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Pro tip: I was overmixing my pie dough for a decade until a customer pointed it out
I run a small pie shop in Asheville, and for years my crusts were just a bit tough. Last week, a regular told me, 'I love your fillings, but the crust is always so sturdy.' It hit me that I was mixing the butter in until it was almost fully combined, which develops too much gluten. I started stopping when the dough still had visible pea-sized butter bits, and the difference is night and day. Has anyone else had a simple comment completely change a basic technique for them?
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wendysmith15d ago
Idk i see it a little different. Stopping with visible butter chunks is one way, but for me the real game changer was what the butter felt like when i pressed it. If it's too cold and breaks into hard little pieces instead of flaking, i get a crumbly mess. If it's too warm and smears, the crust turns into a tough sheet. Maybe it's just me but the texture of the butter when i squeeze it matters more than how big the chunks are in the dough. Different doughs with different flour types can handle more or less mixing too.
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keithpalmer1mo ago
Isn't it wild how a small change like that can fix something you've been doing wrong for years?
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