Description
This homemade pie crust recipe yields a flaky, tender pastry perfect for both sweet and savory pies. Made with a blend of lard and cold butter for the ideal texture, it includes simple ingredients and straightforward steps to create a classic pie crust that can be rolled out, latticed, and baked to golden perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
Pie Crust
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup lard
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into pieces
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup ice water (adjust as needed)
For Assembly and Baking
- Egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water or milk)
- Granulated sugar (for sprinkling)
Instructions
- Prepare the dough base: In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour and salt, mixing well to distribute evenly.
- Cut in the fats: Using a pastry cutter, cut in the lard and cold butter pieces into the flour mixture until the fats are broken down into small pea-sized pieces, ensuring a flaky texture.
- Add ice water: Place ice cubes into a large measuring cup and add cold water. Gradually incorporate the water, a little at a time, mixing gently until the dough just comes together. Be careful not to overwork the dough to avoid toughness.
- Chill the dough: Shape the dough into a ball, place it inside a large zip-style bag, and refrigerate for several hours or overnight to allow the fats to firm up and flavors to meld.
- Roll out the bottom crust: On a lightly floured surface, roll one half of the chilled dough into a 12-inch diameter circle, then transfer it to the bottom of a pie plate.
- Trim the edges: Use kitchen shears or a knife to trim the edges around the rim of the pie plate, leaving about a 1/2-inch overhang.
- Add pie filling: Pour your desired pie filling evenly into the bottom crust.
- Roll out the top crust: Roll out the remaining dough to about 10-12 inches in diameter and gently place it over the filling.
- Vent or lattice the crust: Slice a few vents in the top crust for steam to escape. For a lattice crust, roll out dough, cut long strips, then weave them over the filling, covering the pie evenly.
- Apply egg wash and sugar: Brush the top crust or lattice with an egg wash, then sprinkle granulated sugar over it for a golden, slightly sweet finish.
- Prepare for baking: Place the pie on a half sheet pan lined with parchment paper to catch any drips during baking.
- Bake the pie: Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Bake the pie for about 1 hour until the crust is nicely browned.
- Protect from over-browning: Once browned, cover the pie loosely with aluminum foil with a vent cut in it to prevent excessive browning while the filling finishes cooking.
- Complete baking: Continue baking until the pie filling is bubbling, approximately 10 more minutes, for a total bake time around 1 hour and 10 minutes.
- Cool before serving: Remove the pie from the oven and allow it to cool completely before slicing to ensure clean cuts and set filling.
Notes
- Adjust the amount of ice water as needed; the dough should just come together without being sticky.
- Keep all fats and liquids cold to ensure a flaky texture.
- Refrigerating the dough overnight improves flavor and texture.
- Use a half sheet pan lined with parchment to keep your oven clean from any pie filling drips.
- Allow pie to cool fully before slicing to prevent the filling from running.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: pie crust, homemade pie crust, flaky pie crust, lard pie crust, baking pie crust, lattice crust
