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    Classic Flaky Pie Crust

    clock-icon80 minutes
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    Pixicook editorial team

    A classic pie crust recipe that yields a tender and flaky crust, perfect for any pie.

    Ingredients for Classic Flaky Pie Crust

    units in
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    units in
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    serves
    1 peoplechevron
    serves
    1 peoplechevron

    Unsalted Butter, chilled

    tablespoons

    Substitute chevron-down

    Vegetable Shortening, chilled

    tablespoons

    Substitute chevron-down

    All Purpose Flour

    0 oz

    Substitute chevron-down

    Sugar

    tablespoons

    Substitute chevron-down

    Salt

    teaspoons

    Substitute chevron-down

    Ice Water

    tablespoons

    Substitute chevron-down

    Vodka

    tablespoons

    Substitute chevron-down

    How to Make Classic Flaky Pie Crust

    1. Prepare and Chill Fats

    Cut the butter and shortening into small pieces, then chill them in the refrigerator until they are very cold.

    2. Mix Dry Ingredients

    While the fats are chilling, combine the all-purpose flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor. Pulse the mixture a few times to ensure the ingredients are well-mixed.

    3. Add Fats to Dry Ingredients

    Add the chilled butter and shortening to the dry ingredients. Process the mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs, which should take about 10 seconds.

    4. Add Liquids and Form Dough

    Pour in the ice water and vodka, and process the dough until it begins to clump together. Once the dough starts to come together, transfer it to a work surface and press it into a ball.

    5. Chill Dough

    Flatten the ball into a disk, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate it for at least 1 hour, or up to 2 days.

    6. Roll Out Dough

    When you're ready to use the dough, lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin. Roll the dough into a 12-inch circle, applying even pressure and rotating the dough to ensure it rolls out evenly.

    7. Transfer to Pie Plate

    Carefully transfer the rolled dough to a 9-inch pie plate, gently fitting it into the plate without stretching it. Trim the edges as needed, leaving a bit of overhang to fold under for a neat edge.

    Variations

    Cheese Pie Crust

    Add grated cheese, such as Parmesan, cheddar, or Gruyère, to the flour before blending in the fat. This variant is fantastic for adding depth to quiches or vegetable pies.

    Chocolate Pie Crust

    Incorporate cocoa powder in place of some of the flour in the classic recipe, and possibly a bit more sugar, to produce a rich, chocolatey crust that's excellent for chocolate or mocha-flavored fillings.

    Sweet Pie Crust (Pâte Sucrée)

    By adding sugar to the basic recipe, you can create a sweet pie crust perfect for desserts. This crust is ideal for fruit pies, custard pies, and tarts.

    Alcohol in Place of Water

    Swap out some of the cold water with cold vodka, bourbon, or apple cider vinegar. Alcohol can make the dough easier to roll out and may help create an even flakier crust due to its evaporation properties.

    Brown Butter

    Brown the butter before incorporating it into the dough to add a deep, caramel-like flavor. Just make sure to chill it again before using.


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