I always have so much trouble~~ either they are too crumbly or too gummy? I have been told that the weather can affect this. Anyone else have this problem?

-- Debbie T in N.C. (rdtyner@mindspring.com), September 02, 2000

Answers

I have to ask Maggie for the proportions, since I can't remember them, but there is only one way to make pie crust. Use your crisco as an over bullet sealant in your old cap and ball revolver. Put the butter on your new corn. Use margarine to shine your car engine or your shoes. Use LARD for your pie cruse, and leaf lard is substantially superior to "backfat". I suspect yopu will get other answers, but if not, I will post the proper proportions. GL, and thanks for making pies!

-- Brad (Homefixer@SacoRiver.net), September 02, 2000.

Another suggestion - keep your utensils, bowls, water, and lard ICE COLD. Even the flour, if you can think to chill it ahead of time. Also, work fast - a pastry blender helps. This way, when you cut the fat into the flour, it will be very finely crumbed and dispersed through the crust - voila, a flaky, tender crust.

Can't wait to try your wife's recipe, Brad - I found some of the best pies come from yankee homes! Not that I'm partial, or anything ;-)

Judi in CT (from an OLD Yankee lineage!)

-- Judi (ddecaro@snet.net), September 02, 2000.

I like the recipe on the Crisco can. I mostly use that recipe with shortening that is only part vegetable.

-- Mona (jascamp@ipa.net), September 02, 2000.

Humidity makes a large difference, even here in the dry west. Because of this, there is no exact amount of ICE COLD water. Pastry is an art form Experience tells you when there is just the right amount of water. Do not overwork the pastry. I roll it out once only. All scraps are baked seperate on a cookie sheet with some sugar sprinkled on. This keeps most of us happy until we can eat the pie. I've tried all these fancy new recipes for no-fail pie crusts and I've come to the conclusion that they are the last resort for bad cooks. They taste awful! And don't mention those mixes or refridgerated kind you purchase. YUCK! Lard really does make the best crusts. Very flaky. I never worry too much about how the pie looks because I know it will taste great and I refuse to overwork the pastry just so that it looks good. It's great that you make pies. So few people make pies anymore because they are time consuming, fattening, and tricky. Keep up the good work and good luck.

-- Cheryl Cox (bramblecottage@hotmail.com), September 02, 2000.

I'm sorry....I don't deal with proportions too well...here's the basics on the pie dough crust I use in the cafe'. Large handful of shortening (smile) add about 1/2 tsp. salt and large tablespoon of sugar, add enough flour and cut into shortening until what you have is the consistency of pea-sized balls. Add enough cold orange juice til the dough is pliable but doesn't tear. Its better to have a "little" too much liquid added than not enough,because if its too wet you can add more flour in it as you roll it out.

-- Beth Weber (talmidim88@hotmail.com), September 02, 2000.

Hi Debbie, I make alot of pies and here's the recipe that I use.

Single-crust recipe

1/3 cup vegetable shortening

1 cup all purpose flour, chilled in freezer

1/4 tsp. salt

3 to 4 tbl ice water

Like Cheryl said, don't mix too much. I use my fingers to mix the flour, salt and shortening. Then add water and just mix it in easy. Something else, when pre-baking the pie shell for cream pies, be sure to put the shell in a HOT oven. I usually set mine between 400 and 450 degrees. Just keep a close eye on it. Read in my Cookwise cookbook, that the high heat does something or other to make it flakier. Will have to read it again!

-- Annie (mistletoe@earthlink.net), September 02, 2000.

I was never able to make good pie crust until I learned that working the dough too much develops the glutin in the flour, which results in tough or rubbery crusts. Overworking is good for bread dough, bad for pie crusts. Mix it as little as possible, just until it's mixed together and will make a ball without falling apart, then put in the refrigerator for about 15 min to rest, and when rolling out, again, don't roll and roll and roll. Make as few passes with your roller as you possibly can.

-- Hannah Maria Holly (hannahholly@hotmail.com), September 02, 2000.

Hi Debbie,

I too used to make the worst pie crusts in the world. Believe me! I was about ready to throw in the towel when i tried Carla Emery's recipie in her book. It works great and if i can do it anyone can. I modified it some to get a really flaky crust. here goes. use 1 and 1/2 cups of flour, mix in or work in with a pastry mixer or 2 butter knives 1/2 cup of lard and a sprinkle of salt.. pig lard is the best. Mix til it forms small peas. Then add 4-5 Tablespoons of ice cold water, and a table spoon of apple cider or white vinegar. Mix til it forms a dough. Then flour a small place on counter and roll out. Should work fine. While we are on the topic, i inherited from my great granny a glass rolling pin with a cap at end to add ice water in this and roll out. I have never tried this but may one day. Has anyone else tried this? Well.. good luck, hope this helps.

Bernice

-- Bernice (geminigoats@yahoo.com), September 02, 2000.

My mother, rest her soul, always made the BEST pie crusts in the world. You could actually turn her pies over and flake the crust. One of our preachers' wife actually did that each time she came to eat. Mother always used Crisco and the Crisco pie crust recipe. She assured me the real secrets are using the right amount of COLD water and practice. She measured her water into the mixture with a Tablespoon, getting to the point she added just two or three drops of water at a time. That made sure the crust was just so. That and the fact that she made a minimum of 1 pie/day every day for nearly 50 years. Somewhere along the way she kinda figured it out. I'm still working on it. LOL

-- Green (ratdogs10@yahoo.com), September 03, 2000.

I, though only thirteen, believe that I have found one of the best pie crust recipies. I don't use any crisco at all, just half butter and half lard. It turns out to be a flaky, crispy, wonderful tasting but durable crust. I also use at least one-third whole wheat, but usually not more. It adds for a great taste and the wonderful texture of all-purpose. Kelly

-- Kelly Ballou in KY (Operagirl@hotmail.com), September 03, 2000.

Thanks everyone I can't wait to try all these!

-- Debbie T in N.C. (rdtyner@mindspring.com), September 03, 2000.

GOOD LUCK!!! : )

-- Kelly in KY (Operagirl87@hotmail.com), September 06, 2000.

For 20+ years, the following was my favorite pie crust recipe: NEVER FAIL PIE CRUST 3 cups flour 1 1/4 cup shortening 1 tsp. salt 1 egg, well beaten 5 Tblsp. water 1 Tblsp. vinegar Cut shortening into flour and salt. Combine egg, water and vinegar, pour into flour mixture all at once. Blend until flour is all moistened. This is an easy crust to handle and can be re-rolled without toughening. It can be kept in refrig for 2 weeks. Makes 2 double crusts. A year or so ago, a friend gave me the next recipe and now that is the only one I use. 5 lbs. flour 3# shortening (use half lard and half shortening if you want) 2 Tblsp. salt 1/2 cup clear Karo syrup and enough water to make 1 qt. liquid. Shake together the syrup and water. Cut shortening into flour and salt mix, using pastry blender (?). Add liquid and mix. This makes about 24 single crusts. You must use a BIG container to mix it--I use a dishpan. I have used just butter flavored Crisco. I divide it, making each ball about 7 1/2 oz. (use diet scale), put each ball in plastic bag, then all the bagged balls into large plastic bag and freeze. I like to chill the dough before rolling it, so usually don't use it right away after mixing. Once I rolled all the crusts, folded them and froze them. I like the first way best. I have a plastic pie rolling thingy with zipper around it and I can roll out a crust with no mess at all. The dough will keep awhile in refrig without freezing. This is the best pie dough recipe I've ever used. It handles like a dishcloth, really drapes in the pan and doesn't tear. Best of all, it's GOOD--but probably not good for your health! I haven't made any lately, after using all I had frozen because my husband had heart attack about 6 months ago and is supposed to be on low fat diet. Anyone ever hear of a good low fat pie crust? I can dream, can't I?

-- Ruth Travous (bobtravous@email.com), September 06, 2000.

I don't eat lard, here is the recipe that has worked the best for me. 1 cup flour, 1/4 tsp. salt, sifted together, Cut in 1/3 cup shortening or butter. (I use butter only, for pie crusts. It costs more, but is worth it!) Use a pastry blender to cut in the butter, and for the flakiest crust, use frozen butter. Slice it into pats, and then cut it into the flour. Gradually add 2-3 Tbsp cold water. Work as little as possible, as quickly as possible, you want it to stay cold. After it is rolled out and fitted to the pan, I put it in the freezer while the filling is being made, and preheat the oven. You want it to make the transition from cold to hot as fast as possible. The more gradual the transition, the less flaky it will be.

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), September 06, 2000.

OK! 2 cups flour, 2/3 cup lard, mix well but don't go crazy. Enough water for proper consistency. "Leaf lard" is the lard rendered from the internal fat around the kidneys in a well-raised pig. Whiter, a bit more delicate. This is the stuff you use first. Incidentally, if you have a butchert in your area, ask if he has either back or internal fat available. We send 5 pigs on a 1 way trip each year, and only 1 customer wants to be bothered rendering lard. Hence, we both have all we want. You can probably get yours free! GL!

-- Brad (Homefixer@SacoRiver.net), September 08, 2000.