Pie Crust recipe

[bonneamie]

The latest issue of Cook's Illustrated (Sept/Oct 2010) has a recipe for foolproof pie crust. Their secret ingredient? Cold Vodka. The instructions say, however, that any 80 proof spirit would work because any alcohol and flavor will cook off in the oven.

The theory behind adding vodka is that gluten doesn't form in alcohol, so the dough can be handled a little more without becoming tough.

So I wonder what pie crust with bourbon in it would taste like? I'm going to try it, soon as it's not too hot to be making pies.

[CorvallisCracker]

Would probably be great for a pecan pie.

My wife gets that magazine. I'll leave it open to that page and sprinkle a few pecans on top.

[OscarV]

My wife gets that magazine. I'll leave it open to that page and sprinkle a few pecans on top.

So? Does it work?
Really. I want to know.

[Rughi]

So? Does it work?
Really. I want to know.

Mrs Rughi's life (and mine) has changed because of the Cooks Illustrated vodka pie dough. She's a trained baker, but of all things white and rise-y the simple, 'don't overwork it and treat it like you just don't care' pie dough frustrated her for decades. Now it's fruit pies after each trip to the farmer's market.

I don't know if better spirits make better pies, but I've got some peaches that are dying to find out.

Roger

[Jono]

As Rughi says, the key is not to overwork the dough. My wife and my mother made similar pie crusts and that seems to be vital. Plus, use Crisco. Every store bought or commercial pie crust seems to suffer from too much mechanical rolling. They are flat, dense and not very tasty.

[dmarkle]

The thing about pie doughs (and pancake dough for that matter) (ok, or any dough where you really really don't want gluten development) is:

Don't be afraid of lumps!

There's going to be a butter/lard chunk or twelve in your pie dough. That's ok! People tend to think that "overworking" = "kneading". Sometimes overworking can just be "completely mixing".

That being said, the suggestion for bourbon in pecan pie sounds awesome. Someone has to try that out and report back. (I don't really equate pecan pie with summer fare though -- that sounds more of a Thanksgiving item to me)