Flaky Cream Cheese Dough Recipes

CREAM CHEESE PASTRY DOUGH

Steps:

• Process the butter, cream cheese, and cream in a food processor, electric mixer, or by hand to thoroughly combine.
• Add the flour and salt. Process just until combined and the dough holds together in a ball. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface. Divide into 2 pieces. Flatten into disks and wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before rolling out. If the dough is chilled overnight, take it out 15 minutes before rolling out.
• Rub flour all over a rolling pin. Working with one dough disk at a time, place the disk on a clean, well-floured surface. Applying some pressure with the rolling pin, roll gently from the center of the dough to the top and bottom edges. Rotate the disk and roll to the top and bottom edges again. Reflour the work surface and rolling pin, turn the dough over, and continue to roll the dough from the center out to the edges. Turn over and roll again, rotating the disk to ensure even rolling until the dough is about 12 inches in diameter, thin but not transparent.

FLAKY CREAM CHEESE DOUGH

Steps:

• Whisk together the flour, sugar and salt in a mixing bowl.
• Toss in the cream cheese. Using your fingers, mix the cream cheese into the flour until it resembles coarse corn meal.
• Toss the butter into the flour and use your fingers to work it in. Allow the flakes to break up into slightly smaller pieces. Work quickly so the butter doesn't get warm. Don't break the butter down completely. There should be some large flakes remaining.
• Pour the water onto the flour all at once and toss to combine. Gently work the dough just until it comes together. Form the dough into a rectangle or square, wrap and refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours, or make it the day before and let it rest overnight.
• The dough can be frozen for up to 3 months.

CREAM CHEESE DOUGH

Steps:

• Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, mix briefly to distribute the ingredients. Cut each stick of butter into eight pieces and add them to the bowl. Mix on low speed until most of the mixture resembles very coarse bread crumbs with a few larger pieces of butter the size of hazelnuts, about 3 minutes. Cut the cream cheese into 1-inch cubes and add them to the bowl. Mix on medium-low speed until a shaggy-looking dough begins to clump around the paddle, 30 to 60 seconds. Dump the dough onto the work surface, scraping the bowl. Knead a few times to incorporate any loose pieces. There should be large streaks of cream cheese. Shape it into a fat cylinder, 6 inches long and about 3-1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap the dough in parchment or waxed paper and refrigerate until cold and slightly firm but not rock-hard, about 2 hours. Portion the dough by measuring the cylinder and cutting it into equal thirds. If you have a scale, weigh each third; each should weigh about 14 oz.

CREAM CHEESE PASTRY DOUGH

Steps:

• In a food processor blend the butter, the cream cheese, the flour, and the salt, pulsing the motor, until the dough just begins to form a ball, gather the dough into a ball, and flatten slightly. Dust the dough with flour and chill it, wrapped in plastic wrap, for 1 hour. The dough may be made 1 day in advance and kept wrapped well and chilled.

CREAM CHEESE PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Combine water and vinegar in a small bowl. Combine flour and salt in another bowl. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, cut butter and cream cheese into flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some larger pieces remaining.
• Add water mixture to dough in a slow, steady stream, stirring, until mixture just begins to hold together. (Alternatively, pulse ingredients in a food processor.) Turn out onto a piece of plastic wrap, and wrap. Press dough into a disk using a rolling pin. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour or overnight. (Dough can be frozen for up to 1 month; thaw before using.)
• Roll dough into a 12-inch round on a lightly floured surface. Fit dough into a 9-inch pie dish. Trim edge, leaving a 1-inch overhang. Turn overhang under so that edge is flush with rim. Flute edge. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.
• Make filling (see our Pecan Pie recipe).

CREAM CHEESE CRUST

Steps:

• Soften cream cheese and butter and mix together incorporating flour a little at a time.
• Roll out with a rolling pin between 2 wax papers. Transfer to a 9-inch pie plate and prick with fork before half-baking to prevent shrinkage. Bake for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

FLAKY CREAM CHEESE PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Place a medium bowl into freezer to chill.
• Wrap cubed butter in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Place 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon flour in a medium bowl; add salt and whisk to combine. Rub in cream cheese using clean fingers until mixture develops coarse crumbs. Place cream cheese mixture and chilled butter into a gallon-size resealable plastic bag.
• Flatten the cream cheese-butter mixture into thin flakes through the bag, using a rolling pin. Freeze until mixture is firm, about 10 minutes. Pour mixture into the chilled bowl. Sprinkle with water and vinegar, tossing lightly with a spatula. Knead until dough holds together and is slightly elastic.
• Place dough back into the plastic bag and flatten into a disk. Refrigerate, 45 minutes to overnight, before using.

FLAKY CREAM CHEESE PIE CRUST

Steps:

• FOOD PROCESSOR METHOD: Cut the butter into small (about 3/4-inch) cubes.
• Wrap it in plastic wrap and freeze it until frozen solid, at least 30 minutes.
• Place the flour, salt and baking powder in resealable gallon-size freezer bag and freeze for at least 30 minutes.
• Place the flour mixture in food processor with the metal blade and process for a few seconds to combine.
• Set the bag aside.
• Cut the cream cheese into 3 or 4 pieces and add it to the flour.
• Process for about 20 seconds or until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
• Add the frozen butter cubes and pulse until none of the butter is larger than the size of a pea.
• (Toss with a fork to see it better.) Remove the cover and add the water and vinegar.
• Pulse until most of the butter is reduced to size of small peas.
• The mixture will be in particles and will not hold together.
• Spoon it into the plastic bag.
• (For a double-crust pie, it is easiest to divide the mixture in half at this point.) Holding both ends of the bag opening with your fingers, knead the mixture by alternately pressing it, from the outside of the bag, with the knuckles and heels of your hands until the mixture holds together in one piece and feels slightly stretchy when pulled.
• Wrap the dough with plastic wrap, flatten it into a disc (or discs), and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes, preferably overnight.
• HAND METHOD: Place a medium mixing bowl in the freezer to chill.
• Cut the butter into small (about 3/4-inch) cubes.
• Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• Place the flour, salt and baking powder in medium bowl and whisk to combine.
• Add the cream cheese and rub the mixture between your fingers to blend the cream cheese into the flour until it resembles coarse meal.
• Spoon the mixture, together with the cold butter, into reclosable gallon-size freezer bag.
• Expel any air from bag and close it.
• Use a rolling pin to flatten the butter into thin flakes.
• Place the bag in the freezer for at least 10 minutes or until the butter is very firm.
• Transfer mixture to the chilled bowl, scraping sides of bag.
• Set bag aside.
• Sprinkle mixture with water and vinegar, tossing lightly with a rubber spatula.
• Spoon it into the plastic bag.
• Holding both ends of the bag opening with your fingers, knead the mixture by alternately pressing it, from the outside of the bag, with knuckles and heels of your hands until mixture holds together in one piece and feels slightly stretchy when pulled.
• Wrap the dough with plastic wrap, flatten it into a disc (or discs) and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes, preferably overnight.
• MASCARPONE CHEESE CRUST- variation: An equal weight of mascarpone cheese can be substituted for the cream cheese, but omit the vinegar and use bleached all-purpose flour, not pastry flour, or the crust will be too tender.

FLAKY CREAM CHEESE PIE CRUST

Steps:

• FOOD PROCESSOR METHOD.
• Cut the butter into small (about 3/4-inch) cubes. Wrap it in plastic wrap and freeze it until frozen solid, at least 30 minutes.
• Place the flour, salt and baking powder in resealable gallon-size freezer bag and freeze for at least 30 minutes.
• Place the flour mixture in food processor with the metal blade and process for a few seconds to combine. Set the bag aside for later use here.
• Cut the cream cheese into 3 or 4 pieces and add it to the flour. Process for about 20 seconds or until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
• Add the frozen butter cubes and pulse until none of the butter is larger than the size of a pea. (Toss with a fork to see it better.)
• Remove the processor cover and sprinkle in the water and vinegar. Pulse until most of the butter is reduced to size of small peas. The mixture will be in particles and will not hold together.
• Spoon half the dough into the plastic bag. (For a double-crust pie, it is easiest to divide the mixture in half at this point)
• Holding both ends of the bag opening with your fingers, knead the mixture by alternately pressing it, from the outside of the bag, with the knuckles and heels of your hands until the mixture holds together in one piece and feels slightly stretchy when pulled.
• Remove the dough from the bag and wrap it with plastic wrap, and flatten it into a disc. Repeat with remaining pie dough.
• Refrigerate the discs for at least 45 minutes, preferably overnight.
• Store refrigerated, up to 2 days; frozen, up to 3 months.