The Pie Secret is OUT!

Let me begin off by saying I’m a little bit of a pie snob.  I didn’t notice this till I left my mother or father’s dwelling and realized all pie crusts weren’t created equal.  After leaving my childhood dwelling I begged my mother to let me in on her well-known pie making secrets and techniques.  What it comes right down to is utilizing the good recipe, with the proper mixing method. It might actually make or break a pie, so belief me after I say, cross on the shop purchased pie crust, and use this one.

And now presenting, my Mother, Penny…

Howdy, all of you vacation cooks on the market!  I’m excited to share what I believe is the absolute best pie crust recipe on the market.  I’ve tried numerous recipes, and this one has develop into my go-to pie crust.  It’s flaky, scrumptious, and an awesome praise to no matter filling is inside.

There is no such thing as a such factor as a low-calorie pie crust.

In case you discover one, I can inform you with out tasting it that it doesn’t style good.  So stop fussing round looking for one that can prevent ten or twenty energy. It isn’t price it.  The key ingredient on this recipe is butter flavored Crisco.  Use it.  It’s okay to splurge a bit of across the holidays!

The components are fairly fundamental, and nothing fancy.

It’s all in how it’s put collectively, so take note of the photographs.

Elements:

6 cups of flour (I exploit all-purpose)
3 cups of butter flavored Crisco (No different form of shortening works as nicely)
3 tsp. Salt
1 to 1 1/3 cups water

For me, this makes three double pies or six single-shell pies.

For the vacations, I’ll make this many pies. However after I don’t make that many at a time, I nonetheless make the massive recipe and stick the rest in particular person freezer baggage. I can thaw out a bag at any time when making a pie strikes my fancy. In case you don’t need to make this many, the ratio is as follows:

2 cups of flour (I exploit all-purpose)
1 cup of Butter Flavored Crisco  (No different form of shortening works as nicely)
1 tsp Salt
1/3 to not fairly ½ cup of water

This can make one double crust pie or two single shell pies.

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Instructions:

Assuming you’re doing the massive batch, you’ll need a LARGE bowl.  Get the largest one you will have.

Measure out the flour into the bowl first.

Then plop the shortening on high of the flour.

Then sprinkle the salt throughout

DO NOT put the water in but!

Now go take off your rings and wash your palms. This subsequent half is an important, and the important thing to a scrumptious, flaky pie crust!

You’ll use your fingers to very delicately sift the shortening and flour combination collectively.

Gently break up the shortening into just a few separate chunks. Scoop your palms deep into the flour. With a really gentle contact, wiggle your thumbs and fingers backwards and forwards to interrupt the shortening into the flour. DON’T SMASH the components collectively. The purpose is to get the entire combination into pea-sized chunks. Give up sifting as quickly as you get there.

Over-mixing will trigger a troublesome crust. Yuck!

At this level, begin with the lesser quantity of water, and sprinkle it on high of the combination.  Gently carry and blend till it’s all sticking collectively.  It’s okay to perform a little smashing collectively now.

If it’s not sticking collectively, go forward and put in a bit of extra water till it’s adhering nicely. (I often find yourself including the better quantity of water.  All of it will depend on the moisture content material of your flour and your air.)

Dividing the dough:

If you’re utilizing the total recipe, you may break it up into six equal balls. Then roll out your crusts as wanted. In case you don’t need to make that many pies, simply put every ball right into a freezer bag, and freeze it ‘til you want it.

Rolling it out:

I like utilizing a pastry mat to roll out my crusts, nevertheless it isn’t vital.  Sprinkle a bit of flour in your rolling floor and your rolling pin.  Put your ball of dough within the heart and barely flatten it together with your hand.  With medium strain, roll evenly away from you two or 3 times, then roll from one aspect to a different.  This begins to stretch out your dough.  It gained’t be good, so don’t fret.  Gently pull your dough off of the floor, re-flour the floor, and flip the dough to the alternative aspect.

Now repeat the method, going one path (not backwards and forwards) and shaping it right into a circle.  You possibly can flip it from one aspect to the opposite to maintain it from sticking to the floor, I at all times do.  I prefer to get my crust as skinny as I can with out it getting holes in it or breaking up. You possibly can at all times add a bit of additional dough within the holes to refill them.   For a 9″ pie attempt to roll it about 11 1/2″ in diameter.

When your dough is the fitting measurement, mud it with a tiny little bit of flour, gently fold it in half, after which in fourths.  It makes it simple to carry off the mat and put the purpose into the center of your pie plate.  Then you may unfold it and it will likely be completely centered.

Inserting the dough:

   Gently (what number of occasions have I mentioned gently?)  press the pie to the form of the pan, ensuring that it’s pressed into the perimeters.

It is best to have quantity of dough hanging over the sting.

Placing my hand beneath the sting of the crust, I put my fingertip towards the sting of the pan.  I then minimize the crust to the size of my first knuckle.  (If that doesn’t make any sense, then have a look at the image  – you will notice what I imply!)  Flip the pie pan away from you and minimize round.  Quickly you should have an ideal circle.

The following step is to fold the sting of the dough beneath, thus doubling the thickness of the dough on the sting of the pan.  Barely flatten the sting together with your hand.

The sting is a enjoyable place to apply your creativity!

Simply flattening it with a fork all the way in which round is tremendous simple.  If you’d like, you may then use a finger to push the crust in each inch or so for a bit of scallop.

The one which I like essentially the most is the way in which my mother at all times made pies after I was a bit of woman.  I name it the zigzag edge.  Along with your thumb and index finger of your left hand unfold out about 3/4″ aside,  on the within of the pie edge, use your proper index finger to push the dough in between your left fingers to make the zig.  Now transfer your left thumb into the place your index finger was in beforehand.  Push the dough together with your proper index finger into the subsequent house for the zag.  Preserve going all the way in which across the pie crust.

Now isn’t that fairly?  Everybody can be so impressed!

Utilizing a fork, go throughout the within of the pie poking holes each inch or two in order that the pie crust doesn’t bubble up whereas it’s cooking.

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Your crust is now able to fill together with your favourite filling. Or simply bake the shell to fill later.

The following trick is all in the way you bake it!

For double-crusted fruit pies: Put a bit of milk on the highest crust and sprinkle dry sugar on high of that.

For Meat pies: Use milk and sprinkle on salt.

I at all times bake my pies on the bottom rack within the oven. Bake at 400 levels for 35 minutes or 40 minutes, or till the pie shakes free. Baked pie shells (with out the filling) needs to be baked from 8 to 10 minutes at 400 levels.

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Right here is the recipe in a fast printable format.  After you have the steps down, it’s tremendous simple!  Be sure to reference this publish with image tutorial if in case you have questions.

Yum! I believe I’ll make Pumpkin, Pecan, Jumble Berry, Lemon Meringue, Dutch Apple . . . . . . (you may by no means have too many pies for the vacations!)

* I want I may give credit score to the girl I bought this recipe from. She taught a pie making class that I attended over 20 years in the past in Utah. I don’t keep in mind her title. I believe she was from Fruit Heights, Utah.