Whenever I have a baking question, I go to my mom. And when it comes to pie crust, she has the best! Use this crust for any fruit pie, pecan pie, pumpkin pie, cream pie chocolate pie, etc. It is just so good. If you know you have holiday baking coming up, you can also make this in advance, freeze it, and then give it a day to thaw in the fridge. This will save you time, and taste better than anything store bought!
Crust
3 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 heaping tbs of sugar
1 egg
Ice water (6 to 10 tbs)
3/4 cup shortening (my mom uses 1/4 cup Crisco, 1/2 cup butter)
Take the flour, salt, and granulated sugar and sift all the
ingredients together over a large bowl. Cut 3/4 cup shortening into
cubes, or if using Crisco drop in small portions. Place shortening into
the flour mixture, a little at a time, working it slowly with a fork
into the flour.
You are waiting for the dough to get "mealy", essentially look like fine crumbs. Add 6-10 tbs of ICE water a little at a time until dough is soft and able to make a ball, but not sticky. If you need more, add more. You want to be able to work the dough, but not have it sticky. Refrigerate the dough at least one hour before rolling. You want it chilled, but not so cold it isn't pliable.
You are waiting for the dough to get "mealy", essentially look like fine crumbs. Add 6-10 tbs of ICE water a little at a time until dough is soft and able to make a ball, but not sticky. If you need more, add more. You want to be able to work the dough, but not have it sticky. Refrigerate the dough at least one hour before rolling. You want it chilled, but not so cold it isn't pliable.
Divide the dough into two even balls. Once you
are ready to assemble the pie, roll out one ball of the dough so it fits
the bottom of your pie tin, reaching all the way up the sides. You only
want your dough to be 1/4 inch thick, NO MORE! This is not meant to be
doughy. Trims off the excess edges so it is nice and neat in your tin.
Partial
bake the bottom crust 5-7 min at 375 degrees, cool, then add filling.
For
the top, put on lattice or full top
crust, keeping each piece also at a 1/4 inch thickness. If it is a full
top, cut slits into the dough. Make sure to also trim the excess dough.
You can always save the dough and make a mini pie in a muffin tin with
leftover filling to munch on when you are cooking the big Thanksgiving
meal the next day, or just because you want a warm treat. Brush with a beaten egg, the white and the yolk, to
give it shine and crunch. Bake for desired pie instructions.
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| Thanksgiving Apple Pie |
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| Mom and I representing the Bruins, while scheming Thanksgiving dinner 11/15/11 |
2 comments:
I have to say my daughter Arielle has turned out to be an incredible cook!
I know she credits growing up with two chefs as parents for her appreciation for good food, and it's very true that if you feed your children well from the beginning, it sticks with them their whole life.
And she and her sister Chantal were always in the kitchen helping me cook and bake from a young age, so it all goes hand in hand.
But, Arielle brings her own "pizazz"
to the equation. She constantly surprises me with her creations and her enthusiasm for discovering new food adventures. I love getting her food photos and sharing in her food adventures, and I can tell you, there is no better person to be in the kitchen with than "Miss
A!"
She just finished making a kick ass pie dough and bought organic apples to make one of the most flavorful pie filling ever. She says her friends always want her to cook, and it's easy to see why.
I love reading her blogs when she praises her Mom's cooking talents,'cause I can tell you, it sure makes my day! I am looking forward to more culinary adventures with her as time goes on, like when she and her sister do the whole holiday meal and I just sit on the couch with a drink...haha!!!
And speaking of, Chantal rolled out of bed late due to a party last night, and quickly put together a great dish of our family New England sweet potatoes, with no instruction, simply saying, "mom, I remember how to do these." They are perfect! Then she cut up the herbs in perfect proportion, and all while still slightly asleep!
Yay for my girls, I am so happy to be with them this Thanksgiving and they are what I am most thankful for.
Keep a constant watch on this blog as you will get more delicious recipes from "Miss A"!!!!
Thanks mom. So Corny, but I love it :)
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