Easy as Pie! ... Dough
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Pie Dough Galore
“It’s as easy as pie!”
Eyes roll, inner voice screams “HAVE YOU EVEN TRIED MAKING PIE?! IT’S NOT THAT EASY!”
For one reason or another, the thought of whipping up a batch of pie dough at home tends to spark terror in the majority of the population. Whether that is due to the perceived mess of pie making, getting that fat worked in to just the right degree, finding the perfect balance of liquid to make a tender and flakey dough that is easy to work with, or the dreaded process of rolling out a perfect ¼”–thick circle, people fear pie.
It seems odd though, when looking at a pie dough recipe, that anything with essentially three ingredients could cause panic in grown adults. Pie dough is, after all, simply a combination of flour, fat, and liquid. What could be so difficult about that?
Well, try asking a group of grandmothers or the internet about it and you’ll quickly see that pie dough is the great divider in the world of baking. Everything from ingredients to method is steeped in family tradition, myth, secret ingredients, and legend. As you’ll see, I myself have inherited the belief that a little white vinegar can make a piecrust sing. Sifting through the mountains of pie facts, articles, recipes, and tricks is nothing less than a daunting task but I’m here to help!
In the name of science and baked goods everywhere, I have tested five different pie dough recipes, four of which have the exact same ratio of flour to fat to liquid. In order to limit this little experiment and make it a manageable task, I have chosen what I believe to be the main factor in piecrust flavour, colour, texture, and workability: fat.
Below, I have highlighted four different fats in pie dough recipes using the following ratio:
4 parts flour
2 parts fat
1 part liquid
The fifth pie dough that I have tested includes a bump in protein and sucrose with the addition of egg and sugar. The ratios for this recipe are almost the same as the above but the liquid has been amended to account for the egg.
Now, just a quick note on dry ingredients before we begin: due to its protein content, availability, and ease of use, all-purpose flour is best for making pie dough. I know that the bag proclaiming “Cake and Pastry” might seem like the right choice but do not be fooled. Cake and Pastry flour does not have enough gluten in it to form a workable crust that will be easy to transfer from pan to plate when you’re ready to dig into your beautiful pie. Additionally, ½ teaspoon of salt per 1 cup of flour is required to help enhance the flavour of the piecrust. Even in baking, salt is your best friend.
Below are the results of this delicious food science experiment:
*wipes pie crust crumbs off of notes
All Butter
· Excellent flavour
· So, so flakey
· Beautiful browning
· Did not hold its shape well
· Butter oozed out (due to low melting point – 32-35C)
· Uneven rise
All Shortening
· Very easy to work with
· Shortening has a longer shelf life
· Tender crust – very nice crumb
· Held shape (due to higher melting point – 47-48C)
· Hardly any flakes
· Pale in colour
· Not much flavour
Butter/Shortening Combo
· Easy to work with
· Nice and even browning
· Flavour was great – only tasted the butter
· Fat did not ooze out and puddle
· Relatively neutral in flavour – perfect for savoury or sweet pies
· Good rise – even but a little “homemade” looking
Coconut Oil
· Surprisingly easy to work with!
· Frozen coconut oil held up in the food processor
· Even distribution of fat
· Faint coconut taste
· Lovely flake and crumb
· Just generally surprised with how well this one turned out!
· Great for sweet pies – fruits and custards that would go well with coconut
· Vegan
Egg & Sugar
· By far, easiest to work with
· Edges stayed intact when rolling
· Lovely yellow colour when raw
· Even browning – promoted by the egg and sugar
· Sweeter in flavour
· Does not lose shape in the oven
· Little to no shrinkage
So, if you are looking for the perfect all-round pie dough recipe, the combination of butter and shortening is the way to go. The butter offers a lovely flavour and colour while the shortening’s higher melting point offers a little more structure to the crust. This little number would work perfectly with any pie, sweet or savoury.
The coconut oil pie dough is perfect for sweet custard-filled pies or any fruit that would benefit from a hint of coconut. Stone fruits and berries come to mind. Personally, I’d avoid things like apple or pumpkin but that’s just me. The texture of this crust is crisp and flakey and it holds up beautifully when baked. Additionally, this pie dough is vegan so it’s the perfect option for anyone who avoids animal products such as butter!
If you are one to delve into fancy lattice work, I’d recommend the egg and sugar dough. The added protein of the egg and the slight stretch caused by the sugar makes for a dough that is superbly easy to work with. All of the folding and unfolding that goes along with snazzy lattice topped pies will have little to no effect on this dough where others might crease and break.
Basically, the moral of the story is that there are no hard and fast rights or wrongs when it comes to pie dough (other than over working or over watering your dough, of course!). Choose a dough that works for you and the pie you are making and soon you’ll be telling everyone that homemade pies are easy as, well, pie!
Combo Pie Dough
Makes 1 single crust pie
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
3 tablespoons cold shortening
¼ cup ice water + 1 teaspoon white vinegar
Coconut Oil Pie Dough (vegan)
Makes 1 single crust pie
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup frozen coconut oil
¼ cup ice water + 1 teaspoon white vinegar
In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together the flour and salt. Break the fats into pieces and pulse into the flour until coated and broken up into hazelnut-sized pieces (this should only take about 5-8 pulses).
Dump the flour/fat mixture into a large mixing bowl and, using a wooden spoon, gently mix in enough of the ice-cold liquid to form a shaggy dough. The dough should look like a bit of a mess at this point but if you pick some up in your hand and squeeze, it should hold together.
Set out a piece of plastic wrap, dump the dough out onto the plastic, and wrap and press into a 1”-thick disk. Pop this in the fridge for 30-45 minutes to allow the flour to hydrate and re-chill the fat.
Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 400F. It is important to start a pie at a high temperature as this will allow for the fat to quickly melt, releasing some of its moisture, which leads to nice and flakey layers.
When the dough is chilled, roll it out to ¼”-thick and drape it into a pie plate. Fill and bake according to your pie recipe.
Egg and Sugar Pie Dough
Makes 1 double crust pie (perfect for lattice!)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoons sugar
1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pats
1 egg
3 tablespoons cold milk
In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together the flour, salt, and sugar. Break the fat into pieces and pulse into the flour until coated and broken up into hazelnut-sized pieces (this should only take about 5-8 pulses). Meanwhile, whisk together the egg and milk and set aside.
Dump the flour/fat mixture into a large mixing bowl and, using a wooden spoon, gently mix in the egg and milk mixture to form a shaggy dough. The dough should look like a bit of a mess at this point but if you pick some up in your hand and squeeze, it should hold together.
Set out a piece of plastic wrap, dump the dough out onto the plastic, and wrap and press into a 1”-thick disk. Pop this in the fridge for 30-45 minutes to allow the flour to hydrate and re-chill the fat.
Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 400F. It is important to start a pie at a high temperature as this will allow for the fat to quickly melt, releasing some of its moisture, which leads to nice and flakey layers.
When the dough is chilled, roll it out to ¼”-thick and drape it into a pie plate. Fill and create a lattice by rerolling any scraps into long ribbons. Weave your lattice however you please and bake according to your pie recipe.