All American Double Crust

I hate it when you watch cooking shows that talk about how easy it is to make pie and then make an all butter crust and act like it is the simplest thing. Pie crust isn’t that difficult to do once you understand the technique. If you are just learning or have struggled with pie crust in the past, do yourself a favor and make a shortening crust. It is more forgiving to work with because the shortening doesn’t melt as easily as butter. I like the Crisco recipe, I think it tastes great and use it all the time when I want something easy to work with. Even though it won’t have the flavor of butter, I guarantee it will taste better than those store bought crusts.

The crust recipe below is my current favorite crust. It is sort of in between the Criso crust and an all butter crust. It has the flavor of a butter crust, but is a little bit easier to work with. It definitely needs to chill about an hour before trying to roll out. When I know I am going to make pie, I like to make the crust a day or two ahead and let it rest in the fridge overnight. Also, even if I only need a single crust, I like to make the full recipe and freeze one of the disks. It freezes well and makes for quick baking the next time I want to make pie. I just let it defrost in the fridge overnight or on the counter for about an hour. I think it is actually easier to roll after being frozen.

All American Double Crust
Adapted from Apple Pie by Ken Haedrich

3 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup cold butter, cut into ¼ inch pieces
½ cup cold shortening, cut into pieces
½ cup ice cold water

• Put flour, sugar and salt in a food processor; pulse several times to mix.
• Scatter shortening pieces over flour and pulse 5 to 6 times to cut in the shortening.
  
• Fluff the mixture with the fork. Scatter the butter pieces over the flour and pulse another 5-6 times. Fluff the mixture again.
• Drizzle half of the water over the mixture and pulse 5 to 6 times. Fluff and sprinkle on the rest of the water. Pulse 5-6 times until pastry starts to form clumps. It will look like coarse crumbs.
• Dump mixture onto counter and squeeze some between your fingertips. If it is dry and not packable, drizzle a teaspoon or so of water and work it in with your fingertips. Divide the pastry into two balls and flatten into a disk. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and chill in fridge for at least 1 hour.

If whatever pie filling I am using has baking directions, I follow those when baking the pie. But if not, I usually bake this pie crust once filled at 375 for about an hour. Pie will be done when fruit fillings get bubbly around the edges and the crust is golden.