SEATTLE — New York Times contributing baker Erin Jeanne McDowell just wrote The Book on Pie and it's .. the book on pie, a comprehensive guide to everything you'll ever need to know to bake the perfect pie. Scroll down for her recipe for the perfect pie dough!
About The Book on Pie: "Erin Jeanne McDowell, New York Times contributing baker extraordinaire and top food stylist, wrote the book on pie, a comprehensive handbook that distills all you'll ever need to know for making perfect pies. The Book on Pie starts with the basics, including ways to mix pie dough for extra flaky crusts, storage and freezing, recipe size conversions, and expert tips for decorating and styling, before diving into the recipes for all the different kinds of pies: fruit, custard, cream, chiffon, cold set, savory, and mini. Find everything from classics like Apple Pie and Pumpkin Pie, to more inspired recipes like Birthday-Cake Pie and Caramel Pork Pie with Chile and Scallions." erinjeannemcdowell.com
Recipe: All-Buttah Pie Dough
From Erin Jeanne McDowell's The Book on Pie
MAKES: ONE 9-INCH / 23-CM CRUST
This is my go-to pie dough: all buttah, all the time. Butter can be harder for beginners to work with, because it has a lower melting point than fats such as shortening, but the flavor can’t be beat. And once you know how to handle the dough, it’s easy. The key? Colder is always better when pie dough is involved. When in doubt, toss everything (the ingredients, the bowl, and maybe even the half-mixed dough) into the fridge before proceeding. The recipe can easily be increased to make up to a quadruple batch of dough (see Making Big Batches using a Stand Mixer, page 30).
- 150 g / 11/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 g / 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 113 g / 4 ounces / 8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch / 13-mm cubes
- 60 g / 1/4 cup ice water, plus more as needed
- Prepare the dough using your desired mixing method (see page 27).
- Form the dough into a disk and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using. This dough is best baked at 425°F / 220°C. Parbake (see page 43), blind-bake (see page 46), or fill and bake as directed in the recipe of your choice.
VARIATION
CHOCOLATE ALL-BUTTAH PIE DOUGH: Replace 30 g / 1/4 cup of the all-purpose flour with 28 g / 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (any kind, but dark or black cocoa powder makes a particularly intense crust; see Resources, page 345). Take care not to overbake the crust—look for a dry, matte appearance all over.
MAKE AHEAD AND STORAGE
The tightly wrapped disk of dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Wrapped in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil, the dough can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before using.
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