MY MOM'S FLAKY PIE CRUST

My Mom's Flaky Pie Crust image

It doesn't matter where my mom takes one of her pies, she receives compliments on her light flaky pie crusts. You never see the crust still sitting on the plate when someone eats a slice of her pie! This is a versatile crust recipe and can be used for more than just pies. Plenty of appetizers start with a crust too! When I...

Provided by Kimberly Quintal

Time 45m

Number Of Ingredients 6

Ingredients

2 c all purpose flour
1 c crisco shortening (or butter flavor shortening if you prefer)
1/4 to 1/2 c cold milk or cream or half n half (if using the crust for something like chicken pot pie you can use stock/broth for the liquid)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
i have added lemon zest when making a lemon pie and have also added cinamon when making an apple pie. you can play with flavor add-ins like that!

Steps:

1. Pour 2 cups flour into a mixing bowl. Add sugar and salt and stir. Add 1 cup shortening. With pastry cutter, cut in the shortening until the mixture resembles sand.
2. Add 1/4 cup of milk at first. Sometimes you will use the full 1/2 cup of milk and sometimes not depending on time of year and humidity, etc. With a large fork (I like to use a large serving fork for example) stir until it "comes together" and STOP! Over mixing is what causes a tough dough. With floured hands, form a dough ball then flatten a bit into a "disc". Wrap in plastic wrap and set in fridge for about 20-30 minutes to rest and allow the dough to relax, making it easier to roll.
3. During the last 10 minutes of resting, pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. When ready, on a well floured surface (you can use less flour if you have one of those pastry discs with a pastry cover on it) roll dough out to whatever shape you need it for the pan or pie plate you are using. "Dock" the crust (poke holes in it with a fork, toothpick or other utensil to make small steam release holes) before baking, usually bakes for about 25 minutes if you are using for a no-bake pie filling to add in afterwards. For crusts that bake with the filling, follow your recipe's instructions.
4. This recipe makes enough dough for a double crust pie but I love crust so much that I sometimes use 3/4 of the dough for a thicker crust then roll out the remaining dough, cut into strips and sprinkle with cinnamon & sugar and bake, making YUMMY treats!
5. Why not butter? Butter gives good flavor but makes crust hard/crunchy not light & flaky. Shortening really is the key. I've known people to combine both like: 3/4 shortening to 1/4 butter but I stick with mom's success! I suppose butter flavor shortening would work.