top of page
  • Nicola

Flaky Food Processor Pie Crust

Updated: Apr 16, 2020


As a follow up post to the hand mixed method for a Basic Flaky Pastry Pie will be a flaky tender pie crust made in the food processor. It’s also super easy to put together.


THE SECRETS TO A FLAKY PIE CRUST:

  1. Have all your ingredients as cold as possible.

  2. Use the least amount of water possible. Use just enough to make the pie crust hold together, hence this recipe has a range for the amount of water.

  3. Do not over work the dough, as this will develop gluten and toughen the dough. It is okay to see flakes of fat!

  4. Always chill the pie crust before flattening. You want the fat to stay cold before going into the oven, as this will create a flaky crust.

  5. In terms of which fat to choose? Have you seen my earlier post? If not, check it out here! It will detail the different fats for the type of crust you want.

 

Flaky Food Processor Pie Crust

Makes Top and Bottom Crust


Ingredients:

All-purpose flour or pastry flour, plus extra for rolling 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 cup (8oz or 230gram) of unsalted butter, or shortening, or lard, or a mix, cubed and very cold 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup (60ml to 125ml) cold water 1/2 teaspoon sugar (optional, sometimes I add this to add some sweetness to the pie crust)


Directions:

  1. Place flour and salt (add optional sugar here) in the bowl of a food processor and pulse 4 or 5 times till combined.

  2. Add the butter/lard/shortening to the food processor bowl.

  3. Pulse for 20 seconds or until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

  4. Add 1/4 cup of water and pulse about 6 times. Add additional water by the tablespoon until the mixture begins to hold together.

  5. Pour the dough out of the bowl, and press together with your hands if needed.

  6. Divide the dough in two, one slightly larger than the other (smaller one for the top crust and larger one for the bottom crust).

  7. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.

  8. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough 1/8 of an inch thick into a 13" round for a 9" pie pan.

  9. Place the dough in the pie plate, by using the rolling pin to transfer into the pie pan. If the dough stretches, it could cause shrinkage. So it's best to use the rolling pin to transfer. Do this by placing the rolling pin in the centre of the dough, and wrap half of the dough around the rolling pin, it will hang a bit. Then transfer the dough to the pie pan and gently unwrap the dough into the pie pan.

  10. Next, gently press the dough into the bottom and sides of the pan.

  11. Trim the dough, but allow 1" of dough overhang.

  12. Roll out the top crust dough.

  13. Brush water along the edges of the crust

  14. Place the top crust on (lattice, top crust, cut out, or streusel). We did a lattice top. To make a lattice top, roll out and cut 1-inch thick strips. Place half of the dough strips parallel to each other, the longest strip should be in the center of the pie. Next, fold over every other parallel strip on the pie. Place another long strip perpendicular to the parallel strips, unfold the parallel strips. Next, flip up every other parallel strip, and lay another strip perpendicular to the parallel strips, then unfold the parallel strips. Keep weaving until the pie is fully covered.

  15. Trim and then fold over edges, next crimp (fluting, scalloped, roped edge, forking, etc.) the edges to secure.

  16. Using a pastry brush dip into a egg wash and brush the top and edges for a golden crust.

  17. Bake according to recipe instructions.


 


27 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All
bottom of page