All Butter Pie Crust (Pastry)

Battle in Seattle's Note:

Flaky, forgiveable and stays crispy under the soggiest circumstances! And did I mention delicious?!

• Total Time: 15 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 0 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 8-16

Yield: 1.0 double- ...

• 2 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 16 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons sour cream
• 1⁄3; cup ice water (or more)

Directions:

1. Cut butter into 1/2-inch cubes and freeze for 10 minutes (not more).
2. You can mix with your hands or with a hand-held pastry blender, but I prefer a food processor for ease.
3. Process flour, salt and sugar together in food processor until combined, about 3 seconds. Add butter and pulse until butter is size of large peas, about ten one-second pulses.
4. Using fork, mix sour cream and 1/3 cup ice water in small bowl until combined. Add half of sour cream mixture to flour mixture; pulse for three 1-second pulses. Repeat with remaining sour cream mixture.
5. Pinch dough with fingers; if dough is floury, dry and does not hold together, add 1 to 2 tablespoons ice water (start with less), and process until dough forms large clumps and no dry flour remains, three to five 1-second pulses.
6. Divide dough into two balls and flatten each into 4-inch disk; wrap each disk in plastic and refrigerate until firm but not too hard, 1 to 2 hours, before rolling.
7. (Dough can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours. Let thoroughly chilled dough stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before rolling. Dough can also be frozen. I usually make at least one extra recipe's worth, form the dough into pie pans, then freeze for later use. Just thaw before using!).

Reviews

[Chef Mickb in KODAK, TN 37764]

Excellent crust. I left out the salt and used salted butter (all I had at the time)

[Pam in the Kitchen]

I've made this three times now and it's the BEST! I used to be the queen of tough, non-flaky crusts, but now I rule the perfect pie crust kingdom! This crust is SO easy to work with, flaky, and extremely delicious. I've made fruit, pumpkin and even turkey pot pie using this crust and it's simply... perfect! Thank you for posting this!

[Jmommy209]

I found this recipe in the Sept/Oct '05 issue of Cook's Illustrated. I have NEVER been successful with pie crust and this turned out perfectly. So glad it's here on Food.com, now I don't have to worry about losing the magazine!