Blog

12/23/2020 VIDEO OUT NOW: Tips for the Perfect Pie Crust (Start to Finish) on YouTube

Oh, that photo makes my mouth water! Who else loves homemade cherry pie? You do? Well, I was actually thinking of a couple of characters from Volume 2 of my Tales of Harriford Grange series. One character in particular is a master pie baker, and while I don’t claim to be that, I have made a few pies in my day. Keep reading this article to see what I’ve learned.

#1 – Choose a good recipe!

This seems like a no-brainer, but there are so many pie crust recipes out there – How do you choose? First of all, if it looks too complicated, it probably is. Pie crust really isn’t all that difficult once you get the hang of it. Some recipes have you doing so many steps, include odd ingredients, or overcomplicate things. I found a great recipe. I modified it a little based on my personal experience, but for the most part, I highly recommend it! You can leave out the sugar to make a delicious crust for a quiche or chicken pot pie. Yum…

Click HERE to go to the pie crust recipe I use! It’s by Inspired Taste.

Here is the only change I made to the ingredients: 1 tsp of table salt (instead of 1 TBSP kosher salt). I think I have also used salted butter in a pinch and removed or reduced the salt with good results.

#2 Use a FOOD PROCESSOR if you have one!

A food processor more evenly combines the butter and flour, thus making your crust flakier and smoother. Follow the above recipe’s directions – process 1 1/2 cups of flour with the butter, then add the remaining flour. Don’t add all the flour at once. You want a little dry flour.

#3 – Use COLD butter!

I like to pop my butter into the freezer while I get things ready. You don’t want it frozen, just very cold. I get out one stick at a time. Don’t skimp on the butter! You need that fat to get the flaky crust.

#4 – Don’t overprocess your butter!

You want it crumbly, not mushy. It will come together when you add the water.

#5 – Add the right amount of water!

Add your COLD COLD COLD water gradually. I usually use 9 tablespoons, but you might need more or less. You want it to have enough liquid to stick together, but not so much that it gets sticky and squishy. I would compare my preferred consistency to cold, refrigerated cookie dough. Not sticky, a bit firm, and smooth.

#6 – Knead the dough a TINY bit.

Just a little. If you just mound it up, it tends to break apart. A couple folds over itself before shaping into a disc helps my dough to be smooth and flaky rather than crumbly and broken.

#7 – Refrigerate your dough discs and formed crusts OVERNIGHT/All DAY if at all possible!

I find that refrigerating overnight allows the cold to permeate the entire disk/crust and bring it to an even temperature. It allows the gluten to relax, and it also gives the flour a little time to absorb the butter and water. The flavor is richer and more developed, in my opinion. The formed crust, when given more time to “set,” also holds its shape better in the oven.

#8 – Roll out your dough on a smooth, cool surface!

I bought a marble slab from Crate & Barrel (link). It’s a good size for pie crust, stays cool, and looks so pretty. The price is also fantastic for marble slabs. Mine actually gave me the name of my home bakery – Marble Fox Bakery – because there’s a little image of a fox in the marble streaks (see photo).

#9 – Keep your pie crust cold!

It needs to go into the oven cold or even frozen (not the filling, just the crust – fill just before baking unless your recipe says otherwise). This helps it keep its shape. It’s not impossible, though, for a perfect, cold crust to bake up wonky. It still tastes amazing, and that’s what matters.

#10 – Try different crust designs, but in my experience, crimping is the best.

In my experience, crimping the crust gives the most consistent results. It’s also easy to do, just make sure to flour your hands often.

#11 – Use a baking sheet!

The crust needs that barrier from the heat. Otherwise, you get bubbles under your crust. Don’t ask me how I know that.

#12 – Use an egg wash (for most) and course sugar (for double crust, sweet pies) to top.

The egg wash deepens the color and gives the crust a nice finish. For course sugar, I use demerara or turbinado (I buy it for my tea – delicious!) I stopped using an egg wash on my chess/chocolate chess pies without a problem, but it makes a double crust and a pre-baked crust look so nice.

Feel free to post your own pie baking tips, ask me questions, or comment on your favorite holiday baking traditions! Happy Baking!

(All pictures are mine from past years’ baking. Cherry double crust pie, faux French silk, chess pie, and chocolate chess pie. None of these links are paid promotions.)