All Butter Flaky Pie Crust

This post is also available in: French

Last Saturday was the civil wedding of one of my best and oldest friend. I was one of the bridesmaids. We met when we were 14 years old. I just realized that we've been friends for 18 years ... This is scary how time flies! We've been through a lot of first times and laughs and tears together during those all these years. We don't talk or see each other as much as we used to a few years ago but I'm so happy that we are still part of each others' lives. I think that it's not easy to keep your friends through the years especially when you met really young. You grow up, you change, you make new friends, you lose each other and then you reunite. I think that it's difficult to find the good balance but when you do after so many years you know that it's a True Friend. This is really funny because I learnt at their engagement party that I was a bridesmaid. All the evening I was intrigued because she wanted me to be on the future bridesmaids pictures and then one of the bridesmaids was talking about what we should do for the wedding etc ... I was thinking that they all wanted to be nice to me and to prevent me from feeling rejected or something ... And then we were having dinner and I was sitting close to my friend. We were having a conversation and suddenly she came up with " I hope you will as a Bridesmaid ! ". Big Silence. Awkward. Me: " Am I a Bridesmaid ? ". She looked surprised and said, " Of course you are ". Me: " Great but I didn't know because you didn't ask me ". Her: " Of course I did remember, I asked you at that dinner a few months ago! " Me: " No I would remember ... ". My friend looked embarrassed and we all started laughing, she came next to me, hugged me and asked me: " Would you be my bridesmaid ? ". Me laughing " Of Course I will ". This is just how my friend is and that's why I love her. She told me that it was such an evidence for her that she really thought that she asked me! I am really sad because I had to tell her that I might not be able to be there for the church wedding and the big party and that really breaks my heart. I was almost crying on the phone. The thing is, I am starting a new job ten days prior to the wedding day who will be in the South of France. In my new airline if you want to ask for a day off you need to do it 6 weeks prior the D-Day. So I tried my best to ask them during my training in February and my flights in April ... But I will have my schedule only when I will start working ... I am really sad about it. I want to see my friend in her wedding dress ... This is the main thing I hate about my work. Missing on important family and friends life events . Other than that I made pie crust. I am really proud of myself. I used to failed and being scared by pie crusts of all kind for years. During my internship, I asked them if they could show me how to make basic pie crust. Then I came back home and I failed at my first attempt. And then it happened. A few weeks ago I succeeded at pâte sablée, which is my favorite crust. And then I succeeded at this pie crust which is now my second favorite pie crust ... It's flaky, crunchy, buttery.... My mom and my brother loved it. You will too !! So what about you? Do you still have friends from when you were a kid or a teenager? Do you like pie dough?

All Butter Flaky Pie Crust

• 1¼ cups (160g / 5.6 oz) all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp ( 5g / 0.2 oz ) granulated sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ cup (113g / 4 oz ) butter, cubed and ice cold
• ¼ cup ( 60g / 2.1 oz ) water, ice cold

1. In a large bowl, whisk flour, salt and sugar.
2. Cut the ice cold butter into cubes and rub them into the dry ingredients, using your fingertips or a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. (The butter should be the size of peas.)
3. Stir in ice water, one tablespoon at a time until the dry ingredients are incorporated, just until the dough comes together, Be really careful to not overmix it! The butter should be still visible. If it's too dry and crumbly, do not hesitate to add a little more water.
4. Using your hands, shape the dough into a disc, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.
5. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and butter 9-inch pie pan.
6. Roll out the crust to fit a 9-inch pie plate. Place and slightly press evenly into the bottom and the sides of the buttered pie pan. Refrigerate for 30 more minutes.
7. If you need to blind bake it, line the pie crust with parchment paper or aluminium foil. Fill it with pie weights or with dry beans if you don't have any. Make sure that they are evenly distributed.
8. Bake for about 15 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden. Remove the pie crust from the oven. Remove parchment paper or foil and pie weights.
9. Put it back it the oven for 10 minutes, or until the bottom looks dry. If you won't bake the filling inside bake it for about 10 more minutes or until it looks good to you.
10. Remove from the oven and depending on your recipe put the filling in and bake, or let cool on a wire rack, fill it while cold or still warm, according to your recipe.
11. Eat it!

1. Measure flour, salt and sugar into the bowl of a food processor with the metal blade on and pulse a few times to mix.
2. Add the cold butter cubes and pulse a few more times until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. (The butter should be the size of peas.)
3. Pour in the ice water in two times and pulse a few more times, just until the dough comes together. Be really careful to not overmix it! The butter should be still visible. If it's too dry and crumbly, do not hesitate to add a little more water.
4. Using your hands, shape the dough into a disc, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.
5. Preheat the oven to 400°F (210°C) and butter a 9-inch pie pan.
6. Roll out the crust to fit a 9-inch pie plate. Place and slightly press evenly into the bottom and the sides of the buttered pie pan. Refrigerate for 30 more minutes.
7. If you need to blind bake it, line the pie crust with parchment paper or aluminium foil. Fil lit with pie weights or with dry beans if you don't have any. Make sure that they are evenly distributed.
8. Bake for about 15 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden. Remove the pie crust from the oven. Remove parchment paper or foil and pie weights.
9. Put it back it the oven for 10 minutes, or until the bottom looks dry. If you won't bake the filling inside bake it for about 10 more minutes or until it looks good to you.
10. Remove from the oven and depending on your recipe put the filling in and bake, or let cool on a wire rack, fill it while cold or still warm, according to your recipe.
11. Eat it!

Bon Appétit!

Laure

Filed Under: Tagged With: Pies & Tarts ANGLOS SAXONNE, BRISEE, BUTTER, CRUST, DOUGH, FEUILLETÉE, FLAKY, PATE, PATE A TARTE, PIE, PIE CRUST, PIE DOUGH, TARTE, TOURTE