A Perspective on Dough
I read these words today…
“Whenever your perspective on something creates emotional pain, it’s always because your perspective is still so narrow that you’ve yet to see all the good it will make possible. Because it will.”
When I read this, the first thing I thought of was how to apply these words to pie making and the teaching that I do. Every pie maker has days when things fall apart, both at the baking counter, and in life, too. Yes? But let’s not let that stop us from enjoying the process and continuing on. How about shifting our perspective from a dough that is falling apart, to doughs that are creative, and doughs that we know how to fix?
If we get stopped at the roll out, let’s find ways to move on towards the bigger picture which is Pie! Pie is the goal and let’s try to keep our minds on that thought and not all the fractured pieces.
Photo by Lara Ferroni
If dough falls apart in the roll out, use a tiny bit of water to “glue” the pieces back together, place on top of the pie, and bake as usual.
Here’s a “cover pie” that was made using this technique by one of my students.
Anything is possible!
Proper technique in producing the dough will always prevent dry, crumbly dough during the roll out. I guess I don’t understand why this post is even necessary… Teaching proper dough construction is what is needed.
Jack- Thanks for checking in. The point of the post is to encourage those who might get stuck in believing that they will never succeed with dough. If you already have a proven technique that works for you, the post would not be relevant. And for those that don’t have a technique, there is a tutorial on making dough that I have written here. I’ll add it to the post.
My point is anyone and everyone can produce perfect pie crust dough every time by following a few basic techniques.
Yes this is a much better perspective about dough that takes a bit more time!!!
What I enjoy, and so do many with whom I share my love of the craft, is the process. Thanks for checking in, Rosalie. 🙂
Hey Jack Loganbill! Would love to hear about your technique for producing perfect pie dough. After more years than I care to confess, my pie dough likes to laugh at me on occasion. And yet, I’m always seeking perfection. A little vodka? A lotta lard? Lard plus butter? A magic rolling pin? Although more often than not, anyone who has been on the receiving end of a homemade pie tends to believe there is perfection in every bite. So what’s your secret?
When it comes to baking I have found that proper technique is almost as important as the ingredients. When it comes to pie crust, the manner in which you incorporate the fat is key to a successful pie crust. Then, the manner and quantity of water comes into play.
Incorporating fat: I use 10 Tablespoons of fat for 1-1/2 cups AP flour, 8 Tbsp of butter, 2 Tbsp shortening. I freeze the shortening. Here is the quickie description:
1-1/2 cups AP flour
2 Tbsp white granulated sugar
1/2 tsp salt
10 Tbsp fat (8 Tbsp butter, 2 Tbsp shortening)
1/3 cup ice water
Add all dry ingredients to the food processor bowl.
Cut one stick of butter lengthwise, turn and cut lengthwise again, then cut into equal size cubes. Sounds harder than it is. Place the separated cubes into the FP bowl and pulse 10 times. The small cubes of butter is the key technique.
Add the frozen shortening to bowl and pulse 5 times.
Add 1/4 cup of water over the dry ingredients (remove lid to add water). Pulse a few times. The ingredients will appear dry. Add 1 to 2 Tbsp of water over mixture, pulse. The ingredients should come together, but stop before dough balls up. It if balls up, you added too much water. The dough will work, but…
Dump bowl contents onto sheet of wax paper, Use paper to roll and shape dough into a disk. Wrap in wax paper and refrigerate for 1/2 hour or more.
Flour canvas mat and place dough onto floured surface. Flip. Roll out to a perfect circle.
Works every time. Again, technique keys: Cube the butter, do not over mix-blend, add water until just before dough balls up. Using this recipe and process, the dough always turns out perfect, rolls out perfectly, and is easily placed in the pan, just like watching a pro. I should make a quickie video, I have images of the crust rolled out, somewhere…I have demonstrated this technique at baking – health seminars…again, works every time!!!!
Thanks for generously posting your food processor technique, Jack. 🙂 And, do you have a technique for dough made without using one, and made by hand?
Kate,
After Pie Camp last fall, I made several pies for the holidays that were a big success. But through the spring and summer, I didn’t make any pies – arg. I didn’t have time to get started on pies this year until Thanksgiving morning and I was panicked. I was so afraid that I wouldn’t remember how to make dough. I made myself just jump into it and I hoped that my pie camp experience would prevail. And it did!! The dough was crumbly and I thought that it wouldn’t work, but it rolled out like a dream. I used the techniques that I learned in pie camp that you mentioned in your blog – a little bit of water, a sprinkle of flour – to fix the edges when I needed to, but it wasn’t much. I made three pies: a double-crust apple, a chocolate chess, and a pumpkin and they all looked and tasted great. Just wanted to let you know, because it made me realize that just a couple of days at pie camp and I’m pretty sure that I am a pie-maker for life!
Happy holidays, Amy Carroll
Amy-So great to hear. It’s great when things roll out perfectly, and when they don’t it’s nice to know that there are simple ways to move through it. I think that is one of the defining characteristics of a pie-maker is creativity. Hap-Pie Holidays to you too, Amy!
Interesting comments and conversation. Here’s my two cents:
I understand Jack’s comment about proper technique yielding a successful crust. Proper technique is key, and serves as a strong foundation.
But it’s also a moving target. If it wasn’t, why would Bubba Watson practice his golf swing everyday, or Tom Brady his passes? I think that this was Kate’s point: that as much as some of us may get it right most of the time, we sometimes get it not-so-right…and it’s no big deal when that happens.
I also know that it’s one thing to demonstrate “proper technique” and quite another thing when a beginner tries to replicate it. For instance, Jack lays out a method for making food processor pastry that’s essentially the exact way I do it. But I can – and have – demonstrated that technique to home bakers on countless occasions, and if there are 15 people in the class I will see 15 different results.
The point being that proper technique only begins to make sense and sink in after the “pie student” has put in some practice.
Finally, I used to be part of the crowd that says “pie making is easy.” I don’t say that anymore because I’ve been humbled by (literally) hundreds of emails I’ve received at The Pie Academy from frustrated pie makers, many of whom have tried to make a decent pie crust for years. So now I take a different approach: I say that pretty much anyone (with regular practice) can become 80% proficient as a pie maker in about a year, but that last 20% could take a lifetime.
Best to all – Ken
Thanks for joining the conversation, Ken. Jack’s method for food processor pastry is just about the same as I teach to those who want to do it with a machine, too. I will never consider myself an expert, but a devoted practitioner of the craft of pie making, and I never get tired of learning something new at each and every pie workshop I teach and with every pie I make.
My process / technique eliminates the key issues that lead to pie dough failure (poor fat integration, too little/too much water, overhandling, and overmixing). This process avoids issues of a hot dry, cool dry, or humid kitchens. The process simply works, and works every time. It may take a few tries to “see” the ingredients come together as you add water, but you will never be more than a tablespoon off, and once you get the hang of it, that won’t happen.
And I chuckle when I read to add vodka, vinegar, an egg, and so forth. Do you really think that pastry chefs bother or work with those ingredients for pie dough? No, they don’t. What they know is how ingredients come together. How water dissolves flour, how to incorporate fat without over processing the ingredients, and so forth. It is all about technique. Sure, the right ratios one ingredient to another is important, but we all use about the same ratios…so why does a crust work one time and not another? Technique!!!!
Though way off topic, I use a similar technique when preparing bread dough. My bread turns out perfect every time. Doesn’t matter if it is humid, hot, cold, dry… I bake a lot of bread, baked 10 loaves last Saturday for instance. I found that external conditions do not matter once you have learned the few essential techniques. For instance, I measure the wet ingredients but not closely. Does not matter! I use the same ratios for salt, fat, sweetener as everyone else. The process is simple: Measure and place the liquids and fat in the mixer. Mix until incorporated. Add the sweetener. Mix until incorporated. Add a bit more than 1/2 of the flour and the remaining dry ingredients including yeast (if using Instant Bakers Yeast). Mix. Add flour 1 cup or 1/2 cup at a time with mixer running until the dough reaches the right consistency (slightly sticky). Knead for 1/2 the desired time. Check the dough, if too sticky, add additional flour (it won’t be dry, it only gets stickier). Knead for remaining time. Pull desired amount, shape by hand, place in pans to raise. Works every time! It really is just that simple.
I am amused when bakers say they cannot bake bread, it does not rise, or they can’t control the temperature or humidity of the kitchen. Balderdash. If the dough is the right consistency and your yeast is halfway decent, the bread will rise just fine. Assuming decent yeast, 9 out of 10 times bread does not rise because the dough is too dry, too stiff coming out of the mixer. If the dough is the right consistency, it will rise on the counter, in a draft, in the refrigerator, etc.
Great commentary on pie pastry. I’m in agreement with the gentlemen and Kate. What is crucial in pastry like many things in mastering a skill is an openness from the student to let go of their previous assumptions and really observe . My pastry technique improved when I followed Madeleine Kamman’s techniques. She applies a technique call fraisage. She doesn’t compact the pastry and the aeration. This makes ALL the difference. It’s in her book the making of a cook.
There are so many roads, all good, that can help get us to the final destination. Thanks for checking in, Valerie.