Pie Crust #2

There was a new pie crust recipe in the L.A. Times that was substantially different from any I've made, so I had to give it a try.

This recipe follows the basic concepts of using cold ingredients to prevent the fat from melting prematurely.  It merely adds every special, secret ingredient that bakers use.

The recipe also allows you to use the food processor if you want, and that's the version I'm posting here.  The trick with that is to put in the liquid when the fat pieces are twice as large as when you would have done it by hand.  As the liquid is incorporated, the processor is still cutting the fat smaller and smaller.

I liked the result.  I think I processed the dough a few pulses too long.  It wasn't very flaky, but it wasn't tough either, which is how my crusts usually end up.  I got a crispy crust which stayed that way even a couple of days later.  It was very easy to roll, and transferred from the board to the pie pan without ripping.  I used the rolling pin method for that, where you dust the top of the rolled crust with a bit of flour, wrap it around the rolling pin, and unroll it over the plate.

The recipe did make a bit more crust than I ended up using, even for a double-crust pie.  I'm saving the rest to see how a re-rolled pie ends up.  Maybe I'll use it for mini tarts or something.  The beauty of the freezer is that you can take your time figuring out that part.

Speaking of the freezer, the best way to prep the fats for this is to cut them an hour ahead of time, then put them in the freezer.  You can stick the flour in there, too.  Especially when it's 100º out, only a week before Halloween.  So hot.  Not fair.

1 Tb sugar
1/4 C water
*2-1/4 tsp cider vinegar
2-1/4 C flour, chilled
1 tsp salt
*4 Tb (1/4 C) cold shortening or lard
1/2 C (1 stick) cold butter, cut into 1/2" cubes
ice water as needed
egg white if blind-baking

1.  In a small bowl, stir together water and sugar to make a simple syrup.  Stir in vinegar and chill until ready to use.

2.  In food processor, pulse together flour and salt.  Pulse in shortening until flour resembles moist sand.  Pulse in the butter until you get pea-sized pieces, maybe five pulses.

3.  Sprinkle the chilled syrup over the flour and pulse several times.  Transfer the crumbly mixture to a bowl and squeeze a handful together.  It will stick, but if it crumbles apart too quickly, knead in ice water a tablespoon at a time.  I needed two tablespoons on a low humidity day.

4.  Shape dough into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for 1 hour.  This allows the glutens to rest and the moisture in the dough to permeate every bit of flour that might have been left out.

5.  When ready to bake, break dough into approximately 2/3 by 1/3 pieces and put the smaller one back in the fridge.  That's for the top crust.  Reshape dough into a disk, then roll out into a circle on a lightly floured surface, about 1/8" thick.  Always start from the middle and roll outwards.  You get a better shape, and when the crust inevitably shrinks back a bit, it's shrinking towards where you started the roll.

6.  Transfer dough to pie plate.  If blind-baking, make your decorative edge, trim off the excess, put it in the freezer for 20 minutes, and skip to the next step.  If baking filled, fill it now and roll out the top crust.  Make your decorative edge once the top is on, then trim off the excess.  The method I learned for that is to squeeze the pie plate between your hands.  Your hand makes a natural break on the edge of the plate as you turn it, until you lift the plate and all the scraps are left behind.  Bake according to your recipe.

7.  For blind-baking, preheat oven to 400º.  Either line with parchment and fill with baking beads (beans) or prick all over to prevent bubbles.  Bake for 20 minutes and check on it.  Either remove the beads and prick crust sparely or re-prick any bubbles if you didn't weigh it down.  Bake until as done as you need it for your recipe.  If you want to reduce the sogginess of the finished product, brush the hot crust with egg white to form a waterproof finish.  Cool and fill.

Makes 1 double crust pie

Difficulty rating  :)