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Monday, September 7, 2009

My favorite pie crust...again...only better! (aka Oh-So-Easy Pie Crust)

Oh-So-Easy Pie Crust (works every time) | www.girlichef.com
I previously posted about my favorite pie crust here...but it was back in my early days and before I became comfortable and settled into my blog. So, this is basically just a revisit...but with better pictures ☺.



Oh-So-Easy Pie Crust
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by Heather Schmitt-Gonzalez
Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes (mostly unat
Cook Time: n/a
Keywords: vegetarian soy-free butter flour Thanksgiving Christmas Easter pie

Ingredients (2 (9-inch) Pie Crusts)
  • 2-1/2 cups (325 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup shortening, cut into small pieces
  • 8 tablespoons (1 stick/4 ounces) cold butter, cut into small pieces
  • 6-8 tablespoons ice water
Instructions
Pulse flour, sugar, salt, shortening & butter in food processor until coarse crumbs form.

Add 6 Tbs. of the ice water and pulse until mixture just comes together and forms large clumps.If mixture is still too dry, add a little more ice water at a time until it does just hold together. (Ice water helps keep the butter & shortening from melting.)
Oh-So-Easy Pie Crust (works every time) | www.girlichef.com
It should hold together if you pinch it without crumbling.
Oh-So-Easy Pie Crust (works every time) | www.girlichef.com
Turn mixture out onto work surface and pull quickly into a mass. Do this as quickly as possible because you still want to be able to see those balls of butter & shortening in the dough. Those are what keeps the crust so flaky and tender. Divide dough into two equal parts.
Oh-So-Easy Pie Crust (works every time) | www.girlichef.com
Wrap each separately in plastic wrap (or, if you discover you're out of plastic wrap...clearing throat...stick them in baggies. It worked), forming 2 discs.

Store in the refrigerator at least 1 hour, but up to overnight until ready to use. Or go ahead and freeze one or both for a rainy day!
Oh-So-Easy Pie Crust (works every time) | www.girlichef.com
When ready to use, roll out one disk of dough at a time into a 12" round. Gently roll dough back with rolling pin and place it over pie plate. Tuck in carefully.
Oh-So-Easy Pie Crust (works every time) | www.girlichef.com
This dough is VERY forgiving...one of the reasons I like it so much. If a hole forms, just pinch the dough back together. If there doesn't seem to be enough dough on one side, cut the over hang from another side and pinch it onto the part that seems short. Give yourself some decorative edges, or just fold the dough over and trim.
Oh-So-Easy Pie Crust (works every time) | www.girlichef.com
Now you just need some goodness to put inside! Bake it according to your specific need.

note: I tried replacing the shortening with coconut oil in this recipe. It worked, HOWEVER, it doesn't make for as pretty a pie since it doesn't hold up to the heat as well...it melts and makes the crust sag and fall. I would recommend sticking with the half shortening, half butter combo. Still tried-and-true.