Super Flaky Pie Crust

Super Flaky Pie Crust! There’s nothing better than a homemade, super flaky, pie crust!!! One that just melts in your mouth. You can’t buy this type of goodness pre made at the grocery store… it just doesn’t exist in the frozen isle!! You can make the most delectable pie, sweet or savory, and if the crust is subpar… so is your pie. The crust is what makes it! I’m not a huge baker… and to be honest, for some reason making my own crust used to intimidate me!!?? I have no idea why… but it did. Then I made my first crust and it turned out well… not amazing… but pretty darn good. I played around with the recipe and tried different ideas I found online. All butter, shortening, vodka (yes, vodka) etc. I have found that I like a mixture of the fats, and that to be honest, a good crust is more about technique than anything!! My family goes bonkers over my Homemade Chicken Pot Pie, and I think half of the reason why is because of the crust! So here you go… my super flaky pie crust recipe… and be sure to read about the techniques below!!

Super Flaky Pie Crust

 

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Author: Vixen's Kitchen

Ingredients

• 2½ cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1½ sticks UNSALTED butter
• ¼ cup lard (yes… lard!)
• 6-10 Tbs ICE water
• Ingredients for a SWEET crust:
• Same as above, but add 1 Tbs. sugar

Instructions

1. The butter and lard needs to be VISIBLE in your dough! Do NOT overwork your dough… as it breaks down the fat into small pieces. You want pea sized spots of fat. Those speckles of fat is what makes your dough flakey!! When you put your dough in the oven, those speckles of fat melt and creates steam, which create pockets of air in the flour surrounding the fat, which is what creates the flakes in your crust.
2. Keep everything COLD, COLD, COLD and even COLDER!! It is absolutely imperative that your butter and lard is super cold. Otherwise you won’t get those pockets of steam in your dough. If the fat warms up too much before getting it in the oven, you won’t get a flakey crust. I will cube my butter and put it in the freezer for 5-10 minutes, as well as the ¼ cup lard. I’ll even put the flour and salt in the fridge! Make sure everything is COLD…. have I said that enough?? 😉 Even when I’m rolling it out… if I feel it’s getting too warm, I’ll pop it back in the fridge.
3. I’ve made this crust many times with just butter… but I like the added flavor of using lard…. NOT shortening… but lard. I buy my lard at my local Mexican market for $1.99 a tub. It’s super cheap and it will last for a while in your fridge! I am not a fan of using shortening in my crusts. If you’re going to go with all butter… use 2 whole sticks of unsalted butter and no lard.
4. Pie crust is something that you can make ahead! If you’re going to leave it in the fridge for a day or two, I suggest double wrapping it, so it doesn’t take on any flavors from your fridge!!
5. Instructions:
6. In a food processor, pulse your flour, salt and sugar (if making a sweet crust) until combined. Add in your COLD butter and lard. Barely pulse again… seriously…. pulse for maybe one second. Add 4 Tbs of ICE water (no ice cubes, just the cold water). Pulse for a couple seconds or just until incorporated. Add in one tablespoon at a time until dough just comes together. You don’t want a wet dough! Just enough so it easily forms a ball when pressed together. Make sure not to overwork your dough! You don’t want to break down the fat into itty bitty pieces… you want them pea sized! Depending on the ingredients, weather, etc. you may need more or less water.
7. Once dough comes together, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour. Divide dough in half and roll out on a floured surface to make 2, 10 inch rounds. I like to put one round in my dish and put it back in the fridge while I roll out the top round. You’ve just made your own SUPER flakey pie crust!!! 🙂

3.2.2802

Ingredients for a SAVORY crust:

• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 sticks UNSALTED butter
• 1/4 cup lard (yes… lard!)
• 6-10 Tbs ICE water

Ingredients for a SWEET crust:

• Same as above, but add 1 Tbs. sugar

Important techniques:

1. The butter and lard needs to be VISIBLE in your dough! Do NOT overwork your dough… as it breaks down the fat into small pieces. You want pea sized spots of fat. Those speckles of fat is what makes your dough flakey!! When you put your dough in the oven, those speckles of fat melt and creates steam, which create pockets of air in the flour surrounding the fat, which is what creates the flakes in your crust.
2. Keep everything COLD, COLD, COLD and even COLDER!! It is absolutely imperative that your butter and lard is super cold. Otherwise you won’t get those pockets of steam in your dough. If the fat warms up too much before getting it in the oven, you won’t get a flakey crust. I will cube my butter and put it in the freezer for 5-10 minutes, as well as the 1/4 cup lard. I’ll even put the flour and salt in the fridge! Make sure everything is COLD…. have I said that enough?? 😉  Even when I’m rolling it out… if I feel it’s getting too warm, I’ll pop it back in the fridge.
3. I’ve made this crust many times with just butter… but I like the added flavor of using lard…. NOT shortening… but lard. I buy my lard at my local Mexican market for $1.99 a tub. It’s super cheap and it will last for a while in your fridge! I am not a fan of using shortening in my crusts. If you’re going to go with all butter… use 2 whole sticks of unsalted butter and no lard.
4. Pie crust is something that you can make ahead! If you’re going to leave it in the fridge for a day or two, I suggest double wrapping it, so it doesn’t take on any flavors from your fridge!!

Instructions:

1. In a food processor, pulse your flour, salt and sugar (if making a sweet crust) until combined. Add in your COLD butter and lard. Barely pulse again… seriously…. pulse for maybe one second. Add 4 Tbs of ICE water (no ice cubes, just the cold water). Pulse for a couple seconds or just until incorporated. Add in one tablespoon at a time until dough just comes together. You don’t want a wet dough! Just enough so it easily forms a ball when pressed together. Make sure not to overwork your dough! You don’t want to break down the fat into itty bitty pieces… you want them pea sized! Depending on the ingredients, weather, etc. you may need more or less water.
2. Once dough comes together, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour. Divide dough in half and roll out on a floured surface to make 2, 10 inch rounds. I like to put one round in my dish and put it back in the fridge while I roll out the top round. You’ve just made your own SUPER flakey pie crust!!! 🙂 

**You can also use a pastry cutter to make your dough if you don’t have a food processor. Using a pastry cutter can also reduce the chances of overworking  your dough and your fat pieces becoming too small. If you don’t have a pastry cutter click HERE for the link to one on Amazon. And if you’re in the market for a food processor (I use mine constantly!) click HERE for a link to a good one on Amazon. Another really awesome tool to use is a pastry scraper for when you’re rolling out your dough and scraping it off of your counter and transferring it to your pie dish!

Kitchen tools I use: