Make the Perfect Pie Dough in Your Stand Mixer
Thanksgiving is just not Thanksgiving without a pie. It follows that a pie captain is needed every Thanksgiving, and with no travel or face-to-face meetings this year, those responsibilities may be yours for the first time. If you are used to making your crust by hand but are afraid to make it yourself, use a stand mixer for the best results.
Making the dough by hand is actually quite easy , but it is temperature dependent enough to be intimidating. A good pie crust has the scaly layers that you get by turning the pliable butter – neither soft nor melted – into long, thin sheets. But the difference between “pliability” and “softness” is only a few degrees Fahrenheit, and it takes a lot of experience to work with it confidently. If you live in a warm climate – or you just have an overly aggressive radiator – keeping oil in this sweet place is only possible if you really know what you are doing.
The table mixer levels the playing field. Replacing the pad with a paddle for your hands completely eliminates the heating of the body from melting the oil, and if your kitchen is unusually warm, you can pre-chill the bowl and spatula for added protection from melting. The mixing process is essentially a hands- free rub : where the food processor turns the oil into chippings and the graters turn it into thin strips, the spatula gently pushes it into, you guessed it, long, flat sheets. Because the mixers mix the ingredients so efficiently, the dough is collected quickly. This is obviously convenient, but it also gives the oil less time to think about melting on you.
You can use any recipe you like, but if you’re completely new to making a pie crust, see King Arthur Flour’s guide to making a pie crust in a stand-up mixer for more detailed instructions. The steps will seem familiar to anyone who has tried making a pie: Chill the diced butter (and a bowl and spatula, if you like) in the freezer. Combine dry ingredients on low speed, add cold oil and stir until each bite is smooth and covered in flour. Sprinkle with ice water gradually and stir until the dough is pressed together. Made. Whether you roll it out right away or freeze it for later , your pie crust will turn out to be as flaky and delicious as hand-made without lifting a finger.