How To Make Pie Crust

Apart from roast turkey, is there anything that feels more Thanksgiving than Pumpkin Pie?

Practically every US family has their own ‘secret family recipe’ for pumpkin pie filling.

Yet, when it comes to the actual crust, the fact that sales of frozen store-bought pie crusts soar in the few weeks before Thanksgiving proves that many of us find making homemade pie crust daunting.

However, no frozen pie crust can beat the buttery taste and flakiness of homemade.

So, to get you over your ‘fear of pastry’, here is our step by step guide to the simplest, fool proof method for the perfect homemade pie crust…..

Preparation time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons of sugar
• 3/4 cups of butter
• 2 teaspoon of baking powder
• 8 tablespoons of ice cold water

Directions: 

1. Measure out your flour using Chef Remi Measuring Cups. When making pastry, exact measurements are essential as even the slightest variations can make a massive difference to how it turns out.

Our cups can be used for both dry and liquid ingredients, unlike cups that resemble oversized spoons, and they’re very lightweight and portable, unlike heavy Pyrex or glass cups, so anyone can use them without accidents.

Do not use cake or pastry flour as these flours allow heavy gluten development (which is what gives cakes their structure). This causes ‘heavy’ pie crusts.

Always use all-purpose flour as we want some gluten development, but not too much.

2. Measure out your sugar using Chef Remi Measuring Spoons, which have perfectly circular spoon heads to allow you to get into small jars, containers and pots – much easier than using elongated dinner spoons.

Also, the rim and handle are level on each spoon, so liquids don’t drip out and you get the most precise measurement. You can also level off dry ingredients with a knife blade.

3. Add the sugar to the flour in the mixing bowl. The sugar helps to soften the gluten development, so you get a more tender pie crust, instead of a heavy one.

4. Measure out your baking powder using Chef Remi Measuring Spoons and add this to the bowl.
   
   
5. Using a box grater, grate your butter using a coarse grate directly above the mixing bowl, and allow the butter to fall on top of the flour.

One of the biggest issues many people have with homemade pie crusts is not incorporating the butter evenly through the flour.

Butter left in large pieces can cause parts of the pie crust to be too flaky, whilst other parts of the crust, where the butter has been incorporated too well, can be too crumbly.

Using the coarse grate of a box grater creates perfect sized butter pieces which, when mixed into the flour, create a pie crust that is just right; not too flaky and not too tender and crumbly.

We recommend using the Chef Remi Box Grater as the 4 different plates give you the versatility to grate, chop, slice and grind all types of food.

The razor-sharp stainless steel teeth will cut through the butter fast, whilst also resisting rust, corrosion and dulling for a lifetime of use.

6. Mix the flour and shredded butter together using a balloon whisk.

We recommend using the Chef Remi Kitchen Whisk Set as they are extremely lightweight and they are made from food-grade silicone, so they will never scratch your expensive nonstick cookware and bakeware.

7. Now, add the ice cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time.

Water is necessary as it creates steam when the pie crust is cooking, which is what lifts the pastry. It’s also necessary to bring the dough together so you can roll it. However, adding too much water will create a ‘hard as rock’ crust!

Add a tablespoon of water at a time, and mix into the flour and butter, using a flexible spatula.You want to add enough water so you can’t see any more dry ‘powdery’ bits in the bowl, and the dough look like it will stick together if you manipulated it by hand.

We recommend using the Chef Remi 3 Piece Spatula Set as the thin, flexible food grade silicone can scrape and mix the butter and flour mixture thoroughly, so you add only the necessary amount of water.

8. Use your hands to bring the dough together. It should be nice and moist, without being too tacky (too much water), and it should come together without you needing to manipulate the dough too much (not enough water). Do not incessantly knead the dough. This causes gluten production, which can cause a heavy, thick crust.

9. Flour your work surface and pat the dough out into a circle. Then, turn the dough over so both sides are coated with flour.

10. Use a rolling pin to roll out your dough. Simply start at the center and roll away from you. Then give the dough a turn and roll away again.

Do not roll back and forth as, not only does this encourage extra gluten development, it’s more difficult to get a circular shape.

You may need to flour both the surfaces of the dough half way through rolling, if it starts sticking to the rolling pin.

Keep rolling away and turning until the dough is large enough to fit your baking tin or pie plate with some overhang.

11. Use the mini spatula from the Chef Remi 3 Piece Spatula Set to butter your baking tin or pie plate.

12. Roll your pie crust onto your rolling pin so you can easily roll it out into your pie plate – this won’t stretch the dough too much.

13. Now, seat the dough down into the pie plate by gently using your mini spatula and fingers to push it in to the shape of the baking tin / pie plate.

14. Use kitchen shears to cut any excess dough. You want to leave just half an inch of overhang.

We recommend you use the Chef Remi Award Winning Kitchen Shears as you can cut through dough without it sticking to the blades – must easier and safer than using a knife.

15. Next, tuck the half inch overhang under the dough. This will thicken up the pie crust edge so it doesn’t overcook easily (not doing this is one of the main reasons why many people have burnt edges on their pies).

16. Flute the edges of your pie crust. You can do this simply by poking a finger into the dough and using the forefinger and thumb from the other hand to shape a small ‘wave’. Continue all the way around the edges.

Will this be as symmetrical and ‘perfect’ as store-bought pie crust? Of course not! But remember, homemade looks best when it doesn’t look too perfect!

17. Before adding your filling of choice and cooking, place your pie crust into the fridge for 1 hour, or at least 15 minutes in the freezer.

The reason many people fear making their own pie crusts is because they don’t understand the science behind it.

Now that you know exactly what causes pie crusts to become too flaky, too dense or become burnt, you can avoid all these pitfalls and wow your family with perfect homemade pie crust this Thanksgiving!