Fail-safe, Double Crust Pie Dough

Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated.
For one 9-inch, double-crust pie.

This is an amazing pie dough.  Over the last five or six years, I have hunted for the perfect pie dough that was consistent, pie to pie, easy to make, fast to make, and easy to roll out.  And was tender and flaky, too.  That’s a tall order and it was a very frustrating quest.
Until I ran across this recipe.
This pie dough is interesting in many ways:
First, it calls for mixing all the fat and most of the flour until it is well mixed.  This combines the right amount of flour with the right amount of fat.  Then the remaining flour is mixed in giving you the proper ratio of fat-covered flour to fat-free flour.  Thus, you achieve the same ratio every time.
Secondly, the recipe calls for vodka as part of the liquid.  Vodka is 80% ethanol and it turns out that when ethanol and flour are mixed together, they will not form gluten.  And gluten is what makes pie dough hard to roll out and shrink in the pie pan when it is baked.
You can try other liquors, but vodka gives the pie crust a good texture and imparts no flavor.  So please try this recipe with vodka first.  Experiment later.
When you add the water and vodka, it will seem like there is too much liquid.  But, do not despair.  Mix it all in, wrap it in plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 45 minutes.
Even after this rest, the pie dough will be moister and more supple than most standard pie doughs and will require more flour to roll out; maybe up to as much as 1/4 cup.  So don’t be afraid of putting flour on the bench.
I have made this pie dough several times.  It turned out the same every time (consistent); it’s easy to make; it rolls out like a dream;  and it’s both flaky and tender all at the same time.
At last, fail-safe pie dough.

Recipe follows.

No-Fear Pie Crust

Adapted from the Cook’s Country TV free website: No-Fear Pie Crust
Makes one 9-inch Pie Shell.

Believe me when I say that making pie dough is one of the toughest things to do consistently in the kitchen.  I have been trying to make pie dough for over five years and it always seems to come out differently each time I do it.  Of course, over that five years I could never seem to stick with one pie dough recipe.

Until this one.  This pie dough seems to break all the rules and still come out flaky and tender.  The magic ingredient is cream cheese.

The pie dough can go right from the mixer to the pie plate and be pressed into place.  No rolling the dough out.  No chilling the dough after mixing.  And for a make ahead, you can keep the dough in the refrigerator for up to two day or in the freezer for up to one month (double wrap the dough if you freeze it).

If you freeze it, let it thaw out in the refrigerator over night and then bring to room temperature before proceeding.  Also, once baked and cooled, the shell can be wrapped tightly in plastic and stored at room temperature for up to one day.

This is a great solution to consistent pie dough.  Give it a try.

Recipe follows.