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Perfect Pie Crust ¹
2 crusts / servings

[ INGREDIENTS ]

All-Purpose Flour
Salt
Sugar
Butter
Coconut Oil
Water
Egg
Almond Milk
Coarse Sugar

[ INSTRUCTIONS ]

MAKING THE DOUGH

1. Before you begin, measure out :
   
   9 - 10 Tablespoon Ice-Cold Water;
   and pop it in the freezer so it gets REALLY cold.
2. Whisk together :
   
   3 Cups All-Purpose Flour;
   3/4 Teaspoon Salt;
   1 Tablespoon Sugar;
   in a medium mixing bowl.
3. Next, unwrap and cut into chunks :
   
   16 Tablespoon Cold Butter ( 2 Sticks of Butter ); ²
   and add to the flour mixture and toss to coat them in the flour.
4. Add :
   
   2 Tablespoon Coconut Oil;
   and begin to cut in the fats using a pastry cutter or two forks. You've cut it in enough when there are mostly pea-sized bits of flour coated butter, and the rest looks like very small crumbles.
5. Drizzle the cold water into the flour / butter mixture, 2 Tablespoons at a time, stirring with a fork after each addition.
6. Stop adding water when the dough comes together easily and begins to form large clumps. The dough shouldn't feel sticky or overly wet. If you can grab a handful of the dough, and it forms, well, dough when you squeeze it, it's ready! It will still seem a bit on the dry side.
7. Gently begin to form the dough into a ball - don't roll it, just gather it and pat it until you have a ball. You can work it a bit to get some of the cracks out - do this in the mixing bowl or on a floured counter.
8. Use a large knife or bench cutter to evenly divide the dough in half. Slightly flatten each half into a 1-inch thick disc. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 2 hours or in the freezer for 30 to 40 minutes before proceeding.

ROLLING OUT THE DOUGH

1. Let the dough sit at room temp for about 10 minutes before rolling it out or it will still be too hard and it will crack.
2. Flour your counter and your rolling pin.
3. Start in the center of the disc, and gently roll the dough out in all directions.
4. Turn the dough between each roll to make sure it's not sticking to the counter.
5. Continue flouring the counter and rolling pin as you go.
6. Smooth out / push together any cracked areas and continue rolling.
7. Flip your pie plate upside down and lay it on top of the dough to see if it's rolled out enough, allowing for a 2 - 3 inches overhang of dough around the edge of the pie plate.
8. Don't roll the dough thinner than about 1/8 inch.

TRANSFERRING DOUGH TO THE PIE PLATE

1. Gently and loosely wrap your dough around the floured rolling pin, but don't lift it far off the counter.
2. Roll about half the dough around the rolling pin.
3. Slide the pie plate under the rolled portion and gently drape it back over the pie plate.
4. Gently press and smooth it down onto the bottom and onto the sides of the plate, making sure there are no gaps between the dough and the pan.

FINISHING TOUCHES AND CRIMPING THE EDGES

1. Once you've transferred your dough to the pie plate, trim the edges with a kitchen scissors or knife, leaving a 2 - 2-1/2 inches overhang.
2. Fold the overhang over, into the inside of the pie plate, rolling it like a rope, pinching it to the inside of the crust, so you have a thick rope of dough around the rim of the pie plate. ³
3. Crimp the edges by using your index finger on the outside of the pie plate, and guide the shape of the crimp or flute using your index finger and thumb on your other hand, from the inside of the pie plate.
4. Repeat all the way around the pie!
5. You can make your crimps as large or small as you want.

EXTRA CHILL TIME - SUPER IMPORTANT

1. Once the pie dough is in the pan (before egg wash), chill it in the freezer for an additional 15 minutes to ensure that everything is nice and cold before going into the oven.

SINGLE CRUST PIE ⁴

1. If you're making a single crust pie, freeze the crust for 15 minutes, egg wash the crust, pour in the filling, top with any crumble topping, if using, and bake it.

PAR BAKING

1. Freeze the crust in the same way, skip the egg wash, and blind bake the pie as directed in the recipe.
2. Preheat oven to 425 F or 220 C.
3. Use dry beans, rice, or even granulated sugar in a pinch as pie weights.
4. Take the pie crust out of the freezer and gently press in a piece of crumbled parchment paper - the edges will be semi exposed - that's fine.
5. Pour in the pie weights ⁵ making sure that they come all the way up to the crimped edges of your crust - this will prevent those edges from slipping down into the pie dish.
6. Place this on a baking sheet and bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until the crimps are lightly browned.
7. Remove the pan from the oven, and gently lift out the parchment with the pie weights (have a bowl ready to set it in to keep your counter clean).
8. Brush the edges of the crust with egg wash.
9. Return the pan with the pie to the oven and bake for 2 to 4 more minutes, until the bottom and sides appear set and matte ( not shiny ).

BLIND BAKING

1. Follow the same steps as listed in the par baking section above, but bake the pie for 10-12 minutes in the second portion, after you've removed the parchment and pie weights.

FOR A DOUBLE CRUST PIE

1. If making a double-crust pie, prepare the topping ( a lattice or a whole crust ) and refrigerate it while making the filling and get the bottom crust in the dish.
2. Once the whole pie is assembled, freeze for 15 more minutes before egg washing and baking.
3. Regardless of the type of pie you're making, don't skip this last round of chilling! It will help ensure that the pie crust holds its shape and bakes up with that beautifully flaky texture.

EGG WASH

1. Always use an egg wash on the crust - it helps it brown nicely in the oven!
2. Beat :
   
   1 Egg;
   with :
   
   1 Tablespoon of Almond Milk;
   and brush on all exposed parts of the crust using a pastry brush.
3. Sprinkle crust with :
   
   Coarse Sugar, to Taste;
   and proceed to bake as directed in the recipe.

PREVENTING BURNT CRUST

1. No matter how long the bake time is for a pie, Always start with about 20 to 30 minutes, and check the crust at that point to make sure it's not browning too quickly.
2. If it is, lay a piece of foil across the top of the pie to prevent the edges from burning. Use a pie shield, but a piece of foil works just fine!
3. If you're using partial bake times like this, it's helpful to keep a scrap of paper and a pen nearby so you don't lose track of the bake time!

CRUST DECORATIONS

1. Gather the pie dough scraps, roll them out ( no thinner than 1/4 inch - 1/8 inch ) and use a knife or leaf shaped cookie cutters to cut designs!
2. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
3. Bake on a parchment-lined baking sheet for about 5 to 12 minutes.
4. They're finished when lightly browned.
5. Top your pie with these pie crust designs!
6. They work well for hiding any flaws in your crust, and they're fun's.

[ NOTE ]

¹ Make sure your filling and topping (crumble, lattice, etc.) are ready to go before you roll out your bottom crust and put it in the pan. It can become weak and dry if you let it sit in the pie plate too long while you make the filling and topping. Read through the directions once before you begin, especially if you're newer to making pie crust. This will help you to avoid any mistakes!

² It’s important that the butter is COLD for the crust to turn out.

³ If it doesn't adhere to the inside of the crust that is OK - we're going to freeze the crust before baking so it won't matter.

⁴ A Single Crust Pie is a Pie with a Crumble (Dutch) Topping or a pumpkin pie or a pie with a crumble topping.

⁵ Pie weights, small ceramic or metal balls, serve as a temporary filling during the first round of baking. They’re not extremely heavy, but they’re substantial enough to weigh the dough down enough to prevent puffing. Common pie weight options or substitutes are: Dried beans, Dried rice, Granulated sugar, Popcorn kernels.

::: View the original recipe for Perfect Pie Crust at bluebowlrecipes.com