Vegan Pie Crust

Step 1

To make the vegan buttermilk, add the non-dairy milk and apple cider vinegar to a bowl and place in the freezer for 10 minutes.

Step 2

Add the flour and sea salt to the food processor and blitz for a minute until evenly mixed. Add in the cold cubed vegan butter and pulse the mixture until roughly combined, about 20-30 seconds (see images in the blog post above for reference). Add the ice-cold vegan buttermilk to the food processor and blitz again for 10-25 seconds until combined.

Step 3

Turn out the pastry onto a lightly floured surface and gently shape it into 2 separate discs. Wrap the pastry discs in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge to chill for at least an hour.

Step 4

Add the flour and salt to a large bowl and mix well. Add in the cold butter cubes and rub the butter into the pastry with your fingertips using the rubbing in method. You should be left with almost a crumb consistency, but do not overwork the dough, a few lumps of butter in the mixture are fine.

Step 5

Add the cold buttermilk to the bowl and carefully bring the dough together using your hands. Turn out the pastry onto a lightly floured surface and gently shape it into 2 separate discs. Wrap the pastry discs in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge to chill for at least an hour.

Step 6

Preheat your oven to 200°C (392°F).

Step 7

Remove the dough discs from the fridge and allow them to sit at room temperature for 5 minutes before rolling out. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one of the dough discs to a circumference wider than your pie tin. Carefully lift the pastry into the tart tin using your rolling pin.

Step 8

Gently press the dough into the base and sides of the tin, being careful not to stretch it. Use scissors to trim off the excess pastry around the edges of the pan. To crimp the edges of the dough using the pinch method as shown in this video. You can also crimp the edges using a fork. Pierce several holes into the base of the pastry using a fork.

Step 9

Roll out the second pastry disc, add the pie filling to the pie, and top with the second round of pastry. Trim and crimp the edges of the top layer of crust.

Step 10

Melt the 2 tablespoons of vegan butter and brush it on top of the pastry in an even layer. Sprinkle with granulated sugar.

Step 11

Bake in your oven which has been preheated to 200°C (392°F) for 20 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 190°C (374°F) and bake for another 30 minutes until golden brown.

Step 12

You can freeze the uncooked pastry in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight before using. It can also be stored in the fridge for 3 days prior baking wrapped well in plastic wrap.