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Pie Crust
This recipe was contributed by Sue Nielsen, Pastry Chef at Farm Table Restaurant in Amery Wisconsin. It is delcious using Sunrise Flour Mill Heritage Whole Wheat Pastry Flour. Milled fresh in house from White Sonora, a soft white winter wheat.
Servings: 2 crusts
Equipment
- Food Processor
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cup Sunrise Flour Mill Heritage Whole Wheat Pastry Flour Can also use Turkey Red Heritage White Flour
- 1 Tbs Sugar or Maple Syrup Optional (adds a caramelized flavor)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup Butter or Leaf Lard (Can use both)
- 5 Tbs Cold Water
- 1 Tbs Vinegar
Instructions
- Place flour, sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse to mix.
- Add butter 1/2 cup at a time and pulse until you have pea sized chunks.
- Add the cold water and vinegar slowly (1 Tbs) at a time, and pulse once or twice after each addition.
- Mixture will still be crumbly but hold together when pinched, avoid overmixing.
- Divide mixture and shape into two disks. Place in the fridge to chill for at least an hour before rolling out. Can keep in fridge for two days.
Tried this recipe?tag #sunriseflourmill
This recipe worked great!
I ended up adding extra water, 7Tbs instead of 5Tbs. This usually happens when I make pie crust, with any recipe. I have to add more water.
I live in California where the humidity stays around 15-20% so my flour is drier than most flour…I routinely add more water but start with the recommended amount…add the extra gradually. Sunday will be our Turkey Day. We went to our Mexican restaurant for our Thanksgiving.
Does anyone have any pie crust recipes that don’t include using a food processor? I don’t have one. Can I just use a dough cutter?
I make pie crust by hand, I don’t think it’s worth the cleanup hassle of using a food processor. Just need a bowl and fork. Just mix your flour and salt (etc.) and cut in the shortening or whatever you use. When crumbly add the liquid and mix just to blend. Then chill, roll out and bake. Easy peasy.
I have always used a pastry cutter (sometimes called pastry blender) which i think is easier than a fork. It’s a handle to which strips of metal or wire are attached so its like having a lot of little knives together
I’m changing to measureing flour by weight rather than volume. I believe that compensates for the level of humidity in the kitchen and improves the end product.
If you figure out the weight for any of these recipes, please add to comments. Weight is always better for better outcomes.
I made most of my family’s pies from age 12 until 62 when I quit gluten. This is my first year with wheat flour again. I always used two bread knives to cut in the fat. I’ve used goose fat, shortening and butter. I think I even used lard…my grandmother made hers with whatever fat was in the can on the stove. I hate using the pastry cutter and even grating the butter…hate the cleanup.
Try freezing your butter then running it over a cheese grater. It gives you those little pieces that ‘rub’ together easily with your fingers.
Great idea, Laura! I’ll try it.
Yes you can use a pastry cutter, no food processor (this just makes the mixing a tad easier). When using a pastry cutter in the bowl add water a TBL at a time, until the flour starts to hold together in your hand. once it does that you are done mixing ingredients. Just shape into a round disk wrap in plastic wrap and put disk into fridge to rest and chill for 30 minutes. Then roll out onto a lightly floured board. Put into pie plate and using a fork, prick to make holes to keep dough from rising or use crumbled up, then flattened out to put on top of dough and add dry beans to fill it up. (these 2 methods are what is called, “Blind baking”), Follow your recipe if not baking your crust beforehand.
You don’t need a food processor. Dough cutter works great! Let me know how you like the crust.
Yes! Use a dough cutter. I make mine by hand too.
Just a little hint. Add a few tablespoons of ice cold vodka replacing some of the water. The crust rolls out wonderfully and doesn’t ever fall apart.
The amount of water that is needed is dependent upon the humidity levels in the environment in which you are baking.
The amount of water that is needed is dependent upon the humidity levels in the environment in which you are baking. The amount of water needed is just enough to make the flour mixture stick together. Too much water will make the dough tough. So the 5 Tbs is just a starting point. Some days it can take less/more water. Also, I put ice cubes in the water and then measure out what is needed. The water needs to be very cold and that is a good secret of great crust!
The amount of water that is needed is dependent upon the humidity levels in the environment in which you are baking. The amount of water needed is just enough to make the flour mixture stick together. So the 5 Tbs is just a starting point. Some days it can take less/more water. Also, I put ice cubes in the water and then measure out what is needed. The water needs to be very cold and that is a good secret of great crust! After adding water the less that it is worked the better. Over working the dough will make it tough. (I think I just told so family secrets!)
The amount of water that is needed is dependent upon the humidity levels in the environment in which you are baking. The amount of water needed is just enough to make the flour mixture stick together. So the 5 Tbs is just a starting point. Some days it can take less/more water. Also, I put ice cubes in the water and then measure out what is needed. The water needs to be very cold and that is a good secret of great crust! After adding water the less that it is worked the better. Over working the dough will make it tough. (I think I just told some family secrets!)
Followed recipe but after taking out of the fridge my disks are like hockey pucks! Can’t even roll them out. Any ideas on what I did wrong?
Just set on the counter for 20 minutes, the fridge time is let the dough completely hydrate and firm the fat. Setting it out at room temp relaxes everything
Do you have a measurement of the flour by weight?
If you only need 1 crust can you freeze the other disk, and for how long?
Yes! You can buy crusts like that so you can also diy. Roll out if you like and place in parchment and roll back up and place in freezer storage bag.
What kind of vinegar is best?
What kind of vinegar is best?