Fool Proof Pie Crust

Step 1

Please read the instructions through before starting and note that this recipe crates enough dough for one bottom crust of a deep dish 9 inch pie pan. The recipe can easily be doubled if you want to create a top or if you are looking to make a lattice top. Simply double all of the ingredients and separate them into two disks in step 7 below.

Step 2

Cut up the 6 tablespoons butter and 1/4 cup shortening into 1/2 inch pieces. Place the cut up butter, shortening, and 2 tablespoons vodka into the freezer. Fill a measuring cup about a 1/2 cup full of cold water and ice cubes and put it in your refrigerator. Leave the butter, shortening, vodka and water in the freezer/refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Step 3

To the bowl of your food processor, add 3/4 cup all purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar. Pulse until just combined. (Please see notes in the post under troubleshooting pie crust about making this without a food processor.)

Step 4

Add the chilled butter and shortening. Pulse until it is combined and there are no streaks of flour left.

Step 5

Add the last 1/2 cup of flour. Pulse until it is combined, broken up, and evenly distributed around the bowl.

Step 6

Pour the mixture into a large bowl and add 2 tablespoons of cold vodka and 2 tablespoons ice water. With a stiff spatula work the dough into a ball.

Step 7

Turn the dough out, shape into a disk, wrap with plastic and refrigerate for an hour. If you are making the dough in advance, you can keep it in the refrigerator tightly wrapped for 2 days. It can be frozen at this point (wrapped tightly and put into an air-tight container) for up to three months.

Step 8

Well flour a clean surface to roll out the dough. I like to rotate the rolling pin to create as close to a circle as I can. Pause occasionally to lift your dough, adding more flour if necessary.

Step 9

Once the dough is rolled out, use the rolling pin to roll it up and transfer it into the pie plate. Roll up the dough onto the rolling pin, lift it and put it over the pie plate.

Step 10

Press into the pie plate, trim off the extra dough, and pinch the edges. To crimp the edges of the pie crust, put one finger between the dough and the pie pan and two other fingers on the opposite side to press and create a ridge.

Step 11

Use the pie crust as instructed in the recipe you are following, or see notes in the post about how to blind bake (pre-bake) the crust.