Making a crust using butter for apple pie, what kitchen tools, of the ones I have, can I use?
I have watched videos where people use food processors or a stand mixers. I only have a hand blender, mini food processor, and a blender. Do you have any tips for what I should do?
10 Comments
Sam1148November 16, 2011
I discovered a trick I used recently for a pie crust/tart crust from Cook Illustrated.
Use 1/2 vodka and 1/2 ice water for the liquid element.
The alcohol burns off in cooking and you can't taste it: It does two things, first vodka won't bind to the flour to create high gluten strands like water does.
The other thing it does is that you keep the vodka in the freezer below freezing without making ice so you liquid element is supercold.
It works perfectly and made a wonderful flaky crust.
Use 1/2 vodka and 1/2 ice water for the liquid element.
The alcohol burns off in cooking and you can't taste it: It does two things, first vodka won't bind to the flour to create high gluten strands like water does.
The other thing it does is that you keep the vodka in the freezer below freezing without making ice so you liquid element is supercold.
It works perfectly and made a wonderful flaky crust.
hardlikearmourNovember 17, 2011
I'm with Sam! That vodka pie crust method is GENIUS!
lapadiaNovember 16, 2011
I also agree....doing the crust by hand would be best, given your situation. Here is a link showing by hand:
http://www.ehow.co.uk/video_2332796_mixing-apple-pie-crust-ingredients.html
Have fun!
http://www.ehow.co.uk/video_2332796_mixing-apple-pie-crust-ingredients.html
Have fun!
lapadiaNovember 16, 2011
PS - I don't know why the lady uses "margarine"...I would use butter. But I am sure you already have your recipe.
vvvanessaNovember 16, 2011
i agree with sdebrango. it will actually be less effort to do it by hand. it really doesn't take long, and it's easy. to me, it seems it would be tricky to get each batch consistent, and eventually you'll have to mix them all together anyway. that criss-cross knife method worked great for a billion years before food processors came along.
modz9636November 16, 2011
Okay, I found a video http://www.wikihow.com.... I do have a pastry cutter!
sdebrangoNovember 16, 2011
I don't think a mini processor would hold the flour and butter for a double crust pie, you can't really use a hand blender or a blender. I would do it by hand with a pastry cutter and a fork. My Mother used to make pie crust by cutting the fat into the flour with two knives in a criss cross motion. I did that for years until I got a pastry cutter and then a food processor.
modz9636November 16, 2011
Do you think I could use a mini food processor and do this in batches?
sdebrangoNovember 16, 2011
Sounds you are set with pastry cutter, I would not recommend doing in batches with the mini processor, you could try it but honestly, I think the crust will come out better doing it by hand. I do that all the time even with all the equipment I have here I still love a hand made crust, you have those little pieces of butter that make a wonderfully flaky pie crust.
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