All Butter Pie Crust Recipes

ALL BUTTER PIE CRUST

Steps:

• In the work bowl of a food processor, fitted with the metal blade, add the flour, cake flour and baking powder. Combine the ingredients, by pulsing the ingredients 5 or 6 times. Add the butter, and again, pulse the ingredients 5 or 6 times, and then for 3-5 seconds, until there are small lumps of butter throughout the flour, about the size of peas.
• Through the feed-tube, with the machine running, quickly add 1/3 cup (a little more than 5 tablespoons) ice water. After about 20-30 seconds, the dough should come together and form a ball on top of the blade. If not, add a tablespoon of water. Do not over-process to ensure a flaky crust.
• Put the dough, and any little scraps on the bottom into a bowl together - pressing into two balls. Press each ball into a disc, about 1/3 to 1/2-inch thick. At this point, you can put the disc on a plate, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 2 days. The dough, wrapped well, also freezes well for 30-45 days (defrost in the refrigerator overnight before using).
• When ready to use, dust each side of the dough with a little flour, then roll the dough on a lightly floured surface to a circle about 1/8-inch thick. Rotating the disc, as you roll to maintain an even circle.
• Transfer the dough to a deep-dish 9-inch or 10-inch pie plate. Press the dough lightly into place along bottom and sides. Using a knife, trim the dough, leaving a 1-inch overlap*. Fold the dough in half to create a double thickness along the rim of the pie plate. Push lightly along the outer edge, leaving room for the dough to shrink on the rim during baking. Pinch the dough along the rim to create a decorative edge. Because this is an all-butter crust, it must be very cold going into the oven. Refrigerate the prepared shell for 30-60 minutes, or overnight lightly covered with plastic wrap.
• If a recipe calls for a baked pie crust (blind bake), simply "dock" the crust, which means, using a fork, prick the crust along the bottom and sides, or use pie weights. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Bake the crust at 425 degrees 15 to 18 minutes or until the sides begin to brown. (The initial high heat will force much of the steam out, helping the crust become flaky.) Remove the pan from the oven. Gently remove your pie weights. Reduce oven to 375 degrees and continue to bake the crust for several minutes until it's golden. Without the weight of a filling, a baking crust can shrink, fill with air pockets, and puff up with bubbles, so it is important to either dock the crust or weigh the crust down as it bakes. Weights are easier and you won't risk the filling leaking through the holes. This is done by lining the dough with parchment paper or foil (if you use foil, you may need to grease the dough first, to prevent the foil from sticking) and filling it with pie weights or a pie chain (or dried beans, pennies, rice, marbles, etc.) to hold its shape during baking.

ALL BUTTER PIE CRUST FOR PIES AND TARTS (PâTE BRISéE)

Steps:

• Remove from refrigerator and let sit for a few minutes: When you are ready to roll out the dough, remove the disk from the refrigerator and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes to take enough of a chill off of it so that it becomes easier to roll out. While the dough disk is still wrapped in plastic, warm the edges with your hands. If there are any cracks in the dough, massage them to close them.

BUTTER FLAKY PIE CRUST

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in water, a tablespoon at a time, until mixture forms a ball. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
• Roll dough out to fit a 9 inch pie plate. Place crust in pie plate. Press the dough evenly into the bottom and sides of the pie plate.

ALL-BUTTER DOUBLE PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Use a bench scraper to cut butter into ½-inch cubes. (If butter begins to "sweat," dust with flour.) In a large, flat-bottomed bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Add the butter cubes and toss to coat with the flour mixture. Use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the flour; do not smash or smear the butter. Scrape butter off the pastry blender during the mixing process and continue mixing. (If butter is softening too fast, put the bowl in the refrigerator until butter firms up, 2-5 minutes.) Continue cutting, working quickly, until butter is broken down and looks like a coarse crumble with only a few larger pieces.
• Combine vinegar with water and ice; you'll use 10-12 tablespoons of this liquid in the pie dough. Begin by sprinkling 4 tablespoons of liquid over the flour mixture; use a bench scraper or your hands to incorporate until the mixture begins to come together. Sprinkle in 4 more tablespoons of liquid and continue the mixing process. Squeeze a fistful of dough: if it holds, like wet sand, it's ready. If it falls apart, add 1-2 more tablespoons of liquid at a time, squeezing the dough to check if it holds. Bring all the dough together, sprinkling dry bits with more small drops of liquid as necessary; dough will look shaggy. Knead in the bowl just until incorporated.
• Turn dough onto a work surface and use a bench scraper to divide dough into two equal pieces. (Note: If you're making the Blueberry Slab Pie, do not divide the dough; shape it into one large, flat disk.) Shape into flat disks and wrap in plastic; refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, preferably overnight. Dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and frozen up to 1 month, tightly wrapped. (Note: If you're making the Peach Skillet Pie, stop here; you'll begin that lesson with two chilled disks of dough.)
• Generously grease pie dish with softened butter. Dust a work surface and a rolling pin with flour. Place one chilled pie disk on the work surface and lightly dust it with flour. (Reserve the other disk to use as a top crust for the Salted Caramel Apple Pie or Peach Skillet Pie, or to line a tart pan for the Farmer Cheese and Thyme Pie.)Roll dough by starting at the center and lightly pressing down with the rolling pin to flatten slightly. Rotate the dough and repeat, pressing down so it's evenly flattened all around, about ⅛-inch thick. Then roll outward to make a circle, rotating the dough a quarter-turn at a time to keep it even. (If dough is softening too fast, chill in the refrigerator until firm, 2-5 minutes.) Roll the dough until it's about 2-3 inches larger than the pie dish, all the way around. Use a pizza wheel to trim away the rough edges. (Save the scraps to make crust cookies!)
• Overturn pie dish onto the center of the dough circle, then remove and place it right side up on your work surface. Use the light indentation created by the rim as a guide for gently positioning dough into the center of the dish. (If dough is softening too fast, put it back into the refrigerator until it firms up, 2-5 minutes.) Fit dough gently into dish, being careful not to stretch it. Begin crimping the edge by using your fingers to roll the dough firmly so it rests on top of the rim. Crimp by using your index finger and thumb on one hand to squeeze a letter "C" into the dough rim. (Lightly flour your fingers if the dough is sticking.) Repeat, crimping the entire pie and making sure the final fluted crust sits directly on top of the pan's rim. Chill until it is ready to be filled and baked.

ALL-BUTTER PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Whisk together the flour and salt.
• Dice the butter into small cubes, or cut it into pats. Work it into the flour until it's well-distributed, but not fully incorporated. Larger, pea-sized pieces of butter will be scattered throughout the mixture.
• Tossing with a fork or your fingers, drizzle in the ice water. Stop adding water when the dough starts to come together, and grab it in your hands. If it holds together easily, without crumbling, it's ready. If it has dry spots, or pieces break off easily, add a bit more water until it's totally cohesive.
• Gather the dough into a ball, and divide it in half. Gently pat/shape each half into a rough disk. Roll immediately, if desired. For better texture, chill the dough for at least 30 minutes before rolling. If dough has been refrigerated longer than 30 minutes, allow it to warm at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes, until it rolls easily.