Have you ever struggled with rolling out pie crust dough? Why do most people opt for Pillsbury frozen pie crust instead of making their own homemade crust? Edges cracking and breaking apart? Dough sticking to rolling-pin or counter? Not to worry….I have learned some fool-proof tricks that make rolling out pie crust easy. I always use the Crisco’s Flakey Pie Crust recipe you can find the recipe here: Crisco’s Flakey Pie Crust It is perfect just the way it is, with a little extra water added.
The Shortening
The Shortening
- I always use Crisco. I have tried store brand shortenings but the result was never as good as the Crisco shortening pies.
Use Well- Chilled Shortening
- keep your shortening refrigerated for making pie crust
Use Ice Water
The recipe calls for ice water. Let water chill with ice cubes until its very cold. Use the highest amount of water. Crisco recipe says add 4-8 Tablespoons of ice water. I usually use 10.
Mix Dough Well
Let your mixer work its magic. If using a stand mixer, use the dough hook on #2 speed and continue to mix until you can see the edges of the dough pulling away from the sides of the mixing bowl. The dough will start to form a ball in the bottom of the bowl. Dough should be smooth when you remove it from the bowl. *If using your hands, knead well. The dough should not be sticky.
Refrigerate
Form the dough into a ball and cover with plastic wrap. Chill the dough for a minimum of 30 minutes. Cold dough rolls out much smoother than at room temperature. No more cracked edges!
Use a pastry mat.
When rolling out pie dough, roll out on a silicone pastry mat. Some mats have different sized circles for perfectly sizing your pie crust. Flour the surface well and spread with your fingers
Use a rolling pin
I love using my KitchenAid Gourmet Rolling Pin, it is wider than most and works like a dream. The dough does not stick to it if floured. Here is a photo of a rectangular crust I made for a large Chicken Pot Pie.
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Rolled out pie crust for chicken pot pie 
Brush crust with egg white 
[…] I like to make this pie with fresh vegetables, not frozen. In a pinch, frozen veggies can easily be substituted in to save time but please don’t opt for frozen roll out pie crust. Besides, homemade pie crust really doesn’t take that long to make and it always tastes so amazing! If you have difficulty rolling out pie crust, I have a few fool proof tips that make rolling out pie dough a piece of cake. Try these tips How to Make a Perfect Pie Crust. […]
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