Buttermilk Pie Crust

[BakerAunt]

Buttermilk Double Pie Crust

I adapted this recipe from the KAF Anniversary Cookbook. I changed the AP flour to Gold Medal for its lower protein, and I use whole wheat pastry flour instead of regular whole wheat. I also made significant changes in how the recipe is mixed.

I give two versions--one a deep dish pie or large pie size, and then the proportions for a glass, not too deep 9-inch Pyrex pie dish. This dough handles beautifully, and it can be rolled to 1/16th inch thick. According to the cookbook, the buttermilk "makes the crust mellow and full-flavored. Like lemon juice or vinegar, its acidity helps temper the gluten." I find that it holds up perfectly to liquid fillings. I plan to try it with pumpkin pie in the fall--so I will use the second version below for a single-crust pie.

2 1/2 cups Gold Medal AP flour
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup unsalted, cold butter
1/2 cup Crisco
1/2 cup cold buttermilk

Mix dry ingredients in a wide bowl with a large, relatively flat bottom. (I use the largest bowl from the Pyrex mixing bowl set that belonged to my mother-in-law.) Cut butter into 32 pieces. Add half to flour mixture, and dredge with fork. Add the rest of the butter, and dredge it in the flour. Use a pastry cutter to begin cutting in the butter. When the large chunks no longer remain, add, in pieces, half of the Crisco. Dredge it in the flour mixture, then add the other half, in pieces, and dredge it. Use pastry cutter to finish cutting in all the fat, until it resembles crumbs, with no large pieces of fat remaining. [Zen's pie crust recipe instruction made me realize that the butter should always be started before the Crisco, or, as she observes, it will disappear into oblivion in the crust.]

Add all the buttermilk at the same time. (This direction goes against all you have ever learned about pie crusts, but be brave and follow it. I got this technique from Ken Haedrich, and it works.) Toss with pastry fork initially, then switch to a bowl scraper to incorporate the liquid. Do not overmix. The dough will seem a little dry, but have faith and do not add any additional liquid.

Using a scale, divide the dough into a 2/3 piece and a 1/3 piece. These will be the bottom and the top. Form each into a flat disc, then wrap in saran. Chill for 3-4 hours or overnight.

To roll out dough, I always use a large piece of parchment paper on the bottom and a large piece of saran on top. Once I've rolled it out, I flip it over and carefully remove the parchment. I then use the saran to position the dough over the pie plate and gently ease it in, before removing the saran, and finishing its shaping in the pie pan. I refrigerate it, while I'm preparing the filling (ok, all the filling ingredients are ready to go, just not mixed together, since there is usually a waiting period afterwards)--which I do not do until I've rolled out the top crust.

I roll out the top crust in the same manner, before I'm ready for the pie filling. I put it on a large cookie sheet and refrigerate it until I'm ready to use it. I usually use a very small cookie cutter to cut several holes a little back from center. I arrange the cut outs on top of the crust once it is on.

Once the pie is assembled, bring the extra bottom crust up over the top crust to seal in the juices. I also like to brush the top with cream (Land of Lakes Mini-Moos--stabilized half and half work well without committing yourself to a cup or more at the grocery store) and sprinkle with sugar.

TO MAKE A SMALLER PIE CRUST
Essentially, this is the same crust reduced by 1/3. It should work well for a single-crust 9-inch pie.

1 2/3 cups Gold Medal AP flour
1/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup unsalted, cold butter
1/3 cup Crisco
1/3 cup cold buttermilk

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• This topic was modified 8 years, 4 months ago by BakerAunt.
• This topic was modified 8 years, 4 months ago by BakerAunt.

[BakerAunt]

Note: pastry flour can be used instead of the AP flour.

For a sweeter crust, add 1 Tbs. of sugar for a single crust pie, and 1 1/2 Tbs. for a double-crust pie.

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