Flaky Piecrust

By miss5elements

Adapted from Sweety Pies by Patty Pinner
Oprah.com | January 01, 2006

This recipe makes a 9-inch double crust. If your pie calls for a single crust, freeze half the dough for later use.

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 cup vegetable shortening , chilled
• 5 to 6 tablespoons ice-cold heavy cream or evaporated milk , more or less as needed

Details

Servings 1
Adapted from oprah.com

Preparation

Step 1

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar and salt. With the tips of your fingers, pinch shortening into the flour mixture until it resembles a bowl of peas. Tossing mixture with a fork, add cream 1 tablespoon at a time, until dough holds together when gently pressed. With lightly floured hands, gather dough into a flat round, cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, or overnight.

Fold dough in half, then into quarters; gently place in pie plate so that the point of the crust is in the center. Unfold, press crust into plate and trim excess dough down to a 1/2-inch flap. For a single-crust pie, crimp edge. Otherwise proceed with top crust per individual pie recipe; refrigerate bottom until needed.