When baking, the crust is often the unsung hero. It provides the foundation for many delicious pies, tarts, and other baked goods. When done right, it can elevate the entire dish. One type of crust that is particularly popular is the all-butter crust. Made with just butter, flour, and a touch of salt, this crust is known for its flaky texture and rich flavor. In this article, we will explore some of the best recipes for all-butter crust, providing you with all the tips and tricks you need to create a perfect crust every time. We will also discuss the different types of flour that can be used, as well as the best way to handle the dough to ensure a flaky result. So whether you are a seasoned baker or just starting out, read on to discover the best recipes for all-butter crust.
Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!
ALL-BUTTER DOUBLE PIE CRUST
A perfectly delicious, flaky homemade pie crust isn't out of reach. In fact, you don't even need a food processor to make this version by the Elsen sisters, who own the famed Four and Twenty Blackbirds pie shop in Brooklyn.
Provided by Four and Twenty Blackbirds
Categories dessert
Time 9h
Yield 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Use a bench scraper to cut butter into ½-inch cubes. (If butter begins to "sweat," dust with flour.) In a large, flat-bottomed bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Add the butter cubes and toss to coat with the flour mixture. Use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the flour; do not smash or smear the butter. Scrape butter off the pastry blender during the mixing process and continue mixing. (If butter is softening too fast, put the bowl in the refrigerator until butter firms up, 2-5 minutes.) Continue cutting, working quickly, until butter is broken down and looks like a coarse crumble with only a few larger pieces.
- Combine vinegar with water and ice; you'll use 10-12 tablespoons of this liquid in the pie dough. Begin by sprinkling 4 tablespoons of liquid over the flour mixture; use a bench scraper or your hands to incorporate until the mixture begins to come together. Sprinkle in 4 more tablespoons of liquid and continue the mixing process. Squeeze a fistful of dough: if it holds, like wet sand, it's ready. If it falls apart, add 1-2 more tablespoons of liquid at a time, squeezing the dough to check if it holds. Bring all the dough together, sprinkling dry bits with more small drops of liquid as necessary; dough will look shaggy. Knead in the bowl just until incorporated.
- Turn dough onto a work surface and use a bench scraper to divide dough into two equal pieces. (Note: If you're making the Blueberry Slab Pie, do not divide the dough; shape it into one large, flat disk.) Shape into flat disks and wrap in plastic; refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, preferably overnight. Dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and frozen up to 1 month, tightly wrapped. (Note: If you're making the Peach Skillet Pie, stop here; you'll begin that lesson with two chilled disks of dough.)
- Generously grease pie dish with softened butter. Dust a work surface and a rolling pin with flour. Place one chilled pie disk on the work surface and lightly dust it with flour. (Reserve the other disk to use as a top crust for the Salted Caramel Apple Pie or Peach Skillet Pie, or to line a tart pan for the Farmer Cheese and Thyme Pie.)Roll dough by starting at the center and lightly pressing down with the rolling pin to flatten slightly. Rotate the dough and repeat, pressing down so it's evenly flattened all around, about ⅛-inch thick. Then roll outward to make a circle, rotating the dough a quarter-turn at a time to keep it even. (If dough is softening too fast, chill in the refrigerator until firm, 2-5 minutes.) Roll the dough until it's about 2-3 inches larger than the pie dish, all the way around. Use a pizza wheel to trim away the rough edges. (Save the scraps to make crust cookies!)
- Overturn pie dish onto the center of the dough circle, then remove and place it right side up on your work surface. Use the light indentation created by the rim as a guide for gently positioning dough into the center of the dish. (If dough is softening too fast, put it back into the refrigerator until it firms up, 2-5 minutes.) Fit dough gently into dish, being careful not to stretch it. Begin crimping the edge by using your fingers to roll the dough firmly so it rests on top of the rim. Crimp by using your index finger and thumb on one hand to squeeze a letter "C" into the dough rim. (Lightly flour your fingers if the dough is sticking.) Repeat, crimping the entire pie and making sure the final fluted crust sits directly on top of the pan's rim. Chill until it is ready to be filled and baked.
ALL BUTTER PIE CRUST (PASTRY)
Flaky, forgiveable and stays crispy under the soggiest circumstances! And did I mention delicious?!
Provided by Battle in Seattle
Categories Dessert
Time 15m
Yield 1 double-crust pie pastry, 8-16 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Cut butter into 1/2-inch cubes and freeze for 10 minutes (not more).
- You can mix with your hands or with a hand-held pastry blender, but I prefer a food processor for ease.
- Process flour, salt and sugar together in food processor until combined, about 3 seconds. Add butter and pulse until butter is size of large peas, about ten one-second pulses.
- Using fork, mix sour cream and 1/3 cup ice water in small bowl until combined. Add half of sour cream mixture to flour mixture; pulse for three 1-second pulses. Repeat with remaining sour cream mixture.
- Pinch dough with fingers; if dough is floury, dry and does not hold together, add 1 to 2 tablespoons ice water (start with less), and process until dough forms large clumps and no dry flour remains, three to five 1-second pulses.
- Divide dough into two balls and flatten each into 4-inch disk; wrap each disk in plastic and refrigerate until firm but not too hard, 1 to 2 hours, before rolling.
- (Dough can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours. Let thoroughly chilled dough stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before rolling. Dough can also be frozen. I usually make at least one extra recipe's worth, form the dough into pie pans, then freeze for later use. Just thaw before using!).
Nutrition Facts : Calories 360.6, Fat 24.3, SaturatedFat 15.2, Cholesterol 63.4, Sodium 298.5, Carbohydrate 31.5, Fiber 1.1, Sugar 1.9, Protein 4.4
NO-STRESS ALL-BUTTER PASTRY CRUST
If you can fold a napkin, you can make an old-fashioned pie crust-no food processor, no pastry knife, no vodka. Most important: no cracking or tearing. The dough is supple, smooth, and strong, so it's easy to handle and shape. It also freezes incredibly well, which is why I always make two. Besides, who doesn't want more pie? Especially one with a crust this tender, flaky, and crisp.
Provided by Stella Parks
Yield 2 (9-inch) pie crusts or 1 double crust
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- Making the dough:
- Sift flour into a medium bowl (if using cup measures, spoon into the cups and level with a knife before sifting). Whisk in sugar and salt. Cut butter into 1/2-inch cubes, no smaller, and toss with flour to break up the pieces. Roughly smash each cube flat-nothing more! Stir in cold water and knead until the dough comes together in a ball. With a dough temperature at or below 70°F, it will feel dry to the touch.
- Transfer to a generously floured work space, sprinkle with more flour, and roll into a 10-by-15-inch sheet. Fold each 10-inch side toward the middle, and close the packet like a book. Fold top to bottom to make a thick block, then cut in half. Using as much flour as needed, roll one portion into a 14-inch round. Brush off excess flour, drape over a 9-inch tempered glass pie plate, making sure it's flush against the pan.
- Trim excess dough into a 1 1/4-inch overhang all around, then fold over to create a 3/4-inch border that sits on the rim of the plate; if positioned inside the rim, the crust will be too shallow to accommodate the filling. Pinch or press the border into a zigzag pattern, and repeat with remaining dough. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 2 hours, or overnight. Alternately, formed crusts can be frozen up to 3 months and thawed in a refrigerator before use.
- Baking the crust:
- Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat to 350°F. Line the chilled crust with a large strip of foil (not parchment or wax paper), letting the excess loosely cover the rim. Fill with plain white sugar, a delicious alternative to options like rice or beans.
- Bake on an aluminum baking sheet until fully set and golden brown, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and carefully lift out the foil, setting it aside until the sugar has cooled. If the sides of the crust seem puffy or pale, continue baking 10 minutes more. Cool to room temperature. Use immediately, or wrap in plastic and store at room temperature for up to 24 hours.
- Key Point
- If the temperature climbs above 73°F in your kitchen, be aware that everything from your countertop to your rolling pin and the flour itself will act as a heat source to the butter. Combat these conditions by refrigerating your pie plate, rolling pin, and dry ingredients until cool-not cold or frozen. If needed, chill the countertops of a sweltering hot kitchen with bags of ice water.
- Mix It Up:
- Gluten-Free: Replace the all-purpose flour with 4 ounces (3/4 cup) white rice flour, 2 1/2 ounces (1/2 cup) cornstarch, 1 1/2 ounces (1/3 cup) tapioca flour, 1 ounce (1/4 cup) coconut flour, and 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum. Prepare the dough as directed, using a generous amount of cornstarch for dusting. The dough will crack along the creases as it's folded, but that's all right. After portioning the dough, roll to just 12 inches. Cut into quarters and transfer to the pie plate one at a time, pressing the pieces together and then sculpting the border like clay. Chill and bake as directed.
FOUR AND TWENTY BLACKBIRDS ALL-BUTTER PIE CRUST RECIPE - (4.4/5)
Provided by Mother_Daniel
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Stir the flour, salt, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add the butter pieces and coat with the flour mixture using a bench scraper or spatula. With a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour mixture, working quickly until mostly pea-size pieces of butter remain (a few larger pieces are okay; be careful not to overblend). Combine the water, cider vinegar, and ice in a large measuring cup or small bowl. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the ice water mixture over the flour mixture, and mix and cut it in with a bench scraper or spatula until it is fully incorporated. Add more of the ice water mixture, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time, using the bench scraper or your hands (or both) to mix until the dough comes together in a ball, with some dry bits remaining. Squeeze and pinch with your fingertips to bring all the dough together, sprinkling dry bits with more small drops of the ice water mixture, if necessary, to combine. Shape the dough into a flat disc, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight, to give the crust time to mellow. If making the double-crust version, divide the dough in half before shaping each portion into flat discs. Wrapped tightly, the dough can be refrigerated for 3 days or frozen for 1 month. For a pie that is filled and baked with the filling, follow the baking temperatures and times with your pie recipe. To make a baked, unfilled crust, like for a fresh strawberry pie, preheat oven to 325°F and bake the unfilled crust for about 20 minutes or until just browned.
Tips:
- Use cold butter: Cold butter creates steam in the oven, which helps the crust to rise and flake.
- Work the butter into the flour quickly: Overworking the butter will make the crust tough.
- Chill the dough before rolling it out: This will help to prevent the crust from shrinking in the oven.
- Use a sharp knife to cut the dough: A dull knife will tear the dough and make it difficult to get a clean cut.
- Bake the crust in a preheated oven: This will help to ensure that the crust is evenly cooked.
- Let the crust cool completely before filling it: This will help to prevent the filling from making the crust soggy.
Conclusion:
Making an all-butter crust is a great way to elevate your pies and tarts. By following these tips, you can create a flaky, golden brown crust that will impress your friends and family. So next time you're in the mood for a delicious pastry, give this recipe a try!
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