Kittencal's No-Fail Buttery Flaky Pie Pastry/Crust

"I don't think you will find a better pie pastry, not only is this easy to handle but bakes outs flaky and light and has a rich buttery flavor! --- you could use 3 cups all purpose flour but the crust will not be as flaky --- here's a tip, to prevent a soggy pie crust brush a thin layer of egg white over the bottom crust before filling --- *NOTE* this can also be made using a processor with great results, which is the way I most always do (see instructions below the recipe) if you are making this on a food processor cube the butter and lard into about 1-inch pieces and then partially freeze."
 
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photo by Jonathan Melendez photo by Jonathan Melendez
photo by Jonathan Melendez
photo by Jonathan Melendez photo by Jonathan Melendez
photo by Krystal M. photo by Krystal M.
photo by Chicagoland Chef du photo by Chicagoland Chef du
photo by Jonathan Melendez photo by Jonathan Melendez
Ready In:
40mins
Ingredients:
9
Yields:
2 9-inch pastry
Serves:
16
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ingredients

  • 1 12 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 12 cups cake pastry flour (or use 3 cups all purpose)
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 12 teaspoon salt
  • 34 cup butter, very cold
  • 14 cup lard, very cold
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 7 tablespoons ice water
  • 1 teaspoon vinegar
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directions

  • Mix both flours, sugar and salt in a large bowl.
  • With a pastry cutter cut in the very cold butter and lard until the consistency of tiny peas.
  • In a small bowl whisk the egg yolk, vinegar and water.
  • Stir the egg/water mixture into the flour mixture until moistened and dough holds together (usually it takes the full amount of water/egg mixture).
  • Gather into a ball then divide into two.
  • Cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge for 30 minutes (or the dough may be frozen after the 30 minutes chilling time, just wrap firstly in plastic wrap and then tightly in foil, leave in fridge overnight to defrost).
  • PROCESSOR METHOD: whirl the flour, sugar and salt for a couple of seconds.
  • In a small bowl mix the egg, vinegar and water together; set aside.
  • Add in the partially frozen butter cubes and lard to the flour mixture; pulse until well mixed, then add in the water/egg mixture.
  • Process/pulse JUST until the dough holds together (do not over process, or your dough will be tough!).

Questions & Replies

  1. This is my all time favorite pie crust, it’s AMAZING for fruit pies. I’m having trouble using it for pre-baked crust pies though, like chocolate meringue. During baking it pulls away a TON from the edge of the pan. I pierce it with a fork all around the edges and bottom, and keep my edge slightly down over the lip of the pie pan, and still no luck. Tips? Thanks!
     
  2. Directions for cooking. Are pie weights needed?
     
  3. i was going to use 3 cups of all-purpose flour but i would like to find out using pasty flour also.
     
  4. do you have to cool for 30 min. when using process/pulse. it should state if you have to in the process/pulse method. i am referring to kittycals no-fail pastry/pie crust
     
  5. Is pastry flour the same as cake flour?
     
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Reviews

  1. Great Pie crust I did mine also in the food processor and it rolled out great! Was nice and flaky and had great flavor...here's a tip for all you pie bakers out there. Bake your pies on the bottom shelf of your oven that way the bottom crust won't seem raw it will actually be cooked when the pie is done and that way the crust around the edges doesn't seem to get as dark either which can be a problem sometimes.
     
  2. Wonderful pie crust!! I am definitely not an expert pie crust maker, and usually have to roll each crust out twice before I can line my pie dish with it (darn dough always sticks to my surface no matter how much I flour it - any dough, not just this one), and despite probably being a little over-handled, turned out light, flakey and has a lovely buttery flavour! Great recipe!!
     
  3. I hate making pie crust, but this recipe has changed that. It's perfect as long as you don't over handle the dough and make sure everything stays cold. I made two 9 inch pie crust with this and still had some dough left over. I believe this recipe is the one and only I'll ever use. The search is over.
     
  4. As usual, Kittencal comes through with a fabulous recipe...again! I've been intimidated by the thought of making a pastry for awhile now, even though the desire has been there. And I gotta say, this was pretty easy, and turned out excellent! Although I used only AP flour and had to add a little more water (1-2 T more), it still turned out flaky and tasty for my chicken pot pie. I'm officially no longer a pie crust noob...thanks Kittencal!
     
  5. This is the most incredible pie crust. It was amazingly easy to work with, and I had to refrigerate my dough for 24 hours cause I ran out of time to make pies the day i made the crust. It was easy to roll out in spite of that. I made some cinnamon sugar strips with the leftover dough, and my husband said they tasted like danish pastry dough......or cookies :) Everyone who had the pies I made with this dough, loved them! thanks for such a great recipe.
     
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Tweaks

  1. THE BEST PIE CRUST! Easy to make ( I used food processor method), EASY to handle, and tastes delicious! I also really like the fact that it uses butter and lard instead of shortening which is a REALLY unhealthy fat (hydrogenated vegetable oil). Lard is actually better for you. Pie crust is not health food, but this is a little better and tastes wonderful. Old fashioned simple ingredients turn out to be better for our health too! Raves from all!
     
  2. This was so, so good. I used 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour and 1/4 cup cornstarch instead of the pastry flour and used cream instead of lard. And thank you ever so much for the tip on how to avoid soggy bottom. I've been trying to rectify this problem forever and this is the most easiest and helpful tip I've found yet. As always another winner from kittencal.
     
  3. My very first attempt at making a from scratch pie crust and it came out perfect. I used half all purpose and half pastry flour, also used Crisco vegetable shorting instead of lard and followed the food processor directions. I baked one of the crusts at 350 degrees F for about 10 minutes for a pre-baked crust for one pie and used the other for another pie. Both crusts came out tender and flakey. Thanks for the easy recipe.
     
  4. This pie crust is not just awesome. I do believe this is THE ONE. I'll probably never use another. As with all butter crusts, best to use ice water, keep everything extremely cold, and chill the dough down once more after it's rolled out and in the pan. I live in the Land of No where it comes to lard, so I substitute vegetable oil for the lard and it still works wonderfully well (but I'll bet it works even better with lard). I've also made it with balsamic vinegar and garlic-perfused olive oil for onion tarts, and it was just wonderful. Thanks for a great recipe!
     

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