Light, Flaky Pie Crust with Lard and Butter
User Reviews
4.9
Light, Flaky Pie Crust with Lard and Butter
Description
The recipe delivers a light and flaky pie crust by blending all-purpose flour and cornstarch with chilled leaf lard and butter, using a cutting technique to create coarse crumbs that yield a tender crumb after baking. The inclusion of cornstarch helps reduce gluten development, contributing to a delicate texture.
Egg and white vinegar mixed with ice-cold water are incorporated gradually to moisten the dough just enough to hold together without becoming sticky. This prevents toughness and promotes flakiness. The dough can be easily worked on a floured surface and chilled to rest before rolling.
For a firm, pre-baked crust, lining with foil or parchment and filling with pie weights or dried beans ensures an even crust without puffing. Baking at 375°F for 10-12 minutes sets the crust for fillings that require partial baking.
Alternatively, a food processor method speeds combining ingredients by pulsing chilled fats and dry ingredients before adding liquids carefully until the dough starts to clump but remains crumbly enough for flakiness.
Ingredients
- 3 cup (370 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp (7.5 g) cornstarch
- 1 tsp (5 g) salt
- 10 tbsp (128 g) leaf lard or lard, chilled
- 8 tbsp (113 g) butter chilled and cut into small cubes
- 1 egg large
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) white vinegar
- water ice cold
Instructions
- Whisk together flour, cornstarch, salt in a large mixing bow. Add the leaf lard by the tablespoonful and butter cubes.
- Cut the fats in the flour using dough scrapers or a pastry blender until you get coarse crumbs. When you press the a small portion of mixture together with your fingers, it should hold the shape without falling apart.
- Crack an egg in a glass measuring cup (2 cup, about 480 ml, size), and add vinegar. Pour cold water to measure the liquid to reach 2/3 cup (158 ml) amount. Beat the mixture well.
- Drizzle about 1/2 cup (120 ml) of liquid around the crumb mixture and stir gently with a fork. Add a small amount of liquid on the dry spots and continue stirring until the mixture is slightly moistened. You may not need to use all of the liquid - use just enough to moisten the mixture slightly. Some crumbs are okay.
- When the dough mixture is moistened without being too sticky or dry, dump it on a lightly floured surface. Gather up the dough. Divide the dough in half. (If I am making a double crust pie, I usually make the bottom crust dough to be slightly larger than the top crust portion)
- Form each dough half into a disk and wrap with a piece of plastic wrap. Chill the dough for at least 1 hour before you roll out.
Rolling out and fluting pie crust
- Whack the pie dough with a rolling pin a few times if the dough seems too hard. Dust the surface with a little flour and start rolling the dough from the center out and rotating a quarter turn. Run your fingers under the dough to loosen it. Dust more flour if the dough feels sticking to the surface, but use as little as possible.
- Roll out into a circle until you get about 13-inches (33 cm) in diameter. This will fit to a standard 9 or 9 1/2 inch (23 cm) pie pan.
- Transfer the pastry to fit into a pan, gently nudging it down the sides of the pan. Lift up the overhanging dough and fold it under. Create the flute by using your thumb and forefinger to make a V pattern. Cover the pie shell with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
Notes
- Use chilled leaf lard and butter for maximum flakiness in the crust.
- To par-bake, line the crust with foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans; bake at 375°F for 10-12 minutes, then cool before filling.
- A food processor can be used to pulse ingredients for quick dough assembly; add liquids slowly to avoid overmixing.
- Do not overwork the dough; some crumbly texture is acceptable before rolling out to preserve flakiness.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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