Apple of Your Pie
                 

   Harvard, Massachusetts   
978-456-6965
Eileen@AppleofYourPie.com

     
                

Making the Pastry

Apple of Your Pie prides itself on teaching anyone how to make the best pie ever. If you have difficulty making a flaky pie crust or would like to improve your pastry, my techniques will bring you success. My book Apple of Your Pie features nearly 50 apple pie recipes and more than a dozen pastry recipes as well as easy to follow directions to achieve a perfect pie. 

My pastry recipes can be used with any filling, including quiche or meat pot pies. The recipe below is my Classic Pastry, and the step-by-step directions are also found in my book.

This recipe makes enough dough for a double crust (top and bottom)  8-9 inch standard pie plate. For a larger, deep dish pie plate, it is necessary to increase the measurements proportionately using 3 cups of flour.

Throughout the year I will feature other pie recipes (some from my book). If you like my recipes and have success with my technique, you will enjoy my book, a compliment to every baker's library. 

For additional information or questions on making a pastry, see FAQ.  

Let's get started.

Eileen's Basic Pastry Recipe

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons cold butter
5 tablespoons cold butter flavored shortening
1 egg
1/2 cup cold water

1. Measure 2 1/4 cups flour into a deep, wide bowl. Add 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir dry ingredience.

2. Cut the cold butter and shortening into half inch pieces, and transfer to bowl with dry ingredience. Cold butter and shortening helps create a flakier crust than room temperature.  Butter flavored shortening adds more butter flavoring than regular shortening.

3. Using a pastry blender or a pair of table knives, begin to cut the butter. When finished, the pieces should be the size of large peas, (not like corn meal as many recipes direct.) A flakier crust is created when the large pieces of butter and shortening melt in the oven.

4. Chill the flour butter mixture. Place the bowl in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to chill the butter and shortening. This will help create the flakey crust.

5. In a small bowl, whisk together an egg and about 1/2 cup of water. Remove bowl from refrigerator. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of egg/water mixture over the dry mixture, and stir with a flat spoon.

6. Continue adding the liquid, a few tablespoons at a time until the flour/butter mixutre begins to clump together to form dough. Think of your spoon and arm as the blade of a food processor, going round and round to form the dough.

7. Gather up the dough to form a ball. DO NOT kneed the dough. Press the edges together. Cut the ball into half and form two discs (hamburger paddy shapes).   Note: the large chunks of butter in the dough. If you want to feeze the dough for later use, place it in a freezer bag.

Wrap each disk in plastic or wax paper and put in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or freezer for 10-15.

While the dough is chilling, begin to make the filling.  Click on Pie Filling.

Apple of Your Pie
 Harvard · Massachusetts
978-456-6965 | Eileen@AppleofYourPie.com