Basic Pastry Crust Recipes

Steps:

• In a food processor, pulse flour and salt to combine. Add cold butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few pea-size pieces of butter remaining. Sprinkle with ice water. Pulse until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed (if necessary, add up to 3 tablespoons more water, 1 tablespoon at a time). Do not overmix. Form dough into a 1-inch-thick disk, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour (or up to 3 days).

Steps:

• Mix flour and salt together in a large bowl. Cut in butter using a pastry blender until the mixture resembles fine cornmeal. Pour in water slowly; knead dough into a firm ball.
• Pour in additional water as needed if dough is too dry or additional flour if too moist. Divide batter into equal halves. Roll out dough halves into rounds on a lightly floured work surface using a lightly floured rolling pin to desired thickness.
• Press one round into the bottom of a 9-inch pie pan. Use the other round as a top crust or for a separate bottom crust. Bake according to desired filling instructions.

Steps:

• Sift together the flour and the salt. Slice the cold butter rapidly and drop the slices into the flour. With a pastry blender or two sharp knives, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse corn meal.
• Sprinkle the ice water of the flour-butter mixture and stir it very quickly with a fork, until the dough gathers together. Form the dough into a ball, wrap it in wax paper or foil, and chill for about 2 hours.
• A note here that Canadian wheat is 'harder' than wheat from the USA, and you may need to add a little more water to make it gather.
• Makes enough dough for 1 large, 11 or 12 inch quiche shell.
• PREPARING A QUICHE OR TART SHELL.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough out into a circle about 2 1/2 inches larger than your quiche pan. Roll the circle of dough loosely around your rolling pin and unroll it over the quiche pan, centering it as well as possible. Press the sides against the rim of the pan, pushing the extra dough down a bit to make and edge that is slightly thicker than the bottom. Trim the dough off with a sharp knife about 1/4 inch above the rim of the pan (it shrinks down a bit while baking).
• Using a pastry crimper of the blunt end of a kitchen knife, crimp the ridge of the dough neatly just above the rim of the pan. Prick the bottom of the shell all over with a fork (VERY IMPORTANT!) and chill it for 1/2 hour.
• PREBAKING A QUICHE OR TART SHELL.
• Line the inside of the pastry shell with a piece of aluminum foil. and fill it with dried beans or rice (which can be kept in a jar and reused for this purpose forever). Bake the shell in a preheated 450 degree oven for about 8 minutes, then remove the beans and foil, prick again with a fork (VERY IMPORTANT!), and return to the hot oven for another 4 to 5 minutes, or until the bottom of the shell begins to colour. Allow the shell to cool slightly on a rack, then fill and finish baking according to recipe.

Steps:

• Cut shortening into flour/salt until it looks like peas.
• Add very cold water all at once and quickly toss with a fork; shape into a ball being careful not to over knead.
• Divide dough in half and roll thin.
• This makes two single piecrusts or one double crust pie.
• TIPS AND TRICKS:.
• To avoid a soggy crust, try brushing the bottom of the crust with egg white before adding fruit; filling the shell *just* before baking also helps prevent sogginess; sogginess can also be caused from the oven temperature being too low or the time too short.
• For a flakier upper crust, brush lightly with cold water before popping in the oven; also keep ingredients and dough cold until baked.
• To prevent the crust from shrinking, avoid stretching the dough as you roll it and avoid stretching it when placed in the pie plate; allowing the pie shell to rest about 30 minutes before baking will also help prevent shrinking.
• Never shake the flour while placing in the measuring cup; instead, level it with the back of a knife.
• Toss ingredients with a fork, lightly and quickly, rather than stirring.
• Don't use too much water; about 1/2 c of iced water to 2 cups of flour.
• To prevent burning of the crust, try baking the pie in a large paper bag stapled closed, being sure that it doesn't touch any part of the oven; or use an oven- roasting bag.
• Try rolling some grated cheese into the dough when making an apple pie.
• Try adding toasted slivered almonds to piecrust that you intend to fill with a cream filling or cherry filling.

Steps:

• Sift 225g plain flour into a large bowl, add 100g diced butter and rub in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
• Stir in a pinch of salt, then add 2-3 tbsp water and mix to a firm dough.
• Knead the dough briefly and gently on a floured surface.
• Wrap in cling film and chill while preparing the filling.

Steps:

• Combine the flour, sugar, salt, and lemon zest in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and mix with a pastry blender or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the egg yolk and ice water and work that in with your hands. (Or do the whole thing in a food processor, pulsing a couple of times to combine the dry ingredients, then pulsing in the butter, and then the egg.) Check the consistency of the dough by squeezing a small amount together between thumb and forefingers: You want there to be just enough moisture to bind the dough so that it holds together without being too wet or sticky. If it's still crumbly, add a little more ice water, 1 teaspoon at a time. When you get it to the right consistency, shape the dough into a disk and wrap it in plastic. Put it in the refrigerator and chill for at least 30 minutes.

Steps:

• Add the flour and salt to a large bowl and stir to combine. Add the butter and toss to combine. With your fingers, begin to "smush" the butter into flat pieces. Continue smushing until all the butter is flattened but none of the pieces are larger than a quarter. The flour will look like coarse cornmeal.
• Add the water, quickly folding it in with a wooden spoon to distribute the moisture. (Do not stir vigorously--the dough should appear shaggy.) Use your hands to break up any large clumps of moisture. Then use your knuckles or a palm to smear the dough up the sides of the bowl (a technique known as fraisage). This distributes the butter over a larger surface to achieve larger flakes and compact the dough. Once you've gone around the bowl one time, fold the dough over itself a few times to pick up any dry bits from the bottom. Gently press the dough into a disk. (Note: The dough should remain very cool to the touch throughout the process. If it approaches room temperature, refrigerate it for 5 to 10 minutes to chill.)
• Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and roll out to a 10-by-12-inch rectangle. Perform a letter fold by folding one of the short ends towards the middle and the other short end over the first, like folding a business letter.
• Turn the dough 90 degrees, so the long side faces you, and perform a second letter fold. Turn the dough 90 degrees again; perform a third letter fold.
• If the dough still feels cool, it can be used immediately. Otherwise, wrap it in plastic wrap and chill for at least 20 minutes. The dough can be refrigerated for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 1 month.

Steps:

• Cut 8 ounces (2 sticks) butter into 1/2 to 1/4-inch dice, place on a plate and refrigerate while preparing remaining ingredients.Measure water and add salt; stir to dissolve and set aside.
• Coarsely dice remaining 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter. Place flour in work bowl of food processor fitted with metal blade; add 4 tablespoons butter and pulse until butter is absorbed -- about ten to twelve 1-second pulses.
• Add remaining butter and pulse once or twice to distribute. Add water and pulse 3 or 4 times, just until dough forms a rough ball. Do not over-process.
• Flour work surface and scrape dough from work bowl. Shape dough into a rough rectangle and place between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Press dough with rolling pin to flatten, then roll back and forth several times with rolling pin to make a 12 by 18 inch rectangle of dough.
• Peel away plastic wrap and invert dough to floured work surface. Peel away second piece of wrap. Fold dough in thirds in the width, folding the top third down and the bottom third up, to make a 6 by 18-inch rectangle, then roll up the dough from one of the 6-inch ends, making sure to roll end under dough. Press the dough into a square, wrap in plastic and refrigerate 1 hour, or until firm.

Steps:

• Place the flour, salt, and butter in a food processor and whiz or pulse briefly. Add half the beaten egg and continue to whiz. You might add a little more egg, but not too much as the mixture should be just moist enough to come together.
• If making by hand, rub the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse bread crumbs. Then, using your hands, add just enough egg to bring the dough together. With your hands, flatten out the ball of dough, until it is about 3/4-inch thick, and then wrap in plastic wrap, or place in a plastic bag, and leave in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or, if you are pushed for time, in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Variations:
• Sweet shortcrust pastry: In place of the pinch of salt, use 1 tablespoon of icing sugar.
• Sour cream shortcrust pastry: Replace the egg with 2 tablespoons of sour cream or creme fraiche, adding just enough to bring the dough together.

Steps:

• Mix flour and salt in large bowl. Cut in cream cheese and butter with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Shape into ball; wrap tightly. Refrigerate several hours or until firm.
• Preheat oven to 450°F. Divide dough in half. Roll out each half on lightly floured surface to 12-inch circle; place in 9-inch pie plate. Turn under edges; flute. Prick with fork.
• Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Steps:

• Divide the butter into two parts, about two thirds to one third:
• For #1 2.5 ounces and 1.5 ounces (5 tablespoons and 3 tablespoons)
• For #2 3 ounces and 1.5 ounces (6 tablespoons and 3 tablespoons)
• For #3 4.5 ounces and 2.5 ounces (9 tablespoons and 5 tablespoons)
• Cut the butter into 3/4-inch cubes. Wrap each portion of butter with plastic wrap, refrigerate the larger amount and freeze the smaller for at least 30 minutes. Place the flour, salt, and baking powder in a reclosable gallon-size freezer bag and freeze for at least 30 minutes.
• Food processor method:
• Place the flour mixture in a food processor with the metal blade and process for a few seconds to combine. Set the bag aside.
• Add the larger amount of butter cubes to the flour and process for about 20 seconds or until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the remaining frozen butter cubes and pulse until all of the frozen butter is the size of peas. (Toss with a fork to see it better.)
• Add the lowest amount of the ice water and the vinegar and pulse 6 times. Pinch a small amount of the mixture together between your fingers. If it does not hold together, add half the remaining water and pulse 3 times. Try pinching the mixture again. If necessary, add the remaining water, pulsing 3 times to incorporate it. The mixture will be in particles and will not hold together without being pinched.
• For tiny 1-inch tartlets, omit the baking powder and allow the processing to continue just until a ball forms. The additional mixing produces a dough that is slightly less flaky but ensures that it will not puff out of shape in the tiny molds.
• Spoon the mixture into the plastic bag. (For a double-crust pie, it is easiest to divide the mixture in half at this point.)
• Holding both ends of the bag opening with you fingers, knead the mixture by alternately pressing it, from the outside of the bag, with the knuckles and heels of your hands until the mixture holds together in one piece and feels slightly stretchy when pulled.
• Wrap the dough with plastic wrap, flatten it into a disc (or discs) and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes, preferably overnight. (For a pie shell and lattice, divide it in a ratio of two thirds:one third - use about 9.5 ounces for the shell and the rest for the lattice, flattening the smaller part into a rectangle.)
• Hand method:
• Place a medium mixing bowl in the freezer to chill.
• Place the flour, salt, and optional baking powder in another medium bowl and whisk to combine them. Use a pastry cutter or rub the mixture between your fingers to blend the larger portion of the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse meal.
• Spoon the mixture, together with the cold butter, into a reclosable gallon-size freezer bag. Expel any air from the bag and close it. Use a rolling pin to flatten the butter into flakes. Place the bag in the freezer for at least 10 minutes or until the butter is very firm.
• Transfer the mixture to the chilled bowl, scraping the sides of the bag. Set the bag aside. Sprinkle the ice water and vinegar onto the mixture, tossing it lightly with a rubber spatula. Spoon the loose mixture back into the plastic bag. (For a double-crust pie, it is easiest to divide the mixture in half at this point.)
• Holding both ends of the bag opening with your fingers, knead the mixture by alternately pressing it, from the outside of the bag, with knuckles and heels of your hands until the mixture holds together in one piece and feels slightly stretchy when pulled.
• Wrap the dough with plastic wrap, flatten it into a disc (or discs) and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes, preferably overnight. (For a pie shell and lattice, divide it in a ratio of two thirds:one third - use about 9.5 ounces for the shell and the rest for the lattice, flattening the smaller part into a rectangle.)
• Store:
• Refrigerated, up to 2 days; frozen, up to 3 months.
• Understanding:
• Pastry flour offers the most tenderness while maintaining flakiness, but it is the addition of vinegar that relaxes the dough without losing flakiness, making it easier to roll, shrink less, and be even more tender. The baking powder lifts and aerates the dough slightly without weakening it, but it makes it seem more tender.
• Thes secret to success is finely incorporating about two thirds of the butter into the flour, which keeps the flour from absorbing too much water and forming gluten, which would make the crust tough. The remaining one third of the butter is incorporated in larger pieces, which serve to seperate the layers, resulting in the desired flakiness. This pie crust does not shrink or distort as much as the standard all-butter crust because there is less gluten development.
• If when adding the water, you find you need more than indicated in the recipe, chances are you haven't moisture-proofed the flour adequately (you haven't used the correct amount of butter or processed it fine enough), leaving the flour free to absorb more liquid. The resulting crust will be flakier but less tender.
• If you find you need less water than specified in the recipe, chances are you divided the butter incorrectly and used too much of it to moisture-proof the flour, preventing it from absorbing an adequate amount of water. The resulting crust will be more tender but not very flaky.
• Flattening the newly formed dough into a disc or discs before refrigerating makes it easier to roll without cracking. The dough is refrigerated to relax the gluten, making it less elastic and easier to roll. Chilling also firms the butter, preventing sticking and the need for extra flour when rolling, which would toughen it. Dough that has rested overnight before baking shrinks less.

Steps:

• Blend first 4 ingredients in processor 10 seconds. Add shortening; process just until very coarse meal forms. Beat egg with 2 tablespoons water; add to processor. Blend until large moist clumps form, adding more water if dry. Gather dough into ball; divide in half. Flatten each piece into disk. Wrap in plastic; chill at least 1 hour. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled. Let dough soften slightly before rolling out.)

Steps:

• Whisk the flour and salt together in a medium size bowl. With a pastry blender, cut in the cold shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Drizzle 2 to 3 tablespoons ice water over flour. Toss mixture with a fork to moisten, adding more water a few drops at a time until the dough comes together.
• Gently gather dough particles together into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 30 minutes before rolling.
• Roll out dough, and put in a pie plate. Fill with desired filling and bake.

Steps:

• sift the flour into abowl, then sprinkle the suet in, season if desired and just mix it in lightly with your hands to distribute it evenly.
• Now sprinkle in some cold water (you'll find you need more for this pastry than for shortcrust).
• Begin mixing with around bladed knife, and then use your hands at the end to bring it all together to a smooth elastic dough that leaves the bowl clean.
• suet crust should be left for 5 minutes, then rolled out immediately. You should always roll it out more quickly than shorcrust, approximately 1/2 inch thick.

Steps:

• Place blade insert into bowl of food processor. Add 1 cup flour. Sprinkle frozen butter cubes over flour. Add remaining 1 cup flour, sugar, and salt. Cover. Pulse in short bursts on and off until butter is broken into small pieces and looks crumbly, about 1 minute. Drizzle in ice water. Pulse with longer pulses, on and off, until mixture turns pale yellow and looks like crumbs, about 10 to 12 seconds. Scrape down sides with spatula. Pulse once or twice more.
• Transfer mixture onto a work surface. Bring pieces together to form a tight round ball of dough. Flatten slightly and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight before rolling out.

Steps:

• 1. Place flour and salt in a food processor. Add the butter and mix for about 10 seconds, or until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Tip into a mixing bowl. 2. Add 4 TBS of water and stir the mixture with a butter knife until the dough just comes together. If it seems too dry, add another 1-2 TBS of water. Try not to make the dough too wet, as it results in a crumbly pastry. 3. Lightly knead the dough into a smooth ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 30 minutes before using. Makes 2 cups (16 oz) of dough. Entire recipe = 36 Weight Watchers points.

Steps:

• Sift flour into a bowl and rub in butter. Add egg yolk and enough water to make ingredients cling together.
• Press dough into a ball and knead gently on a floured surface until smooth. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Use pastry for tarts, pastries, quiches, or other savory goodies.

Steps:

• Put flour and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer or food processor. Add butter and quickly cut it into flour until mixture resembles coarse meal.
• Add ice water and mix briefly, about 30 seconds, to form a soft dough. Remove dough, shape into a thick disk, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. Bring to cool room temperature before rolling.
• To roll, lightly flour dough and counter. Roll out gradually, periodically letting dough rest for a moment before continuing. This makes rolling easier and will keep dough from shrinking back during baking.
• Roll dough to a thin round approximately 13 inches in diameter, then trim to make a 12-inch circle (refrigerate and save trimmings for patching). Lay dough loosely into a 9 1/2-inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom, letting it relax a bit. Fold overlap back inside to make a double thickness, then press firmly against the pan so the finished edge is slightly higher than the pan. Refrigerate or freeze for an hour before pre-baking.

Steps:

• In a food processor, briefly pulse flour, salt, and sugar. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few pea-size pieces of butter remaining. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons ice water. Pulse until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed (if necessary, add up to 2 tablespoons water, 1 tablespoon at a time). Dont overmix.
• Turn dough out onto a large piece of plastic wrap. Fold plastic over dough; press to shape into a 1-inch-thick disk. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour (or up to 3 days).
• On a floured piece of parchment paper, roll dough to a 14-inch round with a floured rolling pin. Wrap dough around rolling pin, discarding paper; unroll over a 9-inch pie plate (opposite). Gently fit into bottom and up sides of plate (do not stretch dough).
• Using kitchen shears, trim dough to a 1-inch overhang. Fold under itself to form a rim, and press to seal. Using thumb and forefinger, crimp rim of crust. Refrigerate until ready to use, up to 1 day.

Steps:

• Place the bowl and butter into the fridge to make it cold. This is REALLY important
• Throw flour, butter and salt into the food processor and blitz for 15-20 seconds until it is a soft fine breadcrumb texture. You dont NEED a food processor and can use your fingertips like your gran used to, but make sure you hands are ice cold first.
• Pour mixture into the cold bowl, make a well in the centre and add around 3/4 (75ml) of the water. With fingers like a claw, turn the pastry mix in the bowl. Get in and twist, mopping up all the dry ingredients. Add the rest of the flour and continue twisting together until the mixture is a lump.
• lightly flower the board and place pastry on top. Push it together and gently kneed it. until it has a soft texture when pinched.
• Cover with clingfilm, place back into the bowl you used earlier and place in the fridge. Ready to take and use whenever you need it (preferably for a stake and ale pie that afternoon).

Steps:

• In a large bowl, sift together the flour and salt. Blend in the butter and shortening until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
• In a cup, combine the water and vinegar or lemon juice. Sprinkle the liquid over the flour mixture. Using your fingers, work the liquid in and gather the dough into a ball. Divide the dough into two equal pieces.
• Roll out as needed or wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill.
• To partially bake the pastry, preheat the oven to 425°F Cut a piece of parchment, foil or waxed paper to fit inside the pie plate. Fill the paper with dried beans and bake for 15 minutes. Lift out the paper and beans and proceed with the rest of the recipe. Or use unbaked as required in your recipe.
• Makes enough pastry for one 9-or 10 inch double crust pie.
• Lucy Waverman's Cooking School Cookbook.

Steps:

• Pour the flour into a mound on a countertop. Add salt and sugar; toss well. Work butter into flour with fingertips until it forms pea-sized lumps. Add the water, 2 tablespoons at a time, tossing with your fingers, until dough is crumbly and just starting to come together. You may not need all the water.
• Form dough into a mound, then use the heel of your hand to push the dough away from you, flattening out lumps. Repeat.
• Shape into two equal disks, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
• To Form 2 Crust Pie:.
• Place one disk of dough on a floured pastry board; roll into a circle 1/8-inch thick.
• Fold circle of dough gently into quarters and transfer to an ungreased 9-inch tart pan.
• Unfold and gently push dough into pan. Cover with plastic wrap.
• Place second disk of dough on a floured pastry board; roll into a circle 1/8-inch thick. This will be your top crust.
• Cut small decorative holes in center of top crust to vent, then carefully transfer to flour-dusted cookie sheet. Cover with plastic wrap.
• Refrigerate crusts at least 1 hour or until needed.