The difference between a good pie and a great pie is the crust. Pre-made pie crusts are okay in a pinch, but for an award-winning, knockout pie, nothing is better than a homemade, flaky crust that perfectly complements the filling. All you need is a good recipe and a few simple guidelines.
Fat
The fat you choose and the way you mix it with the flour determines the taste and structure of your dough.
Butter: The up-side of using butter in a pie crust is that it will make the crust taste wonderful. The down-side is that if the butter gets too warm before the crust goes in the oven, your crust will be tough and chewy. For a flaky buttery crust every time, keep the butter cold until you're ready to use it.
Shortening or Lard: Using shortening or lard instead of butter makes an ultra-flaky pie crust. Shortening does not contain any liquid to bind with the flour, so you'll minimize the chance of a tough dough. These crusts are great for baked-custard pies, like sweet potato or pumpkin. Dough made with shortening or lard is easier to work with than all-butter dough, but it's not quite as flavorful.
Incorporating the Fat: How you mix in the fat determines the texture of your crust. The classic pie crust recipe usually says to leave the fat in large pieces, rubbing it in until the dough resembles "pea-size bits." The pieces of cold butter, shortening or lard flatten into a series of pockets when rolled out. Then, when the pie is baked, they melt into the flour, leaving open spaces, creating a flaky crust.
Liquid holds the dough together, but you want to use as little as possible. Too much liquid activates the gluten in the flour, making for dense, tough dough. If you use too little liquid, the crust falls apart. The key is to find the perfect balance. Acidic liquids, like vinegar, sour cream, yogurt or lemon juice, help relax the gluten and assure a tender crust. Ice water is the most common liquid of choice.
Other Variables
Temperature and Touch: Always keep dough chilled and handle it with your fingertips instead of your palms to help keep it cool. Avoid overworking it while mixing or rolling, or you'll activate the gluten in the flour and toughen up your dough.
Other Ingredients: Adding sugar makes the crust sweet and even more tender. Adding egg yolks or cream makes the crust luxuriously rich.
Nuts: Adding nuts to pie crusts contributes richness and flavor. Dough with nuts can be extra sticky, but if it's kept well chilled and manipulated with a little floured parchment, the fabulous result is worth the effort.
Cocoa: Be careful with cocoa. It adds color and flavor to crusts, but it acts like flour, so too much can make dough dry and tough. For a high-impact flavor, we use a small amount of dark, Dutch-process cocoa in this tart.
Want more tips? Click here to get our six tips on making a perfect pie crust.
