[pastrycake]

Hello,
The holidays are just around the corner. In the past I spent a lot of time making my pie crust. It usually make a whole mess with the flour and countertop. The results for a pecan or pumpkin pie are no difference than the store bought pie crust. So yes, I cheated last year. This year I would like to make another attempt from scratch. Some recipes calls for diced butter cut into flour and others call for shortening and apple cider. What makes a better and flakier crust?

Thanks

[siduri]

Flakiness comes from the butter being incompletely incorporated. The butter should be in visible flakes, when you add your liquid. If it's too homogeneously incorporated, if the mixture of flour and butter seems finely granulated it's been worked too much.
The flakiness comes from the fact that the butter pieces are surrounded by flour and water, which get flattened in rolling out, and then when they melt they leave a space between the layers which the heat puffs out, since air expands in heat. It cooks the flour-water paste so it gets firm in that position with little flat holes, which are the flakiness.
I don't know what makes pastry even more flaky, never heard of using cider, apparently some acid helps, like sour cream, but never tried it. Maybe cider or cider vinegar does the same thing.

[panini]

keeping the ingredients cold during prep is very important. Using ice water is best.

[Jock]

It is generally accepted that shortening makes for a flakier crust (and IMO easier to handle) and butter gives flavor. So the recipes calling for a mix of each get the benefits from each.

A little acid will help to tenderize the crust and I have seen some formulae with a teaspoon or so of vinegar. However, with careful handling and a lot of practice you can keep your crust tender without the acid component.

Like Panini said, keeping everything well chilled is a good start.

Jock

[AprilB]

I'll cut the butter/shortening into the flour then wrap and chill before adding ice water. Then I'll add the water, wrap and chill again before rolling and cutting. 'Course I'm in the desert.

Never heard of the acid effect except that some recipes use sour cream. (which I've only used in some sweet pastry/shortbread type recipes)

April

[mudbug]

Many in previous generations swear by the addition of vinegar.

You can also chill/freeze all the ingredients before you even use them. The key, as stated above, is the proper incorporation at the proper temperature, the proper ratio of ingredients to each other, not overworked so that the fat does not literally become blended with the dry ingredients but rather remains in larger, solid forms so that when heated in the oven, the fat turns to liquid and evaporates which creates the layers in the dough.

Here is an article you may find helpful: Perfect Pie Crusts

[qahtan]

RECIPE, TNT chicken pot pie.
1
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y58...urebroc022.jpg

2
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y58...urebroc025.jpg

3
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y58...urebroc010.jpg


Don't now if any one wants it but I took picture of the chicken pot pie I made a couple day's ago, any way here goes. I had several fillets from chicken breasts.

About 8 raw chicken fillets cut into bite size pieces.
2 leeks cleaned and sliced small
4 shallots chopped small
2 small tomatoes skinned and seeded also cut small,
these I added for colour
1 medium potatoe, peeled and cut really small, as they take longer to cook.
1 can of cream of chicken soup
a good pinch of dried thyme also a shake of herbs of Province.
shake of sea salt

Mix all together cover and place in refrigerator till pastry is ready.
To make pastry,
1 cup cold butter, salted
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 egg
about 3 tablespoons water.
Place butter and flour in food processor, pulse so the butter looks like breadcrumbs, add egg and water, and pulse several times till the dough comes together. Remove from bowl, roll in flour, cut off enough to line pan I used a 9-inch pan. Roll out the cut off piece roll out not too thin, line pan, pile the filling into pastry lined pan, proceed to roll out another piece dough to make lid, dampen edges pastry in pan, apply lid, press lightly together, cut off overhang, crimp edges, cut steam vents, bake 390 until golden on top.
Use left over dough for quiche or what ever, freezes well.