It’s the perfect day to celebrate 3.14159 billion reasons that I love making Pies. This is my all time favourite pie dough recipe.

If you have followed me for a while, you know I’ve been searching for the Holy Grail of pie crusts and this one is perfect for making all sorts of fancy pie crust lattice tops and shape cut-outs.

The only Math you’ll find here are cup and spoon measurements.

Enjoy!

Vodka Pie Crust

 

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Author: Barbara Barry

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 12 tbsp butter (1 1/2 sticks) butter cut into 1/2" cubes frozen in advance overnight or at least 15 minutes
• 1/4 cup shortening, cut into 1/2" cubes frozen in advance overnight or at least 15 minutes in advance
• 1/2 cup vodka
• 1/4 cup ice water as needed
• ice cubes

Instructions

1. Pour vodka into a one cup measuring cup, add several ice cubes to fill. You need to end up with 3/4 cup liquid once some of the ice has melted.
2. Measure the flour and kosher salt into a food processor then pulse to mix. Add the cold butter and shortening then pulse 2-3 or times until the mixture is the size of small peas. Some large chunks left are fine as this is the first "cut" in of the butter and shortening.
3. Remove any existing ice pieces from the vodka until you have 3/4 cup of vodka. Top with water if needed to get to 3/4 cup. Pour this mixture in a steady stream into your food processor funnel while continuing to only use pulses, starting with only 1/2 cup of the vodka mixture. Stop once the mixture has begun clumping. if it doesn't do so, add icy cold water until it does come together. Depending on the dry atmosphere, your flour, this could vary, you may need less than 3/4 cup or need to add more one tbsp at a time. The butter/shortening clumps will be the size of dried lentils.
4. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface or counter. Don't be afraid to use flour to shape the mixture as the dough will be quite soft and moist.
5. Cut in half (or cute one large piece for the bottom of the pie and one slightly smaller piece for the top) and shape each piece into a flat round (or a rectangle if you're making lattice top). I find it easier to shape once you've wrapped each piece in plastic wrap.
6. Place the plastic wrapped dough halves into the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight. I've only ever done 2 hours and had no difficulty. This dough can be frozen for up to 3 months.
7. Roll out for pie crust bottom. Roll the second piece a bit more thinly for cut-outs, braiding or lattice topping. I purchased my shapes from Williams Sonoma. They're really cute because they leave little imprint markings on each leaf and flower. Roll cut outs, etc to your preferred thickness.
8. Leaf and flower cut-outs can be placed on a parchment paper lined baking sheet then frozen until you're ready to put on top of your pie. To keep their form, it's best to freeze the shapes then bake them separately (approximately 20 minutes) and then layer them onto your baked pie.
9. *This dough can form a bottom crust, then frozen before lining with parchment paper and placing an inverted bowl, rice, pie weights etc to blind bake and use for a custard pie.

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Apple Pie Filling

1 recipe for a 9 ” double pie crust (see above)
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
8 granny smith green apples – peeled, cored and sliced

1. Form the bottom crust in your pie pan. Place into the freezer while you make the filling. This helps the sides of the pie retain their shape and height. For this pie I braided long strips of pastry dough to make a wreath and brushed the side of the pie with heavy cream before laying the braided wreath into place.
2. Preheat oven to 425F. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Stir in the flour to form a paste. Add water, white sugar and brown sugar then bring to a slow boil. Reduce temperature and simmer.
3. Place the bottom crust in your pan. Fill with apples, mounding them higher in the middle. Cover with lattice work or cut-out leaves and flowers. Gently pour the sugar and butter liquid over the crust. Pour slowly so that it can pour in between the lattice and/or cut-outs and not run off the pie.
4. Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce the temperature to 350F and bake for another 35-45 minutes until apples are soft. Cover crust edges with foil if they start to over brown.
5. This pie can be frozen and baked when needed.
   
   

Love,

Smidge