Pie Crust
Ingredients
Directions
The book gives no cooking times; the times in the steps were added in transcription, so check for doneness rather than trusting the clock.
Mix the dough
Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Cut in the lard until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Gradually add the water, mixing until the dough comes together.
Chill and roll
Chill the dough for 30 minutes before rolling out.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Explore the science
What each ingredient does
- All-purpose flour
- Forms the main structure of the crust.
- Lard
- Coats flour particles and creates tenderness and flakiness as it stays in pieces.
- Baking powder
- Adds a small amount of lift so the crust is lighter.
The step that matters
Cutting in the lard until coarse crumbs form. Solid fat pieces stay separate from the flour and melt during baking, leaving flaky layers. Overworking the dough after the water is added develops gluten, which makes the crust tough.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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