Right there near the top of the ingredients list. You are right, just omit the sugar and you’ll be fine. congratulaions, if you wanna see some pics i made an apple pie with your recipe and posted some photos in my blog http://weekendbestrecipes.wordpress.com/ You might want to try The Great Unshrinkable Tart Shell. Of course you did! p.s. Or if there would be any foreseeable hurdles? I followed your recipe almost exactly (I did use a food processor, but only pulsed a few times). Like flour, there are different fat/water compositions. I made a cherry pie from Gourmet, July 2007. How can I avoid the parbaking mess? Do I put whatever is holding the apple creation on top of the pizza stone if I’m supposed to leave it in the over or on the rack above it? I just wanted to say that this recipe is fabulously foolproof, quick, and always turns out perfect. :). I got a pastry blender for this last nite. There is no way I am putting that in my (or guest) body! Ben (UK). Trying this for the first time, I decided to try the fraisage step (learned years ago from Julia Child) before wrapping and chilling. Can anyone solve this for me? I love it! I have to tell you that the second pie crust was the best I’ve ever made, it was perfect! Zip lock bags. That’s the main reason these things happen…. No vodka (or shortening) necessary. also if i added all water i got a very messy wet mix. This sounded crazy to me. Or do I leave it in the oven? After 25 years of pie crust phobia and intimidation, I’ve become a true believer. one, but this post made me wonder why we don’t just use puff pastry for pies. Thank you!! But then I weakened my resolve. That is one of the things I use the very most in my kitchen for so many uses. sorry..a little extreme, I know. She said she uses lard. It’s the consistency of a cracker. a dough rolling out tutorial would be wonderful! Is a 1/3 cup sugar enough to sweeten 4 cups of rhubarb? I’m so stumped and I’m 3 pies in to my thanksgiving trials and our teeth are starting to hurt:( haha. I’ve never had such a great easy to work with and delicious pie crust! Slowly remove plastic wrap. This crust never turns out too salty, too tough or too soggy. I love this recipe! Your email address will not be published. Going to hafta give this a go. I know that Kenji says that the dough doesn’t pull moisture from the air, but maybe the flour sitting in a fridge is losing moisture to the air? I have never even tried to make a homemade pie. It worked for me, after all. I just want to say that I’ve been making pie for quite a few years, but today I got a wild hair to try your version of crust instead of my mom’s old standby. Thank you for making me a complete baker! Add the browned chicken back to the pot and cover until the chicken is cooked through. No more fear. I love ur recipes, I google “smitten + whatever I want to make” all the time. oooohhhh makes me want to make pie!!!! I ended up with a thin crust and lots of extra dough around the edges. Or should I scrap it and try again. But–and maybe I’m just challenged in this area–I’ve never been happy with results with a pastry cutter, and machines over do the fat incorporation far too easily. Then maybe I’ll know my favorite! It tastes good and trust me its fool proof (me and a friend microwaved it when we were making it as kids lol and it still worked and tasted good.) Some rich and flaky doughs weep butter if you don’t bake them from 1. cold and 2. rested, and that is a *mess* (did I once bake a rough puff paste pie dough without resting it first? I’ve never made pie dough because of this scary step – I have no idea where to even start. I made this right away when you posted it ! I didn’t have any trouble making or handling this crust and I prepared turnovers filled with a ginger-plum mix. If so, do you think the baking times/temps are similar and could a single sheet be stretched that big? The recipe is well-tested and accurate, promise. Next post: pie crust 103: rolling and crimping. Thanks for a great tutorial, I’m going to try this for a Gorgonzola and Broccoli pie I’m cooking this Friday. but then again hers comes in a foil pan. This recipe saved my Christmas! Place first half on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Finally, I brush my pastry with sugar milk because it’s just really lovely and my pastry doesn’t over brown now. Maybe half butter and half lard. It worked great in the food processor but maybe it is getting cut up too much…. Thanks! I had to work the dough a lot as it really wanted to be a zillion individual crumbles rather than anything like a cohesive mass, but I followed the edict to chill, chill, chill, rolled it out on parchment paper, and it came out beautifully…and for the first time ever I managed to make cute crimped edges. At their very base… Wow! I have been making pies with my mom’s All shortening crust for years. Those aren’t adjectives I’d have ever applied to pie dough before finding this recipe. i’m always at a loss with rolling the dough though – please show us! Thanks, Deb! My second attempt was way too tough — we had to use a serrated knife to cut it, and even then it was barely edible — because I put too much water in the dough. oh, and YES to the pie dough rolling tutorial, please! Making homemade pie crust need not be intimidating. i don’t own a food processor, so let’s see if i can do it! Because it is colorless and odorless, nobody will be the wiser what your secret ingredient is. You never cease to inspire my inner cook. This one even looked prettier for me as the dough was more uniform and easier to work with. I’ve made many pie crusts in my time. I cook for living, but I bake pies for fun. This looks amazing!! Plus, I have never tried any other pie crust recipe since this one works so well for me – from the taste to the texture to the rolling out. My crusts never look pretty, but, dangit – they taste so good! I read and reread the instructions, prepped everything as recommended, rolled, baked and ate this crust in a lemon meringue pie. So, this dough is in process and I do believe I have messed up. Remove paper or foil and weights, and bake 5 to 10 more minutes until crust is golden brown and lightly crisp. seemed very short, What makes this method great is that you get some flat pieces of butter because it is being rubbed thin by the paddle attachment. Thank you for curing me of my pie crust phobia. Do you have any suggestions that will help? Thank you, Deb! I love your idea and will so try it with cup pies (to optimize my ability to fail entirely), but how do you keep the bottom of the crust from being complete goop? Please oh please give a tutorial on how to roll out, this is where I always mess up!! Now, I understand my butter pieces were too large. It was so exciting to slice the quiche for dinner tonight and actually hear the crust flakes crackle. I am so glad I found your tutorial when I was searching for changing to pie crust using butter. I love your writing and shortening weirds me out to no end. So, to be one up on your neighbor, use butter. It was spot on. Also, I would love a slice of that delicious-looking pie. but the first time i tried it, i realized that i couldn’t really see or feel what was happening through the plastic. Yes I have made it twice and it super dry each time, added almost three tablespoons of water and still wasn’t as sticky as I would expect from Deb’s description. I want to end the shame (oh the shame!) I made this crust on Sunday when I made your apple pie recipe. Just about every pie dough recipe I’ve ever seen calls for 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) of cold water per dough. I want to know the difference between two doughs. – fingertips (my all-time favorite – I love getting my hands in there!). It is in the oven now and going to a party of 30 tomorrow (good thing only a few will eat this pie). Recipes. That way the heat of my hands and bowl don’t break it down smaller. As for using a food processor, yes, the butter is broken down too much, and I don’t have a dishwasher. Not the value of a recipe, mind you, but that new ones will ever come to pass. When I took the foil off the crust the butter was foaming and bubbling. The lift really comes from within the pie dough. I’m liking it (and so is my husband). (Right?!) I’ve tried Dorie Greenspan’s version and Sherry Yard’s version, and while they were both great, I wasn’t completely satisfied. I’ll have to take your advice and skip the processor. Unless of course somebody who actually knows says it’s fine. Also, 100th-ing the request for a rolling tutorial. A light dusting of sugar is the one exception. Im braziliain and my wife hate cinnamon, and only likes sweet food that contains chocolate, lemon or passion fruit, and she loved this recipe!!! Ops :) Deb = legend recipes! So keep it cold, cold, cold so it’s easiest to work with. I did however cheat and used a food-processor. Deb – Are you messing with us??! She always manages to bake an apple pie with a sturdy yet tender and very flaky bottom. I attempted to make a pie for the first time (!! This is AMAZING. I’d never done it like that before, but you have amazing control over the size of the pieces of butter and also great control while mixing in the water. After years of baking pies from scratch I always dreaded rolling out the dough and this dough rolls out like silk. I tried this crust for your strawberry-rhubarb pie earlier this summer and it was heavenly. Roll out 1 sheet of the pie crust and put in a 9-inch pie plate, crimping the edges for a pretty presentation. I made this pastry for a rhubarb tart/pie. However, this recipe is so simple and I love that I don’t need a food processor. shape your dough for your pie. I do find that I lose the edge I press into it. Can it be rescued or transformed and used for something? The gods of the internet should give you a dollar every time someone asks whether they could use salted butter. Deb, when may we expect the rolling tutorial?? I turned it three or four times with my hand until it came together and carried on from. Another big advantage with the new method: Much easier cleanup. well, I printed off your 102 and 103 tutorials–absolutely loved them, so witty and brilliant–and tried them on Saturday. I have tried a pastry cutter, my fingers and a food processor. I have a question for anyone who could offer some help. It was so exciting to try it but so disappointing with the results :0{. Hi Jane — It might just work. Is this total madness? Butter!! I had the same thought as you. Or would it be an icky mess!? The best way to go about doing that is to freeze the grater attachment, freeze the butter, put the flour into a metal bowl and freeze that too. The rather large clumps of butter in the finished dough would have bothered me in the past, but you did a great job of explaining why you want those clumps! Warmth can, though. ), but it makes great, flaky crust every time. My favorite part is the crust. The dough rolled out perfectly and it tasted good, but I was using some $%^&*()_ words while cutting it. I was wondering how if you’ve tried it and how it compares with your low-tech way? Step by step, a pie is born. I suspect the excess water is steaming off in the oven and contributing a “fried” texture and flakiness. I know this is an old post, but I’ve had it bookmarked for years and still refer back to it occasionally. Too much compromise–too much gluten for pastries and pies–too little for American styel bread! The pies featured in this post are: Shaker Lemon Pie (top), two Apple Pies, a Strawberry Rhubarb Pie, Bourbon Peach Hand Pies and Sweet Cherry Pie. I have no doubt that shortening helps with flakiness, but it does nothing for flavor and most shortening is very bad for ones health. Flakiest, shattering-est pie crust possible, for certain. I am a young 85, we just moved and I want to make a pumpkin pie and I tried a butter pie crust a long time ago, but needed reminders..in google I found “Smitten”. Pretty please, with a sour cherry on top? and cut the dough in motions like you’re cutting a steak but with two knives, for about 10 minutes and it did a decent job! I couldn’t ask for more! Thank you for this wonderful recipe! Not the value of a recipe, mind you, but that new ones will ever come to pass. My grandmother always used shortening, and she made all of her crusts by hand, but like you I use butter – mostly because I don’t like how shortening feels on my hands. 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