I am that obnoxious friend who serves you a piece of pie and then interrogates you about it. Is the filling thick enough? It’s not too thick, is it? Do you think it’s tart enough? I was thinking more lemon juice next time. What do you think? No awkward pause will deter me. No sigh, no eye roll, no raised eyebrow shuts me up. I’ve found through this, ahem, research that most people who don’t like pie say it’s because they don’t like the crust. I get that. I do! You see, there’s this chain of restaurants that’s known for their pies. Every time I throw a party and ask a few people to bring dessert I get at least one of these pies. They’re good, mostly. They do in a pinch. But their crust is bland. It’s flavorless, dense, and has a weird aftertaste. If this were my primary exposure to pie crust, I would prefer cake too.
I think many people treat crust as the sidekick. The filling is the star; sweet and tart and colorful. The crust merely that thing that keeps it from burning and sticking to the tin. This is a mistake. Crust and filling should get equal attention, I say. It takes both components to make a satisfying slice of pie. The filling is sweet, the crust savory. The filling slightly sour, the crust mildly salty. The filling is soft, the crust crisp. Crust and filling should play off each other hitting every note. Add a slightly bitter cup of coffee or tea and you have the perfect afternoon indulgence.
I’ve been making pies for as long as I’ve been baking. I have only been making the crust for the last few years. I used to use the frozen crusts you buy in two packs at the grocery store. Look, there’s nothing wrong with using pre-made crust. Homemade pie is delicious even if it’s only semi-homemade. Frozen pie crust and canned filling? Totally cromulent if the result is a pie you enjoy eating. But if you’re like I was and opened The Joy of Cooking to the about pie crust entry, read their well meaning but very intimidating instructions, then closed the book and reached for a frozen crust, don’t despair! It’s not as hard as those lists of pie crust tips make it seem. Add enough water to make cohesive dough, but not too much water or it will shrink! Mix the water into the flour and butter until a dough forms, but God help you if you mix for too long! Flour your counter enough to keep the dough from sticking, but if you use too much flour, your pie will taste of tears and shame! No. The one thing I’ve learned from making crust is that it’s much more forgiving then the average how-to would have you believe.
Here’s the bottom line: Cut the butter into the flour (a pastry blender is so much easier than using your fingers or two knives. I got mine at the grocery store for about $5), use ice water to keep the butter from melting, rest your dough in between steps, and a long, flat icing spatula makes a great tool for de-sticking the dough from the counter when you roll it out. Use a clean, dry pastry brush to sweep excess flour from the rolled out dough before you fit it to your pie plate. And don’t stress about it. It’ll taste good, even if it’s not perfect.
OK, let’s talk about butter. I know all-butter pie crust is a thing right now, but you know what? I don’t like it. Sure, it tastes good and is nice and flaky. But the texture is wrong. You shouldn’t have to fight to get your fork through the crust of a pie. It should shatter when the side of the fork hits it. All-butter crusts don’t do that. After much experimentation (did I mention how obsessive I get when I have a project?) I found that I liked a mix of 50% butter and 50% butter flavored shortening. I know, I know. Ewwwwww, butter flavored shortening! Yes. I agree, even! I bought it once by accident and didn’t feel like going back to the store. I have used it ever since. It actually makes a good crust. Also, every crust recipe calls for unsalted butter. I don’t like keeping two types of butter on hand (one for bakin’, one for eatin’!) so I just use salted in everything. It’s not a lot of extra salt and I find that most baked goods benefit from a little saltiness. And if you can find that good Irish butter at a reasonable price (Hi, Costco!) the crust will taste even better.
Here’s my go-to:
- 2½ cups Flour
- 1 tbsp Sugar
- 1 tsp Salt
- ½ cup Butter Flavored Shortening
- ½ cup Butter
- ½ cup Ice Cold Water
Mix flour, sugar, and salt well. Add butter and shortening in chunks. Cut in the fat with a pastry blender, two forks, or your fingers until dough is crumbly with pea-sized chunks. Add water, mix with a rubber spatula as much as you can, then get your hands in there and knead until the dough comes together. Gather into a ball and cut in two*. If you are making a double crust pie, make one half bigger than the other (you’ll need more for the bottom than the top). Wrap each half in plastic and rest in the fridge for at least an hour, but up to 3 days.
Roll out each half on a floured counter until big enough to fit your pie plate with some extra for overhang. To move the rolled out dough, lay the rolling pin gently on the dough near one edge. Lift the edge over the top of the rolling pin. Gently lift the rolling pin, turning it to roll the crust over the top of the pin until the middle of the dough rests over the top of the pin. Place the crust over your tin or plate and carefully roll it off the pin. Wrap the rolled out crust in plastic and refrigerate for at least a half hour before using.
*When I am making a single crust pie, I find that simply halving the recipe doesn’t make enough dough to comfortably line the pie plate. I’ve discovered that it easiest to double the recipe and divide the final dough into thirds. I roll out three crusts and line three plates. I freeze the extra crusts until I need them.
So are you baking anything?