Buttery & Flaky Pie Crust

How to make a Buttery & Flaky Pie crust

Ingredients for the Pie Crust: 

8 Tbsp or 1/2 Cup Butter - Cut into pieces & frozen 

2.5 Tbsp + 1/2 Tsp shortening - measured & frozen

1.5 Cups Flour

1/2 Tbsp Sugar

1/2 Tsp Salt

1/4 Tsp baking powder

1 small Egg yolk 

1/2 Tbsp lemon juice

Ice cold water

Special Equipment's required:
A food processor

• To the bowl of the food processor add the flour,sugar,salt,baking powder. If you don't have a food processor, mix in a large mixing bowl and cut in the butter with a pastry blender or a fork. Pulse the food processor a few times to mix the dry ingredients 
• Now add the frozen shortening & pulse to blend. 
  
• Add the cut up chunks of frozen butter. Pulse the food processor a few times, just until the butter pieces are the size of beans. Take the mixture into a bowl. 
  
• In a measuring cup, add the egg yolk, pour & whisk in the lemon juice immediately. (You don't want the acid in the lemon juice to scramble the yolk). To the egg yolk and lemon mixture
  
   gradually pour in enough ice cold water, until you get 1/3 cup of the mixture & whisk gently. 
  
• Pour the water mixture over the flour and butter mixture. Very gently, mix using your non dominant hand, to combine the water and flour. DO NOT over knead or your crust will become very tough. 
• Check your dough. You want it to hold together into a ball (like a cookie dough). If it appears dry and crumbly add additional water just 1 tsp at a time & gently mix. 
  
• Flatten each ball into a disk about 1-inch thick.& Wrap in plastic wrap,& double bag it & refrigerate dough for at least 30 minutes before rolling out.
• After the dough has sat in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, remove it from the refrigerator. On a floured surface, roll out your disk of dough into a 12" circle.
• Roll the dough back onto the rolling pin & unroll the dough over on to the pie pan. Gently lift the dough, center and ease it into the bottom of the pie dish. Remember not to force the dough down. Trim the edges of the pie dough all around, with scissors or a knife, leaving about an inch hanging over. 
•  Using any technique you know, crimp the edges. I did this, using the Index finger & Thumb of both hands simultaneously. Poke several holes with a fork on the bottom and sides of the dough.

• Return the pie crust to the refrigerator for an additional 30 minutes approx. You want the crust nice and cold before you bake it. Pre-heat your oven to 425 F.
• For Blind Baking - You will now need a piece of parchment, aluminium foil or waxed paper and some rice to use as pie weights-if you do not use pie weights, the dough will shrink. After the crust has been refrigerated for at least 30 minutes, place the parchment over the crust. Pour in the rice, making sure to go all around the edges.
• Place the pie crust into the preheated oven and bake for 10-12 minutes. Remove the parchment paper with the beans & return the crust to the oven to finish baking for 5-7 more minutes or until golden brown.
• Now all you have to do is put in your favorite filling & bake further for a delicious pie.

Notes:

• I have tried replacing the shortening with solidified coconut oil, although the crust has a delicious coconut flavor to it, I got a better texture with shortening.
• Double up the recipe if you want to make a closed pie or 2 pies. 
• You can use the rice for making another dish.
• The pie dough can be refrigerated for a day or frozen for up to two weeks. Or you can even carefully wrap the entire pie (in the pan) in plastic wrap and freeze it for later use. Just pull out of the freezer, thaw and bake.