Pastry Crust Mix Recipes

THE BEST PASTRY CRUST

Steps:

• Mix flour and salt together in a large bowl. Cut in butter using a pastry blender until the mixture resembles fine cornmeal. Pour in water slowly; knead dough into a firm ball.
• Pour in additional water as needed if dough is too dry or additional flour if too moist. Divide batter into equal halves. Roll out dough halves into rounds on a lightly floured work surface using a lightly floured rolling pin to desired thickness.
• Press one round into the bottom of a 9-inch pie pan. Use the other round as a top crust or for a separate bottom crust. Bake according to desired filling instructions.

BASIC PASTRY DOUGH

Steps:

• In a food processor, pulse flour and salt to combine. Add cold butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few pea-size pieces of butter remaining. Sprinkle with ice water. Pulse until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed (if necessary, add up to 3 tablespoons more water, 1 tablespoon at a time). Do not overmix. Form dough into a 1-inch-thick disk, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour (or up to 3 days).

FLAKY PASTRY DOUGH

Steps:

• Add the flour and salt to a large bowl and stir to combine. Add the butter and toss to combine. With your fingers, begin to "smush" the butter into flat pieces. Continue smushing until all the butter is flattened but none of the pieces are larger than a quarter. The flour will look like coarse cornmeal.
• Add the water, quickly folding it in with a wooden spoon to distribute the moisture. (Do not stir vigorously--the dough should appear shaggy.) Use your hands to break up any large clumps of moisture. Then use your knuckles or a palm to smear the dough up the sides of the bowl (a technique known as fraisage). This distributes the butter over a larger surface to achieve larger flakes and compact the dough. Once you've gone around the bowl one time, fold the dough over itself a few times to pick up any dry bits from the bottom. Gently press the dough into a disk. (Note: The dough should remain very cool to the touch throughout the process. If it approaches room temperature, refrigerate it for 5 to 10 minutes to chill.)
• Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and roll out to a 10-by-12-inch rectangle. Perform a letter fold by folding one of the short ends towards the middle and the other short end over the first, like folding a business letter.
• Turn the dough 90 degrees, so the long side faces you, and perform a second letter fold. Turn the dough 90 degrees again; perform a third letter fold.
• If the dough still feels cool, it can be used immediately. Otherwise, wrap it in plastic wrap and chill for at least 20 minutes. The dough can be refrigerated for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 1 month.

BISQUICK® PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• Mix baking mix and butter together in a small bowl. Add water, stirring vigorously, until a soft dough forms.
• Press dough into a 9-inch pie plate using floured hands.
• Bake in the preheated oven until light brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool completely; fill with desired filling.

BUTTERCRUST PASTRY DOUGH

Steps:

• Place blade insert into bowl of food processor. Add 1 cup flour. Sprinkle frozen butter cubes over flour. Add remaining 1 cup flour, sugar, and salt. Cover. Pulse in short bursts on and off until butter is broken into small pieces and looks crumbly, about 1 minute. Drizzle in ice water. Pulse with longer pulses, on and off, until mixture turns pale yellow and looks like crumbs, about 10 to 12 seconds. Scrape down sides with spatula. Pulse once or twice more.
• Transfer mixture onto a work surface. Bring pieces together to form a tight round ball of dough. Flatten slightly and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight before rolling out.

BASIC SHORTCRUST PASTRY

Steps:

• Sift 225g plain flour into a large bowl, add 100g diced butter and rub in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
• Stir in a pinch of salt, then add 2-3 tbsp water and mix to a firm dough.
• Knead the dough briefly and gently on a floured surface.
• Wrap in cling film and chill while preparing the filling.

BASIC PASTRY MIX

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in half of the shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Cut in remaining shortening. Place in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 6 weeks. , Basic Pastry Mix may be used to prepare the following recipes (also found in Recipe Finder): To Make Pie Pastry, Spicy Pastry and Chocolate Pastry.

SWEET PASTRY DOUGH

Steps:

• Mix flour, salt and sugar.
• Cut in butter until crumbly.
• Mix beaten egg yolks,ice water and vanilla together.
• Mix into flour mixture until pastry just holds together.
• Knead in plastic wrap until smooth.
• Flatten; chill 1 hour.
• To partially blind bake: Set oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Bake 15 to20 minutes, weighing pastry down with a layer of foil and dried beans.

ONE CRUST PIE PASTRY

Steps:

• Unbaked One-Crust Pie Crust:.
• Mix flour and salt in medium bowl. Cut in shortening, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until particles are size of small peas. Sprinkle with cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost leaves side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons more water can be added if necessary).
• Gather pastry into a ball. Shape into flattened round on lightly floured surface. Wrap flattened round of pastry in plastic wrap and refrigerate about 45 minutes or until dough is firm and cold, yet pliable. This allows the shortening to become slightly firm, which helps make the baked pastry more flaky.
• If refrigerated longer, let pastry soften slightly before rolling.
• Roll pastry, using floured rolling pin, into circle 2 inches larger than upside-down 9-inch glass pie plate, or 3 inches larger than 10- or 11-inch tart pan. Fold pastry into fourths; place in pie plate. Unfold and ease into plate, pressing firmly against bottom and side and being careful not to stretch pastry, which will cause it to shrink when baked.
• Trim overhanging edge of pastry 1 inch from rim of pie plate. Fold and roll pastry under, even with plate; flute as desired. Continue with directions in pie recipe.
• 2. Baked Pie Crust:
• Heat oven to 475ºF. Mix flour and salt in medium bowl. Cut in shortening, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until particles are size of small peas. Sprinkle with cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost leaves side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons more water can be added if necessary).
• Gather pastry into a ball. Shape into flattened round on lightly floured surface. Wrap flattened round of pastry in plastic wrap and refrigerate about 45 minutes or until dough is firm and cold, yet pliable. This allows the shortening to become slightly firm, which helps make the baked pastry more flaky. If refrigerated longer, let pastry soften slightly before rolling.
• Roll pastry, using floured rolling pin, into circle 2 inches larger than upside-down 9-inch glass pie plate. Fold pastry into fourths; place in pie plate. Unfold and ease into plate, pressing firmly against bottom and side.
• For pie, trim overhanging edge of pastry 1 inch from rim of pie plate.
• Fold and roll pastry under, even with plate; flute as desired.
• For tart, trim overhanging edge of pastry even with top of tart pan.
• Prick bottom and side of pastry thoroughly with fork.
• Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light brown; cool on wire rack.

LUCIE'S 7-UP PIE CRUST (IDIOT PROOF PASTRY RECIPE)

Steps:

• Cut lard into flour until it is the consistency of coarse oatmeal.
• Add 7-up and mix thoroughly.
• Place in fridge for approximately one hour.

CRISP PASTRY CRUST

Steps:

• Place flour, salt and sugar into a large mixing bowl and mix well.
• Cut in the butter and shortening, and cut the fat into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse cornmeal.
• In a cup whisk together the yolk and 3 teaspoons of the ice water.
• Using a fork mix it into the dry mixture, drawing the mixture twoards the center of the bowl.
• If it's still crumbly add a bit more water, 1 teaspoon at a time.
• Turn out, knead for a few seconds and form into 2 even balls.
• Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.
• Roll out and use as you will.

NEVER, NEVER FAIL PIE PASTRY

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in lard until mixture resembles coarse meal.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together water, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and vinegar. Stir into flour mixture and knead dough briefly, just until smooth. Allow to rest 15 minutes before rolling out. Pastry is easier to work with when chilled. Can be stored in refrigerator for up to 1 week.

2 MINUTE PIZZA OR PASTRY CRUST

Steps:

• Put the ingredients in the specified order into a large bowl or other container with lid that can be sealed.
• Close the lid then shake hard from side to side 5 or 6 times, then up and down 5 or 6 6 times. That's it; it's ready! (You can also mix this in your food processor or with a beater, but it's less fun!).
• Use your fingers to pat the pastry into a pie plate or pizza pan. Add the rest of your ingredients and bake.
• NOTE: For a sweet pastry, replace the oil with melted butter and add 50 grams of sugar to the flour.

PASTRY CRUST DOUGH

Steps:

• Mix first 4 ingredients in large bowl. Add butter; rub in with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add yolks; mix with fork until dough begins to clump together. Shape dough into 6 balls for Walnut Tartlets, 2 balls for Apple Galette or 1 ball for Apricot Tart. Flatten ball(s) into disk(s); wrap in plastic. Chill 30 minutes. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled. Let dough soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.)