This easy Julia Child’s pie crust recipe is a simple, flaky base that’s perfect for any pie. With just a few common ingredients like flour, shortening, and cold water, you can create a delicious, buttery crust in no time. It’s a must-have for all your baking needs!
Ingredients Needed
- ½ cup vegetable shortening (4 oz)
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup cold water (4 oz)
How To Make Pie Crust
- Prepare the Ingredients: Gather your vegetable shortening, all-purpose flour, salt, and cold water.
- Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a bowl, combine the shortening, flour, and salt. Use a fork or pastry blender to mix until the mixture becomes very crumbly.
- Add Water: Gradually add cold water, mixing lightly with a fork until the dough begins to come together. Add more water if needed to help the dough hold together.
- Roll the Dough: On a floured surface, gently roll the dough into a circle, about 1 inch larger than your pie plate.
- Transfer and Shape: Carefully fold the dough in half, lift it onto the pie plate, unfold, and press it into the plate.
- Trim and Crimp the Edges: For a single-crust pie, trim the dough to about ½ inch beyond the rim of the pie plate. Fold the edge up and pinch it to create a raised border around the pie.
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Recipe Tips
- Keep Ingredients Cold: Make sure your shortening and water are cold to get a flaky, tender crust. If they warm up, the crust may turn out tough.
- Don’t Overwork the Dough: Mix the dough just until it comes together. Overmixing can make it hard and dense.
- Chill the Dough: After rolling it out, let the dough chill in the fridge for 15 minutes. This helps prevent shrinking during baking.
- Use a Pastry Blender: For best results, use a pastry blender instead of a fork to combine the ingredients. It makes the dough more even and helps with flakiness.
- Roll Gently: When rolling the dough, don’t press too hard. Roll it gently to avoid toughening the crust.
How To Store Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Let the pie crust cool to room temperature. Wrap leftover pie crust in plastic wrap and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: Wrap leftover pie crust in plastic wrap and place it in a freezer bag. It will last in the freezer for up to 3 months. To use, thaw it in the fridge overnight.
Nutrition Fact
Serving Size: 1 piece (1/8 of a 9-inch pie crust)
- Calories: 113
- Total Fat: 7.39 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.39 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg
- Sodium: 55 mg
- Potassium: 0 mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 10.15 g
- Dietary Fiber: 0.3 g
- Sugars: 0.3 g
- Protein: 1.37 g
More Julia Child Recipes:
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Julia Childs Pie Crust
Description
This easy Julia Child’s pie crust recipe is a simple, flaky base that’s perfect for any pie. With just a few common ingredients like flour, shortening, and cold water, you can create a delicious, buttery crust in no time. It’s a must-have for all your baking needs!
Ingredients
Instructions
- Prepare the Ingredients: Gather your vegetable shortening, all-purpose flour, salt, and cold water.
- Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a bowl, combine the shortening, flour, and salt. Use a fork or pastry blender to mix until the mixture becomes very crumbly.
- Add Water: Gradually add cold water, mixing lightly with a fork until the dough begins to come together. Add more water if needed to help the dough hold together.
- Roll the Dough: On a floured surface, gently roll the dough into a circle, about 1 inch larger than your pie plate.
- Transfer and Shape: Carefully fold the dough in half, lift it onto the pie plate, unfold, and press it into the plate.
- Trim and Crimp the Edges: For a single-crust pie, trim the dough to about ½ inch beyond the rim of the pie plate. Fold the edge up and pinch it to create a raised border around the pie.
Notes
- Keep Ingredients Cold: Make sure your shortening and water are cold to get a flaky, tender crust. If they warm up, the crust may turn out tough.
- Don’t Overwork the Dough: Mix the dough just until it comes together. Overmixing can make it hard and dense.
- Chill the Dough: After rolling it out, let the dough chill in the fridge for 15 minutes. This helps prevent shrinking during baking.
- Use a Pastry Blender: For best results, use a pastry blender instead of a fork to combine the ingredients. It makes the dough more even and helps with flakiness.
- Roll Gently: When rolling the dough, don’t press too hard. Roll it gently to avoid toughening the crust.