Description
Think you can't bake the most buttery, flaky pie crust home? Think again, because yes you can! Learn how to make the most perfectly flaky and tender all-butter pie crust in your own kitchen using a series of simple, easy folds, a technique called lamination. It's my secret for an ultra-flaky pie crust that's easy to work with, doesn't crumble, or leak. Made without vegetable shortening, my homemade pie crust has been tested, and perfected over many, many months. It's foolproof!
Ingredients
- 375g all-purpose flour
- Pinch of Salt
- 225g cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 240g cold water
- 1 cup ice
- 60g Apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Place flour and salt into a large bowl. Cut butter into chunks, and add to the flour. Toss lightly to coat.
- Incorporate the butter. Working quickly, using a pastry blender or your thumb and fingers, cut the butter into the flour mixture until there are only large pea-sized chunks left. You want a few lumps of butter remaining to keep the pastry nice and tender.
- Add the water and mix the pie dough. Combine ice, water and cider vinegar in a bowl. Sprinkle a few tablespoons of the ice water into the flour and butter mixture, and using a stiff spatula or your hands, mix in well. Continue adding water a tablespoon at a time ( I usually start with about 120g liquid, mix that in, then go from there and add additional liquid as needed) until you have a dough that holds together well, but is not too wet.
- Shape the pie dough. Squeeze together with your fingertips to make a homogenous dough. Shape into a rectangle, Rest in the fridge for one hour.
- Laminate the pie dough. Roll out the dough on a floured surface into a rectangle, fold it in thirds like a letter, then roll again and repeat the folding. Repeat this process one more time. Divide the dough into two pieces, and shape each into a disc by folding the edges under. Rewrap tightly in plastic, and rest for at least two hours, or preferably overnight, before using. Store pie crust in the fridge for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Notes
Makes enough pie crust for one double crust pie, or two single crust pies. If you double the recipe, you may not need to double the quantity of water and vinegar - see how much you have left first and make up more if needed.
If you are doubling the pie crust recipe, divide into two rectangles before the lamination step and work with each separately to make two crusts each per rectangle of dough.
My recipe used to have 8g (2 tsp) of sugar in it but I have not been using the sugar in the recipe for years. If you would like to keep it in please go ahead - add it in along with the salt.