Perfect Flaky Pie Crust

This was my second time making pie crust from scratch. The first time was when I made a chocolate cream pie for Fathers' Day. That experience wasn't so pleasant. I didn't add enough water at first, and the pastry ripped into a million pieces when I tried to move it into the pie plate. Needless to say, I did not approach my second attempt with high expectations. Luck must have been on my side, though, because I did a pretty awesome job! Four tablespoons of water wasn't quite enough for my pie dough. I added about 2 extra tablespoons to get it to come together but still be crumbly. In doing this, I guess I overworked the dough a bit. Once the pie was cooked you could tell the crust had a weird crunch to it. But it tasted GREAT! I definitely recommend this crust recipe over the one I used in the chocolate cream pie. The #1 thing to remember when making pie dough is KEEP IT COLD!! (Even if you have to turn your AC on during the winter. Don't you want a nice pie? That's what I thought!)

First, measure your flour by weight for best results. Mix dry ingredients together with your fingers... or a whisk, but I like to get involved!

Add the cold butter first.

Work it in with a pastry blender until the pieces are about the size of peas.

Add the cold shortening second because it melts faster.

The mixture should look like this.

Add the water all at once and mix quickly until it forms a ball when you squeeze it.

Shape it into a disk and seal it up in plastic wrap.

When it's nice and cold, get ready to roll.

Roll it out to 12" and trim the edges.

Make sure the dough is well floured. Roll it lightly around the rolling pin and transfer to a pie plate.

I did't have much overhang, so I just crimped it with a fork.

And TADA!! That's it! If you're afraid to make your own pie crust, just try it once. Please! If it doesn't work out... oh well, that's what Pillsbury is for! :)

Flaky Pie Pastry from Williams-Sonoma: Essentials of Baking
MAKES PASTRY FOR ONE 9-INCH (23-CM) PIE

For single-crust pie
5 tablespoons (2 1/2 oz/75 g) cold unsalted butter
3 tablespoons cold vegetable shortening
1 1/3 cups (7 oz/220 g) all-purpose (plain) flour
1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons (2 fI oz/60 ml) ice water

For lattice-crust pie
1/2 cup (4 oz/125 g) cold unsalted butter
4 tablespoons (2 oz/60 g) cold vegetable shortening
2 cups (10 oz/315 g) all-purpose (plain) flour
4 teaspoons sugar (optional)
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (3 fI oz/90 ml) ice water

For double-crust pie
2/3 cup (5 oz/155 g) cold unsalted butter
6 tablespoons (3 oz/90 g) cold vegetable shortening
2 2/3 cups (13 1/2 oz/425 g) all-purpose (plain) flour
2 tablespoons sugar (optional)
8 tablespoons (4 fI oz/125 ml) ice water

Cut the butter and vegetable shortening into 3/4-inch (2-cm) pieces.
BY HAND: In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt and stir to mix. Scatter the butter and shorten­ing pieces over the flour mixture.
Using a fork, toss to coat with the flour. Using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in the butter and short­ening until the mixture forms large, coarse crumbs the size of large peas. Drizzle the ice water over the mixture and toss with the fork until the dough is evenly moist and begins to come together in a mass but does not form a ball.

BY FOOD PROCESSOR: Combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Pulse 2 or
3 times to mix. Add the butter and shortening pieces and pulse 8-10 times until the mixture forms large, coarse crumbs the size of large peas. Add the ice water a little at a time and pulse 10-12 times just until the dough begins to come together in a mass but does not form a ball.

BY STAND MIXER: In the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Mix on low speed until blended, about 10 seconds. Turn off the mixer, add the butter and shortening, and then continue mixing on low speed just until the mixture forms large, coarse crumbs the size of large peas, about 20 seconds. Add the ice water 1 tablespoon at a time, and mix on low speed just until the mixture begins to hold together, about 20 seconds. The dough will form large clumps and pull away from
the sides of the bowl, but will not form a ball. To test, stop the mixer and squeeze a small piece of dough; it should hold together.
Transfer the dough to a work surface. If making the single-crust pie pastry, shape the dough into a 6-inch (15-cm) disk. For the lattice pie, divide the dough into 2 portions, one twice as large as the other; shape the larger portion into a 6-inch (15-cm) disk and the smaller one into a 3-inch (7.5-cm) disk. For the double-crust pie, divide the dough in half and form each half into a 6-inch (15-cm) disk. Wrap each disk tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled, about 1 hour or for up to overnight.

• The rich flavor of butter and the flake-making quality of vegetable shortening produce a pie pastry that is both versatile and delicious. The butter and shortening should be very cold so that they will form the layers in the crust that contribute to the overall flakiness. Use ice water for the liquid to ensure that the shortening and butter do not soften during mixing.
• If you are making a savory pie, such as a quiche or savory galette, omit the sugar.
• To use up your dough scraps, press them together and roll them out again into a long, narrow rectangle. Brush the surface with softened butter and sprinkle it with cinnamon sugar. Working from a long side, roll up the rectangle into a log, then cut crosswise into slices 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick. Place the slices in a pan and bake alongside the pie. They are ready when the pastry is golden brown and the sugar starts to caramelize in the pan.