Crust Upper Recipe

Crust

1. 1

   Combine dry ingredients

   Whisk together the all-purpose flour, fine cornmeal, granulated sugar, and fine sea salt in a large bowl until evenly distributed.

2. 2

   Cut in fats

   Add the cold cubed unsalted butter and the cold shortening (if using) to the flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingertips, cut the fats into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized pieces of butter still visible (about 6–8 pulses if using a food processor, or 4–6 minutes by hand).

3. 3

   Add ice water

   Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of ice water evenly over the crumb mixture and gently fold with a spatula. Continue adding the remaining ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, folding after each addition, until the dough just comes together when pinched and holds without being wet or sticky. You may not need all the water; aim for a cohesive dough that still contains visible butter pieces.

4. 4

   Form and chill

   Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and press it together into a flat disk about 1 inch thick. Do not overwork. Wrap the disk tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (up to 48 hours) to relax the gluten and firm the fats.

5. 5

   Roll out

   Once chilled, let the dough sit at room temperature 10–15 minutes to slightly soften so it's workable. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough from the center outward to an even circle about 12–13 inches in diameter for a 9–10 inch pie pan or tart ring, leaving a 1/4-inch margin for shrinkage. Use a bench scraper to lift and rotate the dough occasionally to prevent sticking.

6. 6

   Transfer to pan

   Gently roll the dough around the rolling pin and unroll it over the pie pan or tart ring. Ease the dough into the pan without stretching. Trim the overhang to about 1 inch, then fold the edge under and crimp or flute as desired. For a double-crust pie, reserve remaining dough for the top.

7. 7

   Chill before baking

   For best results, refrigerate the assembled crust in the pan for 30 minutes to firm the butter and reduce shrinkage. While chilling, preheat the oven if blind-baking (see next step).

8. 8

   Blind-bake (optional)

   To blind-bake, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line the chilled crust with parchment paper or foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 18–22 minutes until the edges begin to set and just start to color. Remove the weights and parchment, then bake 6–10 more minutes until the base is golden and fully set. Cool slightly before filling.

9. 9

   Egg wash (optional)

   If you want a glossy, browned edge or top crust, whisk the large egg with 1 teaspoon cold milk or water. Brush the wash lightly over the crust surface or edges before baking the final 6–10 minutes. Avoid washing areas that will be filled with wet filling unless specified.

10. 10

    Storage

    Unbaked, wrapped crust dough can be refrigerated up to 48 hours or frozen up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before rolling. Baked crust can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.