How to Make a Pie Crust with Fluted Rim

Open top pie, like pumpkin or pecan, is a holiday favorite. With just a few ingredients, you can make a pie crust yourself, complete with a fancy, fluted rim. The secret to a great pie crust is to keep the ingredients cold as you are making the crust. This recipe is for two 9-inch crusts, ready for your filling. Only need crust for one pie? You can either half all the ingredients or make the full amount and freeze half.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 2-1/2 cups flour (all purpose)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
• 1 cup chilled, solid shortening
• 1stick unsalted butter, cut in small pieces and chilled
• 4 to 6 tablespoon ice water

1. 
    

   In a large bowl, thoroughly mix flour, salt, and sugar. A rubber spatula works great for this purpose.

2. 
    

   Cut the cold, solid shortening into chunks on top of the flour mixture, and add the cold pieces of butter.

3. 
    

   Using a pastry cutter (or two dinner knives, one each hand, slicing opposite directions), start cutting the shortening and butter into the flour mixture. Periodically use the rubber spatula to stir the mixture, bringing the flour mixture up to cover the butter and shortening. Continue to use the pastry cutter until you achieve pea-size particles within coarse crumbs. There will also be some sand-size pieces.

4. 
    

   Put water and ice in a cup into which you can dip a measuring spoon. Drizzle 4 tablespoons of ice water over the dough mixture. Use the edge of the rubber spatula to cut into the mixture, evenly distributing the moisture. With the flat side of the spatula, press on the dough. If the dough sticks together, go to Step 5. If the dough does not stick together, add one more tablespoon, cut it through, then test again, adding up to one more tablespoon of water if needed.

5. 
    

   Use the spatula or your hands to press the dough together. Divide the dough into two equal portions, forming each into a thick disk. Wrap each in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. If you only need one crust, place one disk inside a freezer bag or an air tight container. The crust disk can be kept frozen for up to six months; thaw in the refrigerator before use.

6. On a lightly floured surface, and with a lightly floured roller, start rolling the dough. When finished, brush any excess flour off the dough; a dish towel can be used.

7. To get the dough to the pie dish (a glass pie dish is best), fold the dough over the rolling pin and then unroll it onto the pie dish. If needed, lift the edge of the crust and gently force the crust against the sides of the dish. Trim excess 1/2 inch away from the rim of the pie dish (you can tear the excess off by hand; no scissor is needed). Tuck the surplus under, creating a fuller rim.

8. 
    

   To add some pizzazz, you can flute the rim of the crust. OPTION 1: With your thumb (or index finger) of one hand over the inside of the pie dish, gently push the dough of the rim against the thumb and index of your other hand on the outside of the pie dish. Continue the pinching process around the top of the pie shell, creating height to help retain the filling. OPTION 2: With one hand, on an angle to the rim of the pie dish, pinch the rim dough between your thumb and bent index finger.

9. 
    

   Proceed to fill and bake the pie according to the filling directions.

Tips & Warnings

• The best pie crusts are flaky, meaning if you gently poke a fork in a baked shell, in separates into flakes. The shortening you choose will affect the degree of flakiness. Lard produces the flakiest crust, but adds unhealthy fat to the desert. Butter provides a nice taste, but doesn’t deliver on flakiness. Shortening produces a flaky crust, but lacks flavor. To get the best results, try using half butter and half shortening (e.g. Crisco).
• Add strips of foil to the around to the crust’s rim for the first half of the baking time to prevent the crust from becoming too dark.
• When trimming the excess dough from around the pie dish, if any areas are too thin or too short, “patch” the area with a strip of the trimmed off crust. Press firmly in place.

[toogie2]

on 2/23/2009 Good directions. I haven't tried using a rubber spatula to mix in the water, but it sounds like that might be a better technique. (I also prefer lard to shortening. Shortening has just as much fat, just no cholesterol, but most of them have trans-fats.)

[QueenofMisc]

on 11/30/2008 Great directions and the fluted rim is beautiful! 5*