All Purpose Pie Dough Recipes

ALL-PURPOSE PIE DOUGH

Steps:

• Stir sugar, vinegar, and 2 Tbsp. hot water in a small measuring glass to dissolve sugar. Add 1/3 cup ice water and stir to melt ice; chill in freezer until very cold, about 10 minutes (do not let it freeze).
• Pulse flour, butter, and salt in a food processor until largest pieces of butter are pea-size. Turn out onto a work surface and, using the heel of your hand, smash butter into flour to flatten. Working quickly, continue smashing butter into flour until mixture is pale yellow and resembles coarse meal. Gather into a mound and make a well in the center. Pour in sugar mixture, using your fingertips to slowly incorporate into flour; work in until only a few dry spots remain. Knead until no dry spots remain and dough holds together when pressed.
• Divide dough in half, flatten into disks, and wrap each in plastic. Chill until firm, at least 2 hours.
• Do Ahead
• Dough can be made 3 days ahead. Keep chilled, or freeze up to 1 month.

ALL-PURPOSE PIE DOUGH

Steps:

• Using your fingertips or the pulse function of a food processor, blend together the flour, fats and salt until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. There should be pebbles of butter throughout the mixture.
• Add egg yolk and vinegar to 1/4 cup ice water and stir to combine. Drizzle 4 tablespoons of this mixture over the dough and gently stir or pulse to combine. Gather a golfball-size bit of dough and squeeze to combine. If it does not hold together, add a little more of the liquid and stir or pulse, then check again. Repeat as necessary.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gather together into a rough ball. You want to be careful not to overwork the flour, but not too careful; the dough should hold together. Divide the ball in half with a knife or a pastry scraper, then divide each portion in half again, and again, to create eight portions. Using the heel of your hand, flatten each portion of dough once or twice to expand the pebbles of butter, then gather the dough together again in one ball. Divide this ball in half.
• Flatten each ball into a 5- or 6-inch disc and dust lightly with flour. Wrap the discs in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 60 minutes.

BEST ALL-PURPOSE PIE CRUST

Steps:

• To make by hand, combine the flour, salt, and sugar, if using, in a large bowl. Work the butter into the flour with a knife, pastry cutter, or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle the ice water onto the crumbly dough and, with your hands, push the dough from the sides to the middle of the bowl to form a ball that holds together. Transfer to a work surface. Cut the dough in half, place half on top of the other, and press down. Repeat the cutting and pressing steps three or four times until all of the water is incorporated into the dough and it clings together.
• On a floured surface, gently flatten the ball of dough with a rolling pin. Starting from the center, roll the dough into a circle about an inch larger than the diameter of the pie pan. Lift the dough into the pan. Fold the edges under and crimp with your fingers or a fork.
• To make in a food processor, cut the butter into 1inch pieces and place them in the bowl of the food processor. Add the flour, salt, and sugar. Process until all of the ingredients are incorporated. With the processor on, add the water a tablespoon at a time until the dough begins to clump but is still crumbly. Continue to drizzle a little water and pulse the food processor, stopping to test the dough with your fingertips to see if it is moist enough to hold together.
• When you can gather the dough into a ball, remove it from the processor, place it on a lightly floured surface, and roll out and fit into the pan as above.

ALL-PURPOSE EASY SHORTENING PIE DOUGH

Steps:

• Combine the flour and salt in a medium bowl.
• Using a pastry blender, cut in the shortening until the mixture is crumbly, with a few pea-sized pieces of shortening.
• Sprinkle in the water and mix with a fork, adding just enough until the mixture is moistened and begins to clump together.
• Gather up the dough and form into a flat disk.
• You can use this dough immediately or proceed to the next step.
• Wrap the dough in wax paper or plastic wrap.
• Refrigerate for atleast 20 minutes or up to overnight.
• If chilled until hard, let the dough stand at room temperature for about 10 minutes to soften slightly before rolling.
• ********Double-CrustShortening Pie Dough*********.
• Use all-purpose flour, salt, vegetable shortening and ice-cold water.
• Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces.