Contents
This flaky and tender pie crust is marvelous. It should be: It’s inspired by a recipe from Rose Levy Beranbaum. It’s easy enough for beginners and never fails to turn out a crust that’s both buttery and tender, which can be a tricky balance to achieve. And yet, this recipe ensures you do so with ease.
Flaky and Tender Pie Crust
This flaky and tender pie crust is an incredibly easy, never fail pie crust recipe that boasts butter galore for flakiness as well as cream cheese for tenderness.
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cups plus 4 teaspoons pastry flour* (or substitute bleached all-purpose flour), plus more for the work surface
- 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
- One package cream cheese, chilled and cut into quarters
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, frozen and cut into 1/2-inch dice
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons cider vinegar
Instructions
- In a food processor, combine the flour, salt, and baking powder and process until blended.
- Add the cream cheese and process until a coarse dough forms.
- Add the butter and pulse just until crumbs of dough that are the size of peanuts form.
- Add the cream and vinegar and pulse until the chunks of butter are the size of peas.
- Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and gently press the dough until it holds together in a smooth, flat disk.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 45 minutes before rolling it out according to your recipe.
Notes
Pastry Flour Substitute
If you don’t have pastry flour, to achieve the same tenderness in your pie crust, use a blend of bleached all-purpose flour and cake flour. For every cup of pastry flour required, use 2/3 cup all-purpose flour and 1/3 cup cake flour.
An LC Original
View More Original RecipesNutrition
Serving: 1 portionCalories: 248 kcalCarbohydrates: 29 gProtein: 5 gFat: 14 gSaturated Fat: 8 gMonounsaturated Fat: 3 gTrans Fat: 1 gCholesterol: 35 mgSodium: 40 mgFiber: 4 gSugar: 1 g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Photo © 2005 David Leite. All rights reserved.
Does anyone realize that cream cheese comes in 8 ounce bricks?
Aaron, we certainly do. But they also come in 3-ounce packages, too.
Or just cut off 3 oz and use the rest on toast or bagels.
Yes, that will also work. Thanks, Debbie!
Pie is in fridge ready to bake. Can it wait until tomorrow? Also, can I use egg wash?
Catherine, what kind of pie? And, yes, you can use egg wash. Just brush it on right before going in the oven.
I would love to try the flaky and tender pie crust but it bothers me a bit that the recipe calls for a 3 oz. package of cream cheese. I haven’t seen those in stores for years! I know I could divide an 8 oz. package, but really?
Diane, how about this? Since the recipe makes just one crust, and the holidays are upon us, double the recipe! That way you can make two single-crust pies or one double-crust pie. Right now I have 6 crusts in my freezer just waiting to be devoured by New Year’s Eve.