Pie Crust: the best and easy base for your pies

There are staples in the kitchen that cost so much at the store and yet are easy to make at home. Pie crust is one of them. If you have a food processor, if you’re in a hurry and if you want to control what’s in your crust, please stay tuned ! You’ll be happy you did.

The one thing that differentiate our Giving Pies from the rest is our delicious crust. Yes, there is a lot of love and savoir-faire in our crust, but the recipe is a very simple one.

Dough ready to roll

With that recipe, you can say what’s in your crust and it’s so basic: flour, butter, water, salt and sugar if you’re making a crust for a sweet pie. Simple, right? compared to what you find in one of the leading brand. Take a look: Enriched Flour Bleached (wheat flour, niacin, ferrous sulfate, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), Partially Hydrogenated Lard with BHA and BHT to Protect Flavor, Wheat Starch, Water.

Pie crust in the making

I don’t know you, but if it’s simple and fast, I’d rather make it myself. And if I can avoid eating partially hydrogenated lard, I won’t think twice. If you don’t know what partially hydrogenated lard is, all you need to know is that it’s also called trans fats and it’s really bad for your health. Trans fats not only raise LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) like saturated fat, they also lower HDL (good cholesterol), thereby doubling your risk of heart disease. I know… Butter has saturated fats which doesn’t help with heart disease as well but at least, it’s not double jeopardy!

Take the time to read labels on some of the store processed food that you can make at home. You will change your mind and decide to never buy pre-made pie crust anymore.

Beautiful Pie Crust Dough

Basic Pie Crust:

• Servings 1 X 11 INCH/29 CM CRUST OR 2 THIN CRUSTS

• Prep Time 3 MINUTES

Ingredients:

• 1 cup and 3/4 Flour or 220g

• 1/2 cup Unsalted butter or 114g, cold & cubed

• 5 tbsp cold water

• 1/3 cup Granulated sugar or 70g , if making a sweet pie

• 1 pinch Salt

Instructions:

1. Add all ingredients in the bowl of your food processor. Close and pulse for 30 seconds.

2. Once your dough form into a ball, it’s ready. If it’s too sandy, you can add a little bit of moisture.

3. You can use it immediately. If the crust is too soft, you can place it in the fridge for about 15 minutes to harden and be easier to roll.

This crust freezes really well. Roll it in plastic wrap and put in a freezer bag. Leave it to thaw in your fridge overnight when ready.