Sugar Pastry Pie Crust Recipes

FRENCH PASTRY PIE CRUST

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, and sugar. Mix well, then cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse meal.
• In a small bowl, combine egg, vinegar, and 4 tablespoons of water. Whisk together, then add gradually to flour mixture, stirring with a fork. Mix until dough forms a ball. Add one more tablespoon of water if necessary.
• Allow dough to rest in refrigerator 10 minutes before rolling out.

THE BEST PIE CRUST RECIPE

Steps:

• Whisk together flour and salt.
• Cut the lard into the flour with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the lard is pea sized lumps within the flour.
• In a 1 cup liquid measuring cup, combine the vinegar and beaten egg. Add enough ice water to bring it to one full cup of liquid.
• Gradually stir the liquid into the lard mixture, adding only enough liquid to make dough cling together.
• Gently gather the dough into a ball and divide into 6 equal portions.
• Wrap the portions and refrigerate for 15-30 minutes (if you are using right away) or freeze for future use.
• When you are ready to use and the dough has chilled for at least another 15 minutes, roll out each portion on a lightly floured surface. If the dough is sticking, chill again for another hour or two. The dough must be cold to be flaky!
• Transfer the prepared dough to pie plate.
• Trim and flute shells or crusts and bake according to your pie recipe. Yield: 3 9-inch double crust pies or 6 pie shells.

SUGAR PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a bowl, combine the flour and powdered sugar. Add the butter and mix with a pastry blender until coarse crumbs form. Form the crumbs into a dough (you may need to add a little cold water if it is too crumbly). Press the dough into an 8 or 9 inch pie plate. Prick the bottom of the dough with a fork. Place the pie crust in the oven and bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let the crust cool completely before using.

EGG YOLK PASTRY

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt; cut in shortening until mixture is crumbly. Combine the egg yolk and water; gradually add to flour mixture, tossing with a fork until a ball forms. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until easy to handle., For a double crust, divide pastry in half so that one ball is slightly larger than the other. Roll out larger ball to fit a 9-in. pie plate. Transfer pastry to pie plate. Trim pastry even with edge of plate. Add filling. , Roll out remaining pastry to fit top of pie; place over filling. Trim, seal and flute edges. Cut slits in top. Bake according to recipe directions., For two single crust, divide pastry in half. Roll out each portion to fit a 9-in. pie plate. Transfer pastry to pie plate. Trim pastry to 1/2 in. beyond edge of plate; flute edges. Fill or bake shell according to recipe directions.

HOLIDAY PASTRY AND PIE GLAZES

Steps:

• GLAZED: beat egg white with water - brush over pastry before baking.
• SHINY: using a soft brush - brush on just enough cream to cover before baking.
• SUGARY: Brush with milk, sprinkle with sugar before baking.
• RICH BROWN: brush top with melted butter before baking.
• And yes my favorite - lightly flick water over crust with fingertips, carefully tip to spread the water - sprinkle with sugar before baking. All so simple yet make for that added touch. Baking time for the pies - go with the suggested baking time your recipe calls for.

SUGAR PASTRY PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Combine flour and butter in mixer, mix for few seconds.
• Add sugar and salt and bring it to breadcrumb stage.
• Add the egg and cold water if needed.
• Take care not to overwet.
• Mix until it forms into a ball.
• Allow to rest in a cool place before using.
• Fill with whatever pie ingredients you're using.
• Bake in a 350° oven for 20 to 30 minutes.

PâTE SUCRéE - FRENCH SWEET TART CRUST (PASTRY DOUGH)

Steps:

• Mix Dy Ingredients: Whisk together flour, icing sugar, salt and almond meal in a bowl.
• Add butter: Use your fingertips to rub the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles breadcrumbs. (Note 4).
• Add egg: Mix with a rubber spatula until it becomes too hard to stir anymore, then use your hands to bring it together into a dough.
• Bring dough together: Turn dough out onto a work surface, then knead to bring together into a smooth ball. Flatten into a 2cm / 0.8" thick disc. Wrap with cling wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Unwrap chilled dough. Place on a lightly floured work surface.
• Roll out into a 32cm / 13" round (3mm / 1/8" thick).
• Line tart tin: Roll pastry lightly on to a rolling pin (ie. so it wraps around itself). Then unroll it gently over the tart tin.
• Fit pastry: Adjust the pastry to fit into the tart tin, fitting into the corner, taking care not to stretch it (causes shrinkage during bake).
• Trim excess dough: Roll the rolling pin over tart tin to trim excess dough. Pictured tart tin is 24 x 3 cm / 9.5 x 1.2" - you can use any up to this size.
• Prick the base of the pastry 30 times with a fork. Not all the way through - just make a light prick on the surface.
• Chill pastry in tart tin for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 200°C / 390°F (180°C fan).
• Baking beads: Cover pastry with 2 sheets of baking paper (parchment paper), in a "X" arrangement. Fill with baking beads (or 2 cups dry raw rice or beans).
• Baking times for a Par Baked Tart to be used for tarts that are baked for > 30 minutes once the filling is added into the cooked tart shell.
• Bake 15 minutes the remove from oven. Use excess paper to remove baking beads.
• Bake uncovered 5 minutes: Return tart crust to oven for 5 minutes. Pastry should be light golden, crispy on surface, but slighty undercooked inside (will finish cooking once filled and baked again).
• Use these baking times if the tart shell is to be used for raw fillings (ie tart not baked once crust is filled) OR fillings that are baked for < 25 minutes.
• Bake 15 minutes the remove from oven. Use excess paper to remove baking beads.
• Bake uncovered 10 minutes: This will fully cook the pastry through and give it nice colour which we need as the pastry won't cook through in less than 25 minutes once filled.
• Cool: Remove then cool in tart tin before filling (this ensures crust stays crispy once filled), then baking again if filling needs to be cooked (like this Pistachio Frangipane Pear Tart).
• Make ahead up to 3 days, suitable for baking once filled.