Description
Cherished grandmother’s pie crust recipe whispers generations of family love and culinary tradition. Flaky, buttery layers promise homemade comfort that connects hearts around the dinner table.
Ingredients
Scale
Flour and Base Ingredients:
- 2 1/2 cups (300 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon (12.5 grams) sugar
Dry Seasoning:
- 1 teaspoon (6 grams) salt
Fat and Liquid Ingredients:
- 1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) ice water (more if needed)
Instructions
- Sift flour and salt into a spacious mixing vessel, ensuring even distribution of dry ingredients.
- Incorporate cold, diced butter into the flour mixture, utilizing a pastry blender or fingertips to create a textured consistency resembling rough breadcrumbs.
- Gradually introduce ice-cold water, one tablespoon at a time, delicately folding with a fork until the dough begins to cohesively bind.
- Transfer the fragile dough onto a lightly dusted work surface, gently kneading just enough to establish a unified mass.
- Partition the dough into two symmetrical discs, individually enveloping each with plastic wrap to prevent moisture loss.
- Refrigerate the wrapped dough for a minimum of 30 minutes, allowing gluten to relax and butter to solidify.
- When ready to use, remove one disc and roll out on a flour-covered surface to achieve a thin, even layer matching your pie pan’s dimensions.
- For a pre-baked crust, heat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and bake for 15-20 minutes until achieving a golden, crisp exterior.
Notes
- Keep butter extremely cold to ensure a flaky, tender crust that crumbles perfectly when baked.
- Minimize handling the dough to prevent gluten development, which can make the crust tough and chewy.
- Use a mix of butter and shortening for an even more tender and flaky texture that melts in your mouth.
- Experiment with whole wheat or gluten-free flour alternatives for different dietary needs without compromising the crust’s delicate structure.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 262 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 19 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg