I've been making pie crusts for several years and here are my secrets. #1 A lard crust makes it flakey and taste great. Don't get hung up on cholesterol...I'm a nurse and it's something you're not eating everyday. #2 Roll your crust on a floured pastry cloth and use a floured cloth rolling pin cover. You can find these in any kitchen store or on-line. You won't believe how much difference this will make. #3 If your crust is getting brown faster than the pie is cooking, use aluminum foil around the pie crust to cover it. You can also buy disposable pie crust protectors. I haven't had soggy crusts with my favorite go to recipe.
Never Fail Pie Crust......... Makes about 2 double and 1 single
4 cups flour
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups lard ( 3/4 of a 1 lb. box...I don't measure it out in cups)
Blend with a pastry cutter.
Mix totether:
1 whole egg
1/2 cup water
1 tsp. vinegar
Add to lard mixture. Blend. Refrigerate for at least 1/2 hour. Many times I mix this up ahead of time. I even divide it into balls. Wrap each one in saran wrap, then bag the balls and freeze them. It freezes well, can be thawed and rolled out easily. I also have rolled the crusts out and put them in the piepan...put wax paper between layers and stack them. I have rolled the tops out, put a piece of wax paper on top...carefully folded the top into 1/4 and layed it in the top piepan. Then wrap the whole pie shell in saran and put them in plastic bags and freeze. I do this ahead of time at Thanksgiving. Take them out of the freezer, thaw and bake my pies. If you get last minute company...you can make a pie fast. This really works.
Last edited by resource fabricologist; 02-27-2013 at 08:04 PM.