*sigh* Pie crusts. You wonder why so many people buy premade ones?? Maybe because it is such a PAIN to find a good one that will not be tough or hard...will be flaky and light. But....if you get the store bought ones, than you are stuck with a funky flavor.
A couple years ago, I was trying to get away from store bought...figuring how hard can it be to make pie crust? Lucky me, a friend instantly gave me her favorite pie crust recipe and I used this one for the past few years:
This recipe came from Martha Stewart and involved ingredients like butter and the use of a food processor. What did I have to lose?
Pate Brisee
Makes two 8- to 10-inch single-crust pies or one 8- to 10-inch double-crust pie
Ingredients
Directions
Okay...is this recipe good? Yes it is. I felt, though that it lacked a certain flaky texture. It would come out a bit hard and not quite what I had hoped. This year, I thought I would try something different.
I was torn between 2 recipes...one I got from The Pioneer Woman website and one was a Paula Deen recipe. One used butter AND shortening and the other just used shortening (can you guess where the butter one came from?).
I decided to go with Paula Deen as I thought I would have the nice butter flavor and the addition of shortening may provide the flaky quality I was looking for. I made this crust and filled it with a different apple pie filling recipe...baked it up and was happy.
Then, I got ready for the Cherry Cheesecake Pie and I got to thinking....what if Pioneer Woman is right...what if this OTHER crust is the BEST? I had all the ingredients...so I decided why not try it out on the second pie. And that is just what I did.
I will post the two recipes in a sec, but let me give a quick review. The Paula Deen recipe does, indeed, have that flaky quality I was missing in the Martha Stewart recipe. It has the right amount of flake and the right amount of butter flavor. I just got through eating a slice of the apple pie and was over the moon with how the crust came out.
On the flip side, the crust on the Cherry Cheesecake Pie was also flaky (maybe not quite as flaky as the other, but it is served cold while the other is served warm). It lacks that butter flavor, but that seems to work well with the almondy/cherry/cheesecake flavors already vying for attention with the taste buds.
My conclusion....Let the pie crust fit the pie. I think I will pair the Paula Deen recipe up with those pies that are heated up and enhances the flavors and vice versa on the Pioneer Woman crust...cold and creamy pies. I will not be making the Martha Stewart crust anymore, even if it is easier letting the food processor do the work (in her defense, mine might be harder, less flaky because my food processor is extremely powerful...it might be over-working the crust).
So, here are the two recipes!! ENJOY!!!
Paula's Perfect Pie Crust:
When it comes together stop working it otherwise the dough will get over-worked and tough. Divide the dough in half and flatten it slightly to form a disk shape. Wrap each disk in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. On a floured surface roll each disk out into a 10 to 11-inch circle to make a 9-inch pie.
Yield: 2 (9-inch) pie crusts
AND
Pioneer Woman's: Sylvia's Perfect Pie Crust
Ingredients
In a large bowl, with a pastry cutter, gradually work the Crisco into the flour for about 3 or 4 minutes until it resembles a coarse meal. In a small bowl, beat an egg with a fork and then pour it into the flour/shortening mixture. Add 5 tablespoons of cold water, 1 tablespoon of white vinegar and 1 teaspoon of salt. Stir together gently until all of the ingredients are incorporated.
Separate the dough into thirds. Form 3 evenly sized balls of dough and place each dough into a large Ziploc bag. Using a rolling pin, slightly flatten each ball of dough (about ½ inch thick) to make rolling easier later. Seal the bags and place them in the freezer until you need them. (If you will be using it immediately it’s still a good idea to put in the freezer for about 15 to 20 minutes to chill.)
When you are ready to use the dough to make a crust, remove from the freezer and allow to thaw for 15 minutes. On a floured surface roll the dough, starting at the center and working your way out. (Sprinkle some flour over top of the dough if it’s a bit too moist.) If the dough is sticking to the countertop use a metal spatula and carefully scrape it up and flip it over and continue rolling until it’s about ½ inch larger in diameter than your pie pan.
With a spatula, lift the dough carefully from the surface of the counter into the pie pan. Gently press the dough against the corner of the pan. Go around the pie pan pinching and tucking the dough to make a clean edge.
**NOTE: I did not separate this in thirds, I divided in half.
A couple years ago, I was trying to get away from store bought...figuring how hard can it be to make pie crust? Lucky me, a friend instantly gave me her favorite pie crust recipe and I used this one for the past few years:
This recipe came from Martha Stewart and involved ingredients like butter and the use of a food processor. What did I have to lose?
Pate Brisee
Makes two 8- to 10-inch single-crust pies or one 8- to 10-inch double-crust pie
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 cup (2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut in pieces
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water
Directions
- Place the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor, and process for a few seconds to combine. Add the butter, and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds. With the machine running, add the ice water in a slow, steady stream, through the feed tube, just until the dough holds together. Do not process for more than 30 seconds.
- Turn the dough out onto a work surface. Divide in two. Place each half on a sheet of plastic wrap. Flatten, and form two discs. Wrap, and refrigerate at least 1 hour before using.
Okay...is this recipe good? Yes it is. I felt, though that it lacked a certain flaky texture. It would come out a bit hard and not quite what I had hoped. This year, I thought I would try something different.
I was torn between 2 recipes...one I got from The Pioneer Woman website and one was a Paula Deen recipe. One used butter AND shortening and the other just used shortening (can you guess where the butter one came from?).
I decided to go with Paula Deen as I thought I would have the nice butter flavor and the addition of shortening may provide the flaky quality I was looking for. I made this crust and filled it with a different apple pie filling recipe...baked it up and was happy.
Then, I got ready for the Cherry Cheesecake Pie and I got to thinking....what if Pioneer Woman is right...what if this OTHER crust is the BEST? I had all the ingredients...so I decided why not try it out on the second pie. And that is just what I did.
I will post the two recipes in a sec, but let me give a quick review. The Paula Deen recipe does, indeed, have that flaky quality I was missing in the Martha Stewart recipe. It has the right amount of flake and the right amount of butter flavor. I just got through eating a slice of the apple pie and was over the moon with how the crust came out.
On the flip side, the crust on the Cherry Cheesecake Pie was also flaky (maybe not quite as flaky as the other, but it is served cold while the other is served warm). It lacks that butter flavor, but that seems to work well with the almondy/cherry/cheesecake flavors already vying for attention with the taste buds.
My conclusion....Let the pie crust fit the pie. I think I will pair the Paula Deen recipe up with those pies that are heated up and enhances the flavors and vice versa on the Pioneer Woman crust...cold and creamy pies. I will not be making the Martha Stewart crust anymore, even if it is easier letting the food processor do the work (in her defense, mine might be harder, less flaky because my food processor is extremely powerful...it might be over-working the crust).
So, here are the two recipes!! ENJOY!!!
Paula's Perfect Pie Crust:
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 3 tablespoons granulated white sugar
- 1/4 cup vegetable shortening, cold
- 12 tablespoons butter, cold and cubed
- 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup ice water
When it comes together stop working it otherwise the dough will get over-worked and tough. Divide the dough in half and flatten it slightly to form a disk shape. Wrap each disk in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. On a floured surface roll each disk out into a 10 to 11-inch circle to make a 9-inch pie.
Yield: 2 (9-inch) pie crusts
AND
Pioneer Woman's: Sylvia's Perfect Pie Crust
Ingredients
- 1-½ cup Crisco (vegetable Shortening)
- 3 cups All-purpose Flour
- 1 whole Egg
- 5 Tablespoons Cold Water
- 1 Tablespoon White Vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Salt
In a large bowl, with a pastry cutter, gradually work the Crisco into the flour for about 3 or 4 minutes until it resembles a coarse meal. In a small bowl, beat an egg with a fork and then pour it into the flour/shortening mixture. Add 5 tablespoons of cold water, 1 tablespoon of white vinegar and 1 teaspoon of salt. Stir together gently until all of the ingredients are incorporated.
Separate the dough into thirds. Form 3 evenly sized balls of dough and place each dough into a large Ziploc bag. Using a rolling pin, slightly flatten each ball of dough (about ½ inch thick) to make rolling easier later. Seal the bags and place them in the freezer until you need them. (If you will be using it immediately it’s still a good idea to put in the freezer for about 15 to 20 minutes to chill.)
When you are ready to use the dough to make a crust, remove from the freezer and allow to thaw for 15 minutes. On a floured surface roll the dough, starting at the center and working your way out. (Sprinkle some flour over top of the dough if it’s a bit too moist.) If the dough is sticking to the countertop use a metal spatula and carefully scrape it up and flip it over and continue rolling until it’s about ½ inch larger in diameter than your pie pan.
With a spatula, lift the dough carefully from the surface of the counter into the pie pan. Gently press the dough against the corner of the pan. Go around the pie pan pinching and tucking the dough to make a clean edge.
**NOTE: I did not separate this in thirds, I divided in half.
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