Vodkapiecrust Recipes

Steps:

• Whisk flour and salt together in a mixing bowl.
• Cut the cold butter and then the shortening into the flour mixture with a knife or pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Sprinkle vodka and water over the top of the mixture. Fold together ingredients until mixture sticks together to form a tacky dough. Divide dough into 2 halves; flatten each half into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate 1 hour to 2 days.
• When you are ready to make your pie, remove dough from refrigerator, roll each piece out for your pie from the middle to the edge. Bake according to your pie directions.

Steps:

• Pulse the flour, lard, sugar, salt and 4 tablespoons of the butter in a food processor until it has the consistency of a fine meal. Add the remaining 8 tablespoons butter, and pulse until you have pea-sized pieces. Sprinkle the vodka and water over the flour, and pulse until the dough just comes together. Evenly divide the dough between 2 pieces of plastic wrap, and gently pat each into a round. Wrap each round tightly and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour and up to overnight.

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:

• Cut butter into 1/2 tablespoon-sized chunks. Arrange on a plate and freeze until hard, about 20 minutes.
• Sift flour into the bowl of a food processor. Add sugar, salt, and baking powder. Add 1/2 of the frozen butter pieces and mix until incorporated. Add the remaining butter pieces and pulse briefly until pea-sized chunks are visible; do not overmix.
• Transfer dough to a mixing bowl and add ice water and vodka. Mix with a hand pastry blender just until a crumbly dough forms. Use your hands to compress the crumbs into a single ball of dough. Divide dough in half then roll each half into a balls wrap in plastic, and press flat into a disc. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.
• To use: remove from the refrigerator and roll each dough between 2 sheets of waxed paper; dough will be fairly sticky. Bake as directed for any pie recipe you are following.

Steps:

• Place butter and lard in freezer for 15 minutes. When ready to use, remove and cut both into small pieces.
• In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour and salt by pulsing 3 to 4 times. Add butter and pulse 5 to 6 times until texture looks mealy. Add lard and pulse another 3 to 4 times. Remove lid of food processor and spritz surface of mixture thoroughly with water. Replace lid and pulse 5 times. Add more water and pulse again until mixture holds together when squeezed. Place mixture in large zip-top bag, squeeze together until it forms a ball, and then press into a rounded disk and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Place 2 metal pie pans in the refrigerator to chill.
• Remove dough from refrigerator. Cut along 2 sides of the plastic bag, open bag to expose dough, and sprinkle both sides with flour. Cover again with plastic and roll out with a rolling pin to a 10 to 11-inch circle. Open plastic again and sprinkle top of dough with flour. Remove pie pans from refrigerator and set first pan on top of dough. Turn everything upside down and peel plastic from bottom of dough. Place second pan upside down on top of dough and flip again. Remove first pan from atop dough. Trim edges if necessary, leaving an edge for meringue to adhere to. Poke holes in dough and place in refrigerator for 15 minutes.
• Place a large piece of parchment paper on top of dough and fill with dry beans. Press beans into edges of dough and bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove parchment and beans and continue baking until golden in color, approximately 10 to 15 minutes longer. Remove from oven and place on cooling rack. Let cool completely before filling.

Steps:

• Combine 2/3rds of flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse twice to incorporate. Spread butter chunks evenly over surface. Pulse until no dry flour remains and dough just begins to collect in clumps, about 25 short pulses. Use a rubber spatula to spread the dough evenly around the bowl of the food processor. Sprinkle with remaining flour and pulse until dough is just barely broken up, about 5 short pulses. Transfer dough to a large bowl.
• Sprinkle with water then using a rubber spatula, fold and press dough until it comes together into a ball. Divide ball in half. Form each half into a 4-inch disk. Wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before rolling and baking.
• I often switch out a cup of the butter for COLD coconut oil. Still works great!

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 homogenous 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.