Tips For Perfect Pie Crust Recipe

How to make it

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• ALWAYS:
• chill fats
• chill mix after you have cut in fats
• use as little liquid as possible to prepare the dough--test to see if you have added enough by pressing some against the side of the bowl with your spatula. If it clumps together, that's enough. The water will spread through the clumps while you refrigerate it.
• handle the dough as little as possible--don't overmix it
• chill the dough at least 30 m before rolling out
• don't cut the fat too fine--no piece larger than small peas, and most of it like coarse cornmeal
• Preparing the crust:
• roll dough only radially (from the center out to the edge)
• resist the temptation to roll back and forth
• if the dough starts to pull back after you have rolled it, let it rest at least 30 m in the refrigerator before you continue to roll it out
• after rolling, let the disk rest in the refrigerator on a dinner plate, at least 20 m
• your disk of dough should be at least 2" larger than your pie plate
• Baking:
• use a dark metal or a Pyrex(R) pie plate
• use bottom heat if at all possible, at least for the first 20 m
• set pan in the lowest 1/3 of the oven
• preheat oven to 400-425, depending on your oven. You want a HOT oven
• bake at this temperature for at least 15 m, or until the dough has set
• then, lower the temperature to 360
• bake until deep golden brown. Darker is better than lighter.