My Pie Crust Secret shhhhh!

[frostbite]

Don't laugh so hard about the vodka. I've heard that before and I don't think it's a joke. Substituting vodka for some of the water in your recipe makes the dough more pliable and easier to work, but then evaporates off so that it doesn't end up as tough as if you used water. Less water makes it more flaky. Vodka allows you to use less water.

I haven't tried it yet, not used to keeping vodka in the house, too many friends who don't need the reminder or the temptation.

 

[BettyR]

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Alton Brown uses Apple Jack....a hard apple cider.....in his apple pie crust for the same reason. I never thought about using vodka....I'm going to give it a try

 

[goldies99]

i use crisco and flour....i never heard of using butter.....but keeping everything cold is the trick!.....
do you use all butter ???

 

[goobhen]

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I thought the vodka was for the cook!!

Seriously though, would you substitute the entire amount of water with the vodka?

Thank you...

 

[vfem]

I recently did a pie crust, and holy WOW... it was FLAKY and BUTTERY for sure. My husband said too much so?!

Makes 1 deep dish crust:

1 1/2 sticks of Butter cubed
1 Cup of Flour
2-3 Tbsp Ice Cold water (sub 1 Tbsp of iced vodka)

WOW... I'm telling you, WOW!

Its hard to get used to the dough... so make sure you chill is good and work with it FAST. I use this for tarts.

 

[Oregon Blues]

Ingredients for pie crust are simple. Good pie crust is all in the technique.

It's amazing how 2 people can take exactly the same flour, butter, and water and one will end up with cardboard and the other will end up with melt in your mouth crisp flakes.

I know someone who uses lard to make pie crusts and the crusts are flaky, but I can taste lard which ruins the pie for me.

Butter seems to melt sooner and get flatter than margarine or (probably) Crisco. So it's possible that a Crisco or margarine crust would actually be flakier than a butter crust. The butter sure tastes good, though.

 

[goobhen]

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Okay, I am going to try this recipe! This will be the first pie crust I have made in 30 years!! ( I was 14 when I made my first one, it turned out pretty good)!
I will make it AFTER Thanksgiving~

 

[dadthebaker]

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I have dried vodka in my pie dough once but it came out tough?? I think I did it wrong, might have to try that again.

 

[goobhen]

I was just watching Alton Brown, who just took out on tablespoon of water and replaced it with bourbon for his pie crust! He is making a pecan pie, which has an ounce of bourbon in with the pecans!

 

[magnolia-1971]

yum, I've just started to use ice water. That seems to really help!