Home-made Pie Crust: Tips & Troubleshooting

[Darcie B]

I use either the Cuisinart or pastry cutter, depending on how bad my carpal tunnel is acting up. Even after working on my crusts for over a year, I am still frustrated by them as something always seems to be wrong (although my husband tells me to "shut up already, it's great!").

I wondered if anyone has tried the method (forgot where I read about it) wherein you start with frozen butter chunks and roll them into the flour with a rolling pin. Supposed to be the ultimate in flakiness, but it made such a mess the one time I tried it I didn't bother again. I can't even recall if it was extraordinarily flaky or not. Anyone else try it?

[foolcontrol]

It is the same as flattening the pieces by hand one at a time.

[Ninjai Fanatic]

my hands and forks

[AmbrosiaFood]

There is a neat little attachment that came with my Hobart N-50 mixer called a pastry knife. It is the bottom one on the left.

It really makes cutting the shortening in easy, but alas, it is no longer available.

[prasantrin]

I've only used my pastry cutter. It's quick and easy, and does the job. Plus, I only have that pastry cutter to wash.

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Bringing this back up with a question...

Is your pastry cutter the type with wires, or blades? I've read that one is better than the other, but I can't remember which. I need to bring one back to Japan with me. I've been cutting in the butter with my bench scraper (as we learned in baking class) but I find it too tedious for US-sized crust recipes--especially double crust recipes. Can't get a decent food processor in Japan without spending a fortune, so pastry cutter it will be!

[CanadianBakin']

I've only used my pastry cutter. It's quick and easy, and does the job. Plus, I only have that pastry cutter to wash.

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Bringing this back up with a question...

Is your pastry cutter the type with wires, or blades? I've read that one is better than the other, but I can't remember which. I need to bring one back to Japan with me. I've been cutting in the butter with my bench scraper (as we learned in baking class) but I find it too tedious for US-sized crust recipes--especially double crust recipes. Can't get a decent food processor in Japan without spending a fortune, so pastry cutter it will be!

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I recently bought this pastry cutter from King Arthur and am VERY happy with it. I had a wire one for years and this is so much better. It also does a great job of mashing potatoes, avocados, etc. It is very sturdy and comfortable to use. It makes very quick work of cutting in butter.

[fiftydollars]

I don't like pastry cutters/blenders with wires because they tend to be flimsier than the ones with blades. Most wire cutters are too flexible and don't cute well into cold butter (much less frozen or near-frozen butter).

[rickster]

FWIW, there's an interesting recipe for pie crust by Jim Dodge which doesn't rely on a food processor or a pastry cutter. I'm pretty sure it's in a Julia Child book called in Julia's Kitchen WIth Master Chefs. It's in one of his books too but probably our of print. The concept is that you cube the cold butter, mix it with the flour and pour on a work surface. Then you flatten the cubes with a rolling pin, pour the butter flour mix back in a bowl and add the cold water and mix by hand. You then pour the dough, which is still loose back on the work surface and go through a process of rolling and folding. This ends up with a pie crust which is almost like a rough puff pastry.

[Kevin Weeks]

go through a process of rolling and folding.

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It seems as though that would develop the glutin and produce a tough pastry.

[Shelley G.]

I am a huge fan of the food processor - the trick for me is to have the butter cubed and frozen, and I also put the dry ingredients in the freezer for at least 1/2 an hour. We're making lots of fresh cherry hand pies right now, so the processors are getting their workouts...

[MelissaH]

Since moving into a house without a dishwasher, definitely the hands. With a dishwasher available, though, I prefer the food processor for the butter and dry ingredients. I'd still fold in the wet stuff by hand because I always overdo it by machine.

It's much easier to wash hands than a food processor. Also, there's much less risk of cutting yourself on your own hands.

MelissaH

[LindaK]

Are there preferred techniques according to the fat being used? My pie crusts (w/shortening) are always best made by hand but my tart doughs (w/butter) are always best in the processor.

[cherimoya]

I use a plastic scraper and I make my dough right on the countertop, rather than in a bowl.

[phlawless]

I was flipping through RLB Pie and Pastry Bible and her recommendation is to NOT blind bake a choco cookie crust; she says it will lose it's chocolatey flavor.

I don't make a lot of these kinds of crusts, and I was wondering what others' experiences are. I have always blind baked, but when I do I am usually disappointed with how lacking in flavor the choco crumbs are. Could this be the answer?

[JayBassin]

I think the need for blind baking (or partial baking) depends on what your filling will be. However, I don't think you loose anything in blind baking a chocolate crumb crust made with good-quality chocolate wafers. You could mix in a little extra cocoa powder or vanilla or melted white chocolate (replacing part of the butter). I usually make my chocolate (or nonchocolate) cookie crusts from chocolate or almond biscotti that I have left over.

[Ling]

I don't blind bake any graham crust (chocolate or regular). Just mix in some butter and sugar, and pack it down. They've never turned out soggy or anything for me.

[JayBassin]

I don't blind bake any graham crust (chocolate or regular). Just mix in some butter and sugar, and pack it down. They've never turned out soggy or anything for me.

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I agree: mine aren't soggy either. However, I think Phlawless's question has to do with the possible loss of flavor with blind baking. I don't notice it. Sometimes, I blind bake because either I pre-cook the filling on top of the stove or I use a custard or uncooked filling (one of my favorites is a key lime pie that's uncooked, and chilled in a prebaked chocolate cookie crust). Sometimes I use a blind-baked cookie crust for a pastry cream + fresh fruit top, which is unbaked.

[Carolyn Tillie]

I can't see the reason to blind bake unless you are starting with a raw dough that needs to be cooked in some fashion. Cookie crumbs do not fall in this category and would not need blind baking.

[JAZ]

I like to bake all my crumb crusts for just a few minutes (5 at the most) -- I find it gives a more complex, toasted flavor to the crust. I've never noticed chocolate crumb crusts tasting less intense after baking. I use Famous Chocolate Wafers for my crumb crusts.

[miladyinsanity]

It doesn't make any sense to me to blind-bake crusts made from crushed cookies/biscuits etc that do not have a raising agent like yeast or baking powder.

It's going to be remain flat anyway, so why bother?

I never blind bake my cookie crusts either.

[phlawless]

I ended up not blind baking the crust...it tasted great, though it was a bit crumbly around the edge; i could have taken them a bit too far, however. Thanks to all!

[JayBassin]

It doesn't make any sense to me to blind-bake crusts made from crushed cookies/biscuits etc that do not have a raising agent like yeast or baking powder.

It's going to be remain flat anyway, so why bother?

I never blind bake my cookie crusts either.

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If the pie won't be baked, then I always blind bake the crust. Unbaked, the crumb crust is too crumbly. I also think the baking imparts a better flavor and texture. Otherwise, it's like spreading butter and sugar on a cookie.

[etalanian]

I agree. I like to blind bake my crumb crusts for unbaked fillings. The heat melts the sugar which acts more like a glue for the crumbs, and I think it holds them together better. IMHO.

Eileen

[miladyinsanity]

JayBassin, I don't mean DON'T bake the crust. I do bake mine, I just don't blindbake them.

I think they taste better that way.

[JayBassin]

JayBassin, I don't mean DON'T bake the crust. I do bake mine, I just don't blindbake them.

I think they taste better that way.

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I think we agree that cookie crusts should be baked. My point (which I guess I didn't make clear) was that I blind bake only when I don't bake the pie with the filling. For example, when I fill a pre-baked shell with a pastry cream or fruit, or pre-cooked filling.

I also partially blind bake a cookie crust when I want to add a chocolate layer or coating on top of the crust and under the filling.