What is the hardest step in making pie pastry?!
thanks
Answers:
incorporating the shortening /butter, with the dry ingredients(flour, Baking powder,salt) because the shortening is cold and you do not want to under mix or over mix for texture of your finished pie crust.You want a flaky finished product.
No really hard step. You only need to make sure that the butter won't melt. Chill all the ingredients beforehand.
It's much easier to make puff or shortcrust pastry using a blender. It's quicker and therefore the butter won't melt.
Also, do not over-knead it.
Adding the right amount of water. It depends on how dry the flour, how much shortening or butter, etc. It's so variable. And if you over mix, the dough gets tough.
Funny family quote "Easy as pie. It isn't."
The hardest step for me is getting it from the board to the pie tin. But I would guess that getting the fat cut in properly, small enough, would be the correct response.
Not eating it all before your done making it :P
Personal experience
The hardest part is the...clean-up
There are none.
- chef instructor