Joy Of Cooking Pie Crust Recipe 395

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt to combine. Add the butter, tossing the cubes through the flour until the pieces are separated from one another and each piece is coated.
• Cut the butter into the flour by pressing the pieces between your palms or fingertips, flattening the cubes into big shards and continuing to toss them in the flour to recoat the shards. The size of the butter will vary depending on the kind of pie you're making: For fruit pies, stop when the butter pieces are about the size of walnut halves. For custard pies, stop when the butter pieces are smaller, about the size of peas.
• Make a well in the center of the mixture. Add 3 tablespoons ice water and mix it in by tossing the flour in the bowl. (This tossing movement lets the moisture incorporate without allowing too much gluten formation.)
• Continue to add ice water 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time until the dough begins to come together. As it comes together, fold it over itself a few times to make sure it's homogenous. The dough should hold together without noticeable cracks (a sign of underhydration), but it should not be wet or tacky to the touch (a sign of overhydration).
• Form the dough into a disk about 1-inch thick. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before using, and up to 2 days. (It can also be frozen for up to 3 months, then thawed overnight before using.)

Steps:

• In a food processor, pulse together the flour and salt. Add butter and pulse until the mixture forms lima bean-size pieces. Slowly add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse until the dough just comes together. It should be moist, but not wet.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gather into a ball. Flatten into a disk with the heel of your hand. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.

Steps:

• Chill your fat and water! This is essential. Cut your butter into small pieces and add to your measured flour and salt. Cut the butter in quickly and then cut in the shortening. Your mixture should resemble coarse meal. Bigger lumps of fat are just fine; aim for pea-sized at biggest. Slowly add the water and watch closely as you work it in with the edge of a spatula or continue pulsing. It should still look dry. Grab some with your hand and squeeze. Did it hold together? Then you have enough water. If it didn't, or you're not sure, add a little more and mix quickly. Test again. Divide the dough in half to make single crust amounts. Wrap up the dough up by placing a portion of it on a piece of plastic wrap. Using the wrap, instead of your hands, push the dough into a flat disk. Refrigerate this for an hour or more. Sometimes dough gets too hard in the refrigerator. If this happens to you, let it warm up a little (15 or 20 minutes) on the counter before you roll it out. Using a lightly floured board, begin by rolling from the middle of the disk up. Turn the dough one quarter and repeat. To avoid toughening of the pastry, always roll in one direction and turn the dough often. For berry pies or other pies that may leak, roll the crust a little thicker. Carefully fold the dough in half, pick it up and lay across the pie plate. Open up the dough and gently work it into the plate. If it tears or splits, just pinch it together again, or use scraps to repair any holes. Crimp the edges. Use the dough as called for in your recipe. Some call for an unbaked pie crust, and some call for a baked pie crust.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F. Prepare unbaked pie crust in 9-inch pie pan. Modify sugar amount based on tartness of apples, and modify cornstarch based on juiciness of apples. If dry, add some water or lemon juice. Stir apples gently until coated. Place in layers in pie shell. Dot with 1 1/2 tablespoon butter Cover pie with pricked upper crust. Bake 10 minutes at 450°F. Reduce heat to 350°F. Bake until done, 35 to 45 minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle top with sugar and cinnamon, brushing with milk first. Alternately, replace upper crust with streusel

Steps:

• Process 1 1/2 cups flour, salt, and sugar in food processor until combined, about 2 one-second pulses. Add butter and shortening and process until homogeneous dough just starts to collect in uneven clumps, about 15 seconds (dough will resemble cottage-cheese curds, and there should be no uncoated flour). Scrape bowl with rubber spatula and redistribute dough evenly around processor blade. Add remaining cup flour and pulse until mixture is evenly distributed around bowl and mass of dough has been broken up, 4 to 6 quick pulses. Empty mixture into medium bowl.
• Sprinkle vodka and water over mixture. With rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix, pressing down on dough until dough is slightly tacky and sticks together. Divide dough into two even balls and flatten each into 4-inch disk. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 45 minutes or up to 2 days.

Steps:

• 1. Position rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400 2. Whisk together the flour and salt (or food process for 10 seconds) 3. Add the pieces of butter and mash with the back of a fork or food process until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs 4. Drizzle the heavy cream over the top and stir or process until the crumbs look damp and hold together when pinched (add more liquid if you're not getting there) 5. Transfer the mixture into a 9-inch pie pan 6. Pat evenly over the bottom and sides with your fingertips and form an even crust edge 7. Crimp or flute the edge 8. Use a fork to poke holes regularly around the sides and bottom of the crust then bake until golden brown - 18- 22 minutes 9. Check regularly to see if any bubbles are forming and use the fork to deflate them. 10. Remove crust 11. If you are filling the crust with an uncooked mixture that will require further baking, whisk together the egg yolk and salt, then brush it thoroughly over the inside of the crust 12. Return to the oven and bake until the egg glaze sets - 1-2 minutes