Description
Grandma’s cherished Ruth’s Pie Crust whispers generations of family baking magic through its delicate, buttery layers. Crisp pastry promises delightful memories waiting to embrace bakers craving authentic homemade comfort with each tender, flaky bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 ½ cups (315 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (225 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
Seasoning:
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (optional, for sweet pies)
Liquid:
- ¼–½ cup (60–120 ml) ice water
Instructions
- Sift together the dry ingredients in a spacious mixing vessel, creating a pristine, aerated foundation for the pastry.
- Cut the chilled butter into small cubes, scattering them evenly across the flour mixture.
- Utilize a pastry blender or your fingertips to incorporate the butter, working quickly to maintain a cool temperature and prevent the fat from melting.
- Continue blending until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with occasional pea-sized butter clusters.
- Gradually introduce ice-cold water, drizzling it sparingly and mixing gently with a fork until the dough begins to form loose clumps.
- Transfer the fragile dough onto a lightly floured surface, gathering and pressing it together with minimal handling to prevent gluten development.
- Gently knead the dough just until it comes together, forming a cohesive disk without overworking the delicate pastry.
- Wrap the dough disk in plastic film and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, allowing the butter to solidify and the gluten to relax.
- When ready to use, remove the chilled dough and roll it out on a floured surface to your desired thickness and shape.
Notes
- Opt for cold butter straight from the refrigerator to ensure a flaky, tender crust that crumbles perfectly when baked.
- Use a pastry cutter or your fingertips to work the butter into the flour mixture, creating pea-sized crumbs that guarantee a light texture.
- Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes before rolling to prevent shrinkage and maintain the crust’s shape during baking.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute all-purpose flour with a blend of almond and coconut flour, adding a tablespoon of xanthan gum for binding.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 360
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 380 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 19 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg