Crafting the perfect pie crust is a skill that has evaded many a baker.  I’ll admit that until recently, even my pie crusts were not as flaky as I wanted them to be.  Then Sara L, Sara M, and I went to the Williams-Sonoma technique class on perfect pies.  Now I know the secrets of great pie crusts, and I’m about to share them with you.

This is what I aspire to: the demonstration pie at Williams-Sonoma

Ingredients for Flaky Pie Pastry

For single pie crust:

• 5 Tbsp cold unsalted butter
• 3 Tbsp cold vegetable shortening
• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp sugar (optional)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 4 Tbsp ice water

For lattice-crust pie

• 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter
• 4 Tbsp cold vegetable shortening
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 tsp sugar (optional)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 6 Tbsp ice water

For double-crust pie:

• 2/3 cup cold unsalted butter
• 6 Tbsp cold vegetable shortening
• 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 Tbsp sugar (optional)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 8 Tbsp ice water

The rich flavor of butter and the flake-making quality of vegetable shortening produce a pie pastry that is both versatile and delicious.  The butter and shortening should be very dcold so that they will form layers in the crust that contribute to the overall flakiness.  Use ice water for the liquid to ensure that the shortening and butter do not soften during mixing.

Cut the butter and vegetable shortening into 3/4-inch pieces.

Hand method: In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt and stir to mix.  Scatter the butter and shortening pieces over the flour mixture; using a fork, toss to coat with the flour.  Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter and shortening until the mixture forms large, coarse, pea sized crumbs.  Drizzle the ice water over the mixture and toss with a fork until the dough is evenly moistened and begins to come together in a mass but does not form a ball.  If the mixture is still very dry add more water, one Tbsp at a time until it begins forming a mass.

Food processor Method: Combine the flour, sugar and salt.  Pulse 2 or 3 times to mix.  Add butter and shortening pieces 8 to 10 times, pulsing with each addition, until the mixture forms large, coarse crumbs.  Add the ice water a little at a time and pulse 10 to 12 times until the dough begins to come together in a mass but does not form a ball.

Transfer the dough to a work surface.  If make the single-crust pie pastry, shape the dough into a 6-inch disk.  For the lattice pie, divide the dough into 2 portions, one twice as large as the other; shape the larger portion into a 6-inch disk and the smaller one into a 3-inch disk.  For the double-crust pie, divide the dough in half and form each half into a 6-inch disk.  Wrap each disk tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled, about 1 hour or up to overnight.

Working with Pie Dough

To roll out pie dough

Remove the dough disk from the refrigerator and let it stand at room temperature for 10 to 20 minutes.  Dust a work surface and rolling pin with flour.

Rolling from the center toward the edges and in all directions, roll out the dough into a round 12 inches across and about 1/8 inch thick.  Lift and turn the dough several times as you roll to prevent sticking, and dust the surface and the rolling pin with flour as needed.

To Line Pie Pan with Dough

Carefully wrap the dough around the rolling pin and position the pin over the pie pan.  Unroll the dough and center it in the pie pan, gently but firmly pressing it against the bottom and sides while taking care not to pull or stretch it.

Or,

Fold the dough in half and then in half again, place inside the pie pan and unfold, gently but firmly pressing it against the bottom and sides while taking care not to pull or stretch it.

To Prebake (Blind Bake) Single Pie Crust

Preheat an oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.  Line the frozen (or chilled) pie crust already in the pie pan with a piece of parchment paper or aluminum foil.  Place pie weights on the parchment paper.

Bake the lined crust until it dries out, 10-15 minutes.  Check to see if the crust is ready by pulling up one corner of the parchment paper.  Remove parchment paper and weights after the crust has a dried surface appearance.  For a partially baked crust, continue to bake until the crust is lightly browned on the edges and dry-looking on the bottom.  For a fully baked crust, continue to bake until the entire crust is golden brown, about 10 minutes longer.

Washes

A brief note about finishing the tops of pies:

There are several options available, but my favorite for a golden brown appearance is the basic egg wash.  To make the basic egg wash you’ll mix one egg yolk and 1 Tbsp of heavy cream and brush the top of the crust with the mixture.  Lightly sprinkle granulated sugar on top of the wash.  Below are some pictures of the other options and how they turn out.

Below I’ll outline the recipes for the pies I made for Thanksgiving.  These are all family favorites.

Texas Pecan and Chocolate Pie–Bon Appetit, March 2000

Ingredients

Crust:

Use the Williams-Sonoma  Single Pie Crust recipe

Filling

• 4 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 6 Tbsp (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1 1/2 cups pecan pieces, lightly toasted (To toast simply spread out pecans on the bottom of a cookie sheet and place under the broiler for a minute or two.  Check often so as not to burn them.)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.  Roll out dough on floured surface to 13-inch round.  Transfer to 9-inch-diameter pie dish.  Trim overhang to 1 inch; fold under and crimp decoratively.  Set aside.

For filling:

Stir chocolate and butter in heavy small saucepan over low heat until melted (I just place in a microwave safe dish and heat for 30 second increments until the mixture is melted).  Cool slightly.

Whisk brown sugar, eggs and salt in large bowl to blend.  Whisk in corn syrup and chocolate mixture.  Sprinkle pecans over unbaked crust.  Pour filling over pecans.  Bake until crust is golden and filling is puffed, about 55 minutes.

Cool pie completely on rack.

Cherry pie is my dad and sister’s favorite pie, and it’s also the easiest to make.  I just made the double pie crust recipe (even though I was doing a lattice-top, I wanted to make sure to have enough dough to cover the whole thing), place the bottom crust in the pie pan, poured a 21 ounce can of Wilderness (aka Comstock) Cherry Pie Filling in, and put a lattice pie crust on top.  I baked it in an oven preheated to 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes,  then reduced the heat to 325 degrees and baked for an additional 30 minutes.

This succulent pumpkin pie recipe came from Williams-Sonoma also.  It fits perfectly my ideal of what pumpkin pie should be: pumpkiny, moist, and delicately spiced.

Ingredients:

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 375ºF.

In a bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, cornstarch, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. Add the pumpkin, eggs, cream and milk and whisk to combine.

Pour the filling into the prebaked piecrust and bake until the center is set, 60 to 65 minutes, covering the edges of the crust with aluminum foil after 30 minutes if they brown too quickly.

Transfer the pie to a wire rack and let cool completely, at least 2 hours, before serving. Serves 10.

Williams-Sonoma Kitchen.

This apple pie ended up being a bit of an experiment, as I only had one cup of white flour and had to use whole wheat pastry flour to complete the recipe.  You know what they say about necessity being the mother of invention? Well, half whole wheat pie crust is one delicious innovation!  It’s good to know that making your pastries better for your health doesn’t sacrifice flavor whatsoever.  My only recommended alteration to this recipe would be to add 1/4 to 1/2 tsp of cinnamon to the apple mixture.  I missed the cinnamon flavor in this pie.

Apples fall roughly into three categories, based on how they can best be used. Sauce apples (such as Cortlands) melt tenderly into custardy morsels, turning into applesauce with little more than a brief simmer. Baking apples (such as Rome Beauties and Golden Delicious) hold their shape after up to an hour in the oven. The latter two could be used in this pie, but try an all-purpose apple instead. With a texture when cooked that falls between tender and al dente, the ever-popular Granny Smith is ideal for apple pie.

Ingredients:

Directions:

To make the pastry, in a food processor, combine the flour and salt and pulse to blend. Add the butter and shortening and pulse 5 or 6 times, until the mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-size bits. Add the water a little at a time through the feed tube, pulsing once after each addition, adding just enough to make a moist but crumbly dough; it will not hold together on its own but only when gathered into a ball with your hands.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough in half and flatten each piece into a thick disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.

Preheat an oven to 400°F.

Remove both disks of dough from the refrigerator. If the dough is very cold and hard, let it stand, still wrapped, at room temperature for 15 minutes.

To make the pie shell, unwrap one disk of dough and place on a floured surface. Lightly flour the top of the dough. With a rolling pin, gently flatten the dough into a rough round. Begin rolling out the dough, always rolling straight away from you and giving the round a quarter turn every 2 or 3 rolls. If the dough sticks to the work surface, release it with a spatula and lightly flour beneath it. Lightly flour the top of the dough if it begins sticking to your rolling pin. When the dough round is about 1/4 inch thick and about 2 inches wider than your pie dish, roll it up around the rolling pin, then unroll it into the dish, centering it. Ease the dough into the dish without stretching it. Trim the edges, leaving about a 1-inch overhang. Let the other dough disk stand at room temperature while you make the filling.

To make the filling, in a large bowl, stir together the apples, brown sugar, flour, lemon juice and vanilla. Let stand, stirring once or twice, for 20 minutes. Spoon the apples and all the juices from the bowl into the pie shell, mounding the fruit slightly. Dot the apples with the butter.

To make the lattice top, place the lattice crust insert in the base of the mold. Be sure that the fine cutting edge of the diamond pattern, which is slightly narrower than the reverse side, faces down. Roll out the dough as instructed above and lay the dough on top of the lattice crust mold, making sure to cover the entire mold. Using a rolling pin, press the dough into the mold, causing the diamond cutouts to fall through. If any cutouts are still attached, push them through with your fingers. Lift out the insert and carefully invert the lattice onto the filled pie shell. Fold the overhang from the bottom crust on top of the overhanging portion of the lattice and press together to make a decorative edge.

Sprinkle the granulated sugar over the lattice. Bake until the crust is crisp and golden and the filling is bubbling, about 1 hour. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for at least 30 minutes before serving. Serve the pie warm or at room temperature, topped with a slice of cheddar cheese or accompanied with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Serves 8.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Collection Series, Thanksgiving, by Michael McLaughlin (Simon & Schuster, 2001).