Okay guys, so today I really needed a pie crust in a hurry. Had this sudden urge for apple pie, but rolling out dough from scratch? Nah, didn’t have the time or energy. Remembered seeing this “quick and easy” crust floating around, decided to give it a shot. Claimed it was foolproof – we’ll see about that.
Gathering My Mess Together
First, rummaged through the pantry. Recipe called for flour obviously, salt, sugar – got those. Then the fats: vegetable shortening and cold butter. Key word: cold. Pulled the butter straight from the fridge, didn’t wanna mess that up. Fork, bowl, measuring cups… yeah, scattered across the counter like usual. Almost forgot the ice water. Grabbed some ice cubes, dumped ’em in a cup of water. Real professional setup here.
Mixing It Up (The Messy Part)
Dumped 2 1/2 cups of flour into the bowl, threw in a teaspoon of salt and a tablespoon of sugar. Whisked it real quick with a fork. Then came the fats: sliced the cold butter into little squares, dropped them in. Plopped in a big scoop of shortening too. Now, the messy part – working that fat into the flour. Used my fingers. Just squeezed and smashed everything together until it looked like lumpy peas or wet sand. Important: didn’t overdo it! Left big chunks of fat – that’s supposed to make it flaky.
Next, time for water. Sprinkled in a tablespoon of ice water, stirred with the fork. Kept adding water, one tablespoon at a time, tossing it with the fork. Waited until the dough just barely held together when I pinched it. Used maybe… 7 tablespoons total? Stopped the second it seemed like it might stick.
Bringing It Together & Rolling Out
Dumped the shaggy mess onto a barely floured counter. Divided it roughly in half. Smushed one half into a ball – didn’t knead it, just pressed it together. Flattened it with my hands into a thick disk. Same with the other one. Wrapped both disks in cheap plastic wrap, shoved them in the fridge. Supposed to chill for at least 30 minutes, but honestly? I gave it 20. Impatient baker here.
Took one disk out. Sprinkled a tiny bit of flour on the counter and the rolling pin. Started rolling from the center outwards, turning the dough a quarter turn every few rolls. Key is keeping it moving so it doesn’t stick. Surprising part? It rolled out surprisingly easy! Didn’t fight me much. Carefully draped it over my pie plate, eased it in without stretching, trimmed the edges off with scissors. Boom. First crust ready.
How It Actually Worked Out
Filled the pie with apples and topped it with the second crust, same way. Cut some slits, popped it in the oven. Results?
- Texture: Legit flaky! Like, shattered when I cut into it. Big win.
- Taste: Salty, buttery goodness. Didn’t miss the fuss.
- Ease: Start to crust-in-pan was under 15 minutes active time (minus chilling). Truly quick.
Honestly? It lived up to the hype. Didn’t taste “shortcut” at all. Will absolutely be stealing this for weeknight pie emergencies. Easy win.