Foolproof Flaky Butter Pastry Recipes

Steps:

• Put the flour, salt and sugar into a food processor and pulse once or twice.
• Add the butter and process until the mixture looks grainy.
• Then slowly, while pulsing, add the water until you can form the dough by pressing it between your fingers.
• Decant the loose dough onto a piece of plastic wrap.
• Using the wrap, fold the loose dough towards the middle and press with the back of your hands to form dough.
• Split into two pieces and wrap each and chill for at least 4 hours before using.
• Dough can be made ahead for up to one week.

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:

• To make the dough in a food processor: In a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder, and process to mix. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Put the work bowl in the refrigerator to chill for 15 minutes.
• Add the sour cream to the flour mixture and process until the dough comes together in the bowl. Gather the dough into a ball and knead it several times on a lightly floured surface. Form it into a 1-inch-thick disk, wrap it in plastic, and chill for at least 30 minutes before rolling.
• To make the dough by hand: In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Add the butter and cut it into the flour with a pastry cutter or two knives until it resembles a very coarse meal. Alternatively, using a pinching motion, mix the butter into the flour with your fingers, then rub the butter and flour between the palms of both hands to blend it until the mixture is the texture of coarse meal. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Add the sour cream and blend it in with the pastry cutter or a fork. Knead and squeeze the dough 7 or 8 times to incorporate any loose bits. Gather the dough together into a rough ball (it will be a coarse mass), flatten it into a 1-inch-thick disk, and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before rolling.
• You can roll and cut the dough into shapes up to one week ahead of baking, arrange on a baking sheet, wrap well, and freeze. There is no need to defrost them before baking.
• To roll out the dough: Let the dough sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before rolling. Sprinkle the work surface lightly and evenly with a little flour. Rub the rolling pin with flour as well. Place the dough in the middle of the work surface. Beginning at one edge, press the rolling pin down onto the dough to flatten it, moving across the dough in increments. Then, moving from the center of the dough outward, begin to roll the dough, adding more flour as necessary to keep the dough from sticking. Roll the dough gradually in all directions, flattening as you go, to form a large circle about 14 inches in diameter; do not roll it thinner than 1/8 inch. If the dough cracks or pulls apart, moisten the torn edges with a little water (using your finger or a brush) and press together to seal. Dust lightly with flour if the surface of the dough is sticky.
• The dough is ready to use in a tart or to cut out. To transfer the dough to a 9-by-10-inch tart tin or baking sheet, place the rolling pin gently on one edge of the dough and roll the dough up over the pin - then you can move it wherever your want.
• Sweet Pastry Variation: This variation produces a pastry that is sweeter and crisp like a sugar cookie. Increase the sugar to 3 tablespoons and add 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or grated lemon zest.

Steps:

• In a food processor bowl mix flour and salt.
• Add cubed shortening & butter.
• Pulse until it resembles coarse crumbs.
• Transfer to another large bowl
• Mix egg, vinegar, and Ice water together.
• Quickly stir into flour mixture with a fork.
• Mix lightly(mixture may not come together very well).
• Put whole mixture in a plastic food storage bag.
• Gently through the plastic knead into a ball.
• This prevents the heat of your hands melting the shortening.
• Flatten into a disc shape.
• Keep in bag and chill 15 - 30 minutes.
• Cut in 1/2.
• Shape into a flattened circle.
• Always roll from the centre outwards.

Steps:

• Whisk together flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl, then blend in butter with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor) just until most of mixture resembles coarse meal with small (roughly pea-size) butter lumps. Drizzle evenly with 9 tablespoons ice water and gently stir with a fork (or pulse in food processor) until incorporated.
• Squeeze a small handful: If it doesn't hold together, add more ice water 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring (or pulsing) until just incorporated, then test again. (Do not overwork mixture, or pastry will be tough.)
• Turn out mixture onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 8 portions. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once or twice in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather dough together with scraper and press into a ball, then flatten into a 6-inch disk. Chill dough, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 1 hour.

Steps:

• In a large bowl whisk together flour and salt and with a pastry blender or fingertips blend in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with a fork to incorporate, until mixture begins to form a dough.
• On a work surface smear dough in 3 or 4 forward motions with heel of hand to slightly develop gluten in flour and make dough easier to work with. Form dough into a ball and flatten to form a disk.
• Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill 1 hour. Pastry dough may be made 1 week ahead and chilled.

Steps:

• Cut shortening and lard into the flour and salt mixture until it is in a small pea sized lumps.
• Combine the egg, ice water,and vingar.
• Lightly fork into the flour/shortening mixture.
• Pat into two balls.
• Wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for awhile.
• Roll out on a well floured surface.
• Makes 1 double pie crust or 2 single pie crust.
• Bake as directed for pie.