If you adore pie, this post will help you to success! This step-by-step guide for homemade pie crust will result in an all-butter, flakey pie crust that's easy to execute and perfect for Homemade Apple Pie, Rose Apple Pie or Apple Hand Pies.
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar and salt. Using a box grater, grate the cold butter atop the flour mixture. Transfer to the freezer to chill for 10 minutes. Working quickly, and using your hands, break the butter bits into the flour until they’re evenly distributed and resemble the size of teeny, small peas. Add a 50% of the recommended water and mix.
The mixture will be shaggy at this point. From here, add about 1/4 cup of water and mix. Add an additional tablespoon of water at a time until the dough comes together. (I used all of the 3/4 of water but you may not need to.)
Flour your counter and dump the dough onto it. Knead a few times more until it comes together into one cohesive mass. Divide the dough into two and wrap each disc in plastic wrap for at least 1 hour, ideally overnight.
Remove the first disc of dough from the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature for 10 minutes. Liberally flour your work surface and rolling pin. Begin to roll the dough, being sure to rotate it every so often to avoid sticking, to a 13-inch round. Wrap the dough around the rolling pin and unroll it over the pie tin. Gently fit the dough into the bottom and up the sides of the pie tin. Trim the dough around the pie tin, leaving a 1-inch overhang. Add your filling and transfer the pie to freezer while you roll out the second disc of dough.
Remove the second disc of dough from the refrigerator and repeat the rolling process as you did with the first disc. You have a couple of options, you could simply lay the second rolled out sheet of dough on top, making a few slits with a knife so steam can escape. You can do a lattice. You could even punch out holes or any sort of shape and place it on top. Crimp the edges and brush with the egg wash.
Notes
Tips and Tricks:
Weigh your flour. I always weigh out my dry ingredients (because I actually find it easier than dirtying up cup measures). If you do use cup measures, make sure to fluff the flour, scoop it and then level it off with a butter knife.
Everything should be cold! I like to use cold butter straight from the fridge. And I'll usually drop a few ice cubes into the water so the water is chilly.
Go slowly with the water. I usually add about 50% of the water I need to the dry ingredients, mix it together, AND then add more water a tablespoon at a time, until the dough comes together.
If the disc is a bit shaggy, no biggie. If it's a bit shaggy, no biggie. When the dough rests in the fridge, the moisture will disburse throughout.