spoon. They matched the Knots on my head. Lou
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Lard has a larger fat crystal than other fats, which is one reason it works so well in pastry. Butter gives great flavor but has a lot of water in it and it melts quickly. The combination of lard and butter in pastry is a great twosome. When I use coconut oil (frozen and grated on the large hole on my box grater), I can reduce the amount of fat by about 25 percent, especially when using pastry flour or milling soft wheat or low-gluten spelt into flour to use for pastry. Good pastry is a combination of tenderness and flakiness and each characteristic is developed differently. Pastry is all about reducing the gluten development in the flour, so choose flour (pastry flour or Southern All-Purpose flours like Martha White, White Lily, Gladiola, Red Band) that has a low protein/gluten content to begin with as a great way to reduce gluten-development up front. If you want more tender pastry while using all-purpose flour you can add a little more fat and add an acid ingredient. Divide the cold fat in two portions and mix one half in the flour until it's very finely mixed. This will coat the flour so it develops the gluten in short strands (hence short-crust pastry) when the liquid is mixed in and will give a tender crust. Quickly add the remaining fat and keep it in larger blobs. When the heat of the oven melts the blobs of fat the steam will raise those layers in the pastry we recognize as a flaky pastry. Vinegar in a recipe is another way to decrease the gluten-development. Adding an acid brings one more tenderizer into play. "Acids soften gluten, breaking apart gluten strands and keeping the pastry tender." When eggs are used in a pastry recipe it is best used for something like a meat pie. The protein from the egg will reinforce the structure of the pastry, making it strong enough to hold a hefty filling. When liquid vegetable oil is used to make pastry it is considered a "warm fat", which coats each particle of flour so completely than no gluten develops. Oil pastries are very tender and tend to be more mealy than flaky since you don't have steam raising those flaky layers. Oil pastry is generally easier to handle and is easy to roll between two sheets of waxed paper. It's neither right or wrong what type of pastry you make - it's just one of those cooking/baking choices we make - BUT - as a general rule of thumb don't take an oil pastry to the fair because it will tend to get judged down because they rarely come up to judging standards. If a sticky dough that is hard to roll-out is your problem, you have too much gluten developed - probably from adding too much liquid and/or using flour that has a high protein content. Northern all-purpose flours like King Arthur and Robin Hood really don't make good pastry because of the high amount of protein. Add as little water as possible!!! As soon as lumps of dough stick together during mixing, stop mixing and adding water. It takes very little extra water, as little as 1/2 teaspoon, to quickly toughen the dough. -Grainlady
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My favorite pie crust recipe doesn't call for lard but I see no reason why you couldn't replace lard for the shortening. I used to make lard pie crust most of the time but realized one day that while I liked it for savory pies I really like butter based crusts better for dessert pies. Foolproof Pie Dough Cook's Illustrated 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). INGREDIENTS--For one 9-inch Single-Crust Pie 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 homogeneous 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. Note: I've doubled this recipe for two crust pies, just rolled, filled and put the top crust on, it's wonderful. Nancy
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Posted By Nancy: Foolproof Pie Dough-Single-Crust Pie (double for a 2-crust pie). Vodka is essential to the texture of the crust and imparts no flavorÂdo 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). INGREDIENTS # 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 (Grey Goose recommended) # 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 homogeneous 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 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 mins. 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.
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maggie2094
18 years ago
I should waste my Grey Goose? LOL

Thanks, Nancy! Wow, great photo - you can just see how flaky and perfect the crust is. I never made pie crust before and was recently thinking it was time! I am a bit intimidated. I trust you experience and am definitely going to try it! Going to look for those caramel bits - thanks. I wonder if Grey Goose Vanille would impart any flavor? It also has hints of cinnamon and caramel.
shaun
18 years ago
Wow really? Grey Goose is in that recipe? I've got to try it. I have a bottle of the goose! I've never made a pie crust before.......always intimidated by it. If you have two bottles of that vodka would it be Grey Geese?

Going to go look at the recipe now.

Thanks!
shaun
18 years ago
Oh darn. You have to be a member of that site to see the recipe. Unless I'm doing something wrong. Nancy can you post it?
mimsic
18 years ago
If you have two bottles of that vodka you must be on the wagon. On the other hand, if you have two bottles of that vodka and you make the pie and you don't like it, you can always drink the other bottle and taste the pie again later. ; )
kathleen_li
18 years ago
Shaun, I got it and printed out.
And does it have to be GreyGoose? Belvedere? I don't drink, so I won't know the diff.
beachlily z9a
18 years ago
I always make my great-grandmother's recipe for pie dough. This week I took two pecan pies to the really great local Italian restaurant. The chefs are from Italy. They have never tasted a pecan pie and didn't know about pecans. The chef cut a small piece and gave it to a couple setting near the desk. Then chef took his knife and cut a small piece and then took a piece off with the knife and put it in his mouth. Then took the rest of the small piece and stuffed it in his mouth! He loved it. Took it back to the kitchen and I heard raves! He said he would sell the second one. After we were served, he joined us. Said: you like to bake. I agreed. He said: you make the dessert for the next wine diner and you two attend free ($60/each is the normal price). I told him I would bring something for him to test. I think next week I'll take Marlyn's Chocolate Flourless Tort and see what he thinks. Bet he will love it--everyone else does!

Anyway, the man who had the first piece approached me and asked if the crust contained grahm flour. I said, no, just flour, salt, crisco and milk. When we were served, the couple came over and the wife said she didn't eat dessert, but had eaten half of the piece of pie. She asked about the crust. I described it and she started babbling. She and her husband are both German and told me very excitedly that my crust is totally German. She described her mother's pie crust in detail. I stopped her when she said her mother put lemon zest in the crust. (How good would that be with peach or apple???) Duh! My great grandmother was German, as was my Aunt. I'm second generation. Sorry. Anyway, they loved it and told me it was better than anything they had loved in Germany.

Don't know where this is going, but the ride is fun!
wizardnm
Original Author
18 years ago
Here ya go Shaun... I just was thinking... this could be really fun to make, chill the vodka over ice and drink the extra...

Foolproof Pie Dough For a Single-Crust Pie
Published: November 1, 2007

For one 9-inch Single-Crust Pie (double for a 2-crust pie)

Vodka is essential to the texture of the crust and imparts no flavorÂdo 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).
INGREDIENTS
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 (Grey Goose recommended)
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 homogeneous 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.

Nancy
trixietx
18 years ago
Nancy, thanks for the recipe. I will try it and your caramel apple pie. It looks delicious and the crust so flaky!!

Chill the vodka and drink the extra,, makes for a happy cook!
User
18 years ago
OOOOH Nancy, gorgeous apple pie. Wish I was eating a slice right now. I see a pie in my future.

Vinegar seems to be an ingredient in many pie crust recipes. I wonder if the vodka adds the same thing that the vinegar does.

Ann
kathleen_li
18 years ago
Nancy, thanks for the recipe. I really stink at pie crusts, and leave it to dh. But I will give it a try too. I don't think the kind of vodka makes a difference.
And I like Ann wonder if it does the same as vinegar.
You have probably made 100's of pies, and if you say it was easy to roll, I am trying it! Thanks!
Bumblebeez SC Zone 7
18 years ago
I read that article too and am planning on using that pie dough recipe this Thanksgiving. I don't know about the Grey Goose though, I might get something cheaper as we don't drink vodka.
They did rate Grey goose as their favorite vodka for penne with vodka however...
wizardnm
Original Author
18 years ago
I've made pie crusts with vinegar and egg... I always thought they were pretty good but they arn't as flaky as this one.

According to the article, the vodka replaces some of the water (vodka is 60% water and 40% ethanol) therefore you can have a softer, easier to work with dough ( it rolled into a circle very easy) without using as much actual water. The water is what developes gluten and makes the crust turn out tough so using the vodka insures tenderness.

Maggie, try the vanilla vodka, it should work just fine...but you have to report back...please. LOL (as soon as you sober up!!)

Nancy
weed30 St. Louis
18 years ago
Hmm..........nice crust.........is that the Marie Barone recipe?
msafirstein
18 years ago
I was going to make an Apple Pie tomorrow and I will try the vodka.

Thanks Nancy for posting the link!

Michelle
shaun
18 years ago
Nancy thanks for posting the whole recipe.
jessyf
18 years ago
WEEEEEDDDDYYYYY ((((HHUUUGGGSSSS))))

Watch LindaC cringe....

I have some Ketel One left over from the Bar Mitzvah's Pomegranate Martinis...think that'll work?
lakeguy35
18 years ago
"I just was thinking... this could be really fun to make, chill the vodka over ice and drink the extra..."

Remember, it's eleven or later in the kitchen next week!....chocolate goes with everything....lol

David
wizardnm
Original Author
18 years ago
LOL Weed...Marie would approve

Jessy...go for it

David...you might have to drag me out of the hot tub..

Nancy
maggie2094
18 years ago
I'd like to try and make this for Halloween - I hope!

Nancy - thank you for the filling recipe - how much flour, sugar, cinnamon? just sprinkle over the apples? Think pie making for dummies (as in me!). I just need to buy shortening and look for the caramel bits. If I can't find them, do you think butterscotch chips would be good?

C'mon, Shaun! Let's get goosed together!

Head Slap! I just got the Marie Barone reference! I was thinking she was some fancy cookbook maven! LOL - My 4 year old goes to school with twins named Marie and Frank - I can't help but think of you know who every time!
wizardnm
Original Author
18 years ago
Maggie, I used about 1 cup of sugar for a 10" pie. It really depends on how tart the apples are and I was using Northern Spys which are pretty tart. If you use Granny Smith it would be about the same. I mix the flour (1/4C) and a heaping tsp of cinnamon with the sugar.

If you can't find the caramel bits you could use the reg caramels and cut each in 1/4's...a pain....which is why I grabbed the chips..at Wally World...LOL

Nancy
User
18 years ago
Oh Weed too funny. I was a little slow yesterday but your reference to Marie Barone finally clicked. LOL!

Nancy, I use about a cup of sugar per pie too. But I always use half white and half brown. I don't measure the flour or the cinnamon but I probably use a little less than a 1/4 cup of flour and a similar amount of cinnamon and I dot with a couple of teaspoons of butter before putting on the top crust.

Ann
wizardnm
Original Author
18 years ago
OOPS...I used dots of butter too...it's so automatic I forgot to mention it. I have used the brown sugar combo too, I just didn't this time because of the caramel.

Nancy
weed30 St. Louis
18 years ago
{{gwi:529114}}
ntt_hou
18 years ago
That first photo of the pie... it looks like it had too much vodka... I know it's not my monitor but that pie... is blushing!! And... it has this crooked happy smile!

Thanks for passing on the recipe =o)
woodie
18 years ago
I must be the only person who doesn't know who Marie Barone is.
User
18 years ago
Woodie, I guess you didn't watch Everybody loves Raymond. Marie Barone was his mother on the show. Played by Doris Roberts.

Ann
Lars
18 years ago
Thanks, Ann! I didn't know either. Doris Roberts is the only person on that show I like, and so I never watch it, although I've seen Doris visit Good Day L.A. morning news show.

I am going to have to try this recipe - I've already printed it out. I will use a different pattern on mine, however, and I won't say what the first picture reminded me of.

Lars
lindac
18 years ago
I've been buried in the church kitchen cooking chicken and boiling pasta and making casseroles without any "cream of XXX" soup! Just now getting to this.
And Jessie...please save me some Ketel....but hold the pomgranet juice...I'll have that for breakfast.
So if Grey Goose works, wouldn't Ketel One be better? And if vodka works....wouldn't 180 proof rum displace even more water?
Who's going to try that and report back?
Sooo....now I have to make a pie just because....
Linda C...who IS Marie Barone!
mustangs81
18 years ago
Nancy made the vodka pie crust at PFPP with the apple pie; I have to validate that is was the most flaky crust I have ever eaten. It was a thing of beauty.

Foolproof Pie Dough

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Foolproof Pie Dough

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