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.Pie Cust 101




Source of Recipe


www.marthastewart.com

Piecrust 101

By following a few simple rules, you can produce a flaky, tender crust every time.



� When making the dough, make sure that the butter is very cold.



� Handle the dough as little as possible. Both the stretching of the dough and the warmth from your hands will further the development of gluten�long, stringy protein molecules that form when flour is blended with liquid�resulting in a tough dough that�s difficult to roll out.



� Since our pie-dough recipe yields two single crusts, divide the dough in half, and pat each half into a flat disk before wrapping it in plastic and chilling. This will make it easier to roll out each crust into a perfect circle.



� Chill the dough thoroughly (at least 30 minutes) before rolling it out, and use a minimum of flour to dust the rolling pin and work surface. Brush excess flour from the rolled dough with a dry pastry brush before transferring it to the pie plate.



� For an extra-crispy piecrust with a golden color, brush the unbaked top crust with water, and sprinkle it with sugar.



� For a shiny piecrust, brush the unbaked top crust with an egg wash made from 1 egg and 2 tablespoons cream.



� Cut decorative vents in the top of a double-crusted fruit pie; vents allow steam to escape and prevent the fruit juices from overflowing.