Lets Start at the Very Beginning

Given that it is our first post here at Good Pie-Brations we wanted to start with the basics, how to cook a nice flakey pie crust!

Estimated Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Tools:

• Baking Scale (we use Escali’s Arti Glass Kitchen Scale)

• Pastry Blender (we like the 7-blade blender we have from Bakers Authority)

• Mixing Bowl

Ingredients:

• 3 cups (375 grams) all-purpose flour (we like King Arthur Baking)

• 1.5 teaspoon salt

• 2 tablespoons sugar

• 1 cup (226 grams) unsalted butter, chilled (I keep mine in the freezer until I’m ready to cut it up)

• 1/2 cup (85 grams) lard, chilled

• 1/2 cup (less is better) ice water

• 1 tablespoon vodka (we prefer Titos)

Instructions:

1. Once your scale is on (and placed on a flat surface) place your mixing bowl on top and zero (sometimes referred to as tare) out the bowl.

2. Once you’ve zeroed out the mixing bowl slowly add 375 grams of all purpose flour.

3. Add your salt and sugar to the mixing bowl and mix well (I use my baking blender, but you can also use a fork).

4. After you mix your flour, salt and sugar cut your chilled butter into pea size pieces and add them to the mixture (slowly mixing it in with your baking blender).

5. Follow the same process you did with your butter with your chilled lard.

6. Once the lard, butter, flour, salt and sugar are all combined and almost a corn-mealy consistency add in your shot of vodka.

7. After you add your vodka slowly add in your ice water. Always remember less is more with water, you don’t want to overwater your crust.

8. Once you add your water blend all your ingredients until it forms into a ball.

9. Once you have your ball of pie crust dough take it out of your mixing bowl and cut in half.

10. Take each half and form smaller balls. Wrap in plastic wrap and put in your fridge (if you plan to use it in the next 3 days) or in your freezer for longer storage (I don’t go longer than 3 months).