Utilizing heat elements could also be a method you are ruining your pie crust. Though gluten growth is crucial for chewy doughs or tender bread with a fragile crumb, pie dough is the other. As an alternative of requiring prolonged kneading classes like bread making, pie crusts get their tender, flaky texture from a definite lack of growth within the flour’s gluten. Colder temperatures inhibit gluten’s potential to develop, and so a cold environment is crucial for pie crusts, or at the very least chilly elements. 

Recipes fluctuate, however the three fundamental elements for a pie dough are flour, fats, and water. Measuring out all of your elements earlier than starting can streamline the pastry-making course of and allows you to chill the elements beforehand. Chances are high your recipe will name for chilly, cubed butter because the fats. It is crucial to start with chilly butter, and a simple means to do that is to dice or slice your butter in accordance with the recipe, place the butter items on a small plate, and put that plate within the freezer for a couple of minutes. The butter wants to remain chilly so it does not soften into the dough, because the small pockets of butter surrounded by flour are what assist to create flaky layers of crust. You may even place your bowl of flour within the fridge for about 5 minutes to relax. Most pie crust recipes require a little bit of water to convey the dough collectively, so be certain to make use of ice water.

Whether or not you are utilizing your palms, a pastry cutter, or a machine like a meals processor, all of the elements used ought to be as chilly as attainable when making pie dough. Whereas there’s something nostalgic and satisfyingly tactile about utilizing your fingers to include the chilly butter items into the flour, the nice and cozy temperature of your palms can shortly increase the temperature of your pie dough elements. When you desire to make use of your palms to make the dough, we advocate utilizing a calming pastry cutter to reduce warming the butter, and dipping your palms in ice water regularly also can assist to maintain your palms chilly. If the dough ever begins to really feel too heat, tender, or overly pliable, place it within the fridge for about 20 minutes earlier than transferring ahead so it has an opportunity to relax once more.

Take a look at out these strategies, together with our fail-proof ideas for do-it-yourself pie crust, for the best pie shell with our flaky pie crust recipe. The recipe makes use of a stand mixer, and if attainable you must chill the bowl and dough hook for about half an hour previous to continuing with the recipe. When you choose to make use of a meals processor as a substitute of a stand mixer, chill all of the elements apart from the bottom earlier than utilizing so every part can keep as chilly as attainable.