Equipment: Digital Scale (preferred), 9″ Pie Plate, Large & Small mixing bowls, Measuring Cups and Spoons, Fork or Pastry Blender, Plastic Wrap, Unbleached Parchment, Pie Crust Bag (preferred)

Before You Dive In – Prep: please read!

• This recipe is for a double crust, 9″ pie – divide the recipe in half for just a bottom crust
• Butter should be very cold. Keep in refrigerator until ready to use.

Step 1: Whisk together dry ingredients in a medium sized bowl.

Step 2: Grate the butter directly into the flour blend. Mix in the butter occasionally with a fork as you grate. Use your hands to break up any clumps into consistently sized fuzzy “baby peas.”

Step 3: In a small bowl, combine the sour cream and ice water.

Step 4: Make a well in the flour/butter mix. Pour about half of the water mixture into the flour and mix with a fork. No need to thoroughly combine – a rough mix is fine. Then pour the rest of the water mixture into the dough. Roughly mix with a fork, and then continue to mix and knead in the bowl with your hands. Pinch and turn until all the flour is incorporated and you can form a large ball. Be careful here not to add more water unless there is loose flour that you are not able to knead into the ball. Add water, if needed, by the teaspoon.

Step 5: Divide the ball into two equal pieces, and press each into a disk shape. A scale is helpful here to get the dough pieces equal (they will weigh approx 330g/11.6 oz each.) Wrap each disk and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Step 6: Dust the surface of a pie bag or parchment with flour. Roll out the dough to your desired size, (usually either 12″ or 14″.) If the dough sticks to the surface of the pie bag or parchment, refrigerate for 10 minutes. Transfer the dough to the greased pie dish. Press in evenly to prevent air bubbles from forming.  Shape the crust, cover and refrigerate until ready to use. It is important to refrigerate the crust in the pie pan for at least 20 minutes before filling to prevent “melting” crust. Grating the butter into the flour blend also helps.

If Blind Baking:

Remove the prepared dough from the refrigerator. Dock the pie by using a fork to poke holes in the bottom and sides of the crust. Line the bottom of the pie with foil or unbleached parchment. If using parchment, crinkle and scrunch it up before smoothing it out and placing it on the surface of the crust so that it fits better. Fill the bottom of the pie with beans, pie weights or rice. Bake for 15 minutes in the lower third of a preheated 400 F/200 C oven. Take the crust out of the oven and remove the pie weights. Place pie shield around the crust. Return the pie to the oven and continue to bake for 7 minutes or until bottom crust starts to brown if partially baking, or for about 15 minutes and the bottom crust is golden brown if fully baking. Remove from oven and allow to cool on a rack. It’s OK to add warm filling if partially baking. If making a no-bake pie, bake the crust full and completely cool before filling.

The best tutorial for blind baking can be found at Sally’s Baking Addiction.

Enjoy!!