While I am by no means a pie crust expert.....is your dough cold when you roll it? I recall my Mother keeping 1/2 in the refrigator while she rolled the first crust.

Oh.... Joyce, my mom NEVER CHILLS her dough, and I've found that it does not help... She does use ice cold water with ice cubes which I also do... Once in a while I get it right, but as I said, my crusts taste way better than pillsbury cardboard... LOL

Here's the other thing I forgot: Make a crust for a single crust twice... That works better for me, but I always forget! WILL write in my fav cookbook so I remember! (the only Better Homes and Gardens I have from when I was first married... It outlasted the marriage!!! LOL)

By following these seven simple rules, you can produce a flaky, tender crust every time.

1. When making the dough, make sure the butter is very cold.

2. Handle the dough as little as possible. Both the stretching of the dough and the warmth from your hands will further the development of gluten -- long, stringy protein molecules that form when flour is blended with liquid -- resulting in a tough dough that's difficult to roll out.

3. Since our pie-dough recipe yields two single crusts, divide the dough in half, and pat each half into a flat disk before wrapping it in plastic and chilling. This will make it easier to roll out each crust into a perfect circle.

4. Chill the dough thoroughly (at least 30 minutes) before rolling it out, and use a minimum of flour to dust the rolling pin and work surface. Brush excess flour from the rolled dough with a dry pastry brush before transferring it to the pie plate.

5. For an extra-crispy pie crust with a golden color, brush the unbaked top crust with water, and sprinkle it with sugar.

6. For a shiny pie crust, brush the unbaked top crust with an egg wash made from one egg and 2 tablespoons cream.

7. Cut decorative vents in the top of a double-crusted fruit pie; vents allow steam to escape and prevent the fruit juices from overflowing.

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Mixing Dough by Hand
Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Use a pastry cutter or two knives to incorporate cut-up butter into flour. Add water as needed, and mix gently with a fork. Proceed with step 3 of Basic Pie Dough.

Keeping Crust Flaky
Keep ingredients cold, and do not overmix, overhandle, or stretch the dough. Be sure to chill it (both before and after rolling); this helps maintain pockets of butter, which keep the crust flaky and tender.

Storing Pies
A fruit-filled pie is best the day it's made. If serving later, store, loosely covered, at room temperature, up to 2 days (chilling pies can make the crust soggy). For leftover pie, cover any exposed filling with plastic wrap, and keep at room temperature.
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I know firsthand how intimidating making a pie can be. Shortly before I came to Martha Stewart Living 10 years ago, I was the pastry chef for two restaurants and a retail bakery. The most daunting task was to produce about 25 pies from scratch every day. I learned through trial and error how to make delicious, winning pies with buttery, flaky crusts -- and they even hold up well, tasting almost as good the second day as the first. This endeavor earned me the title "Pie Queen" at the bakery.

My technique has been broken down into the following tips. And here's one more: You know how recipes always say to cover the edges of a pie with foil if the crust is browning too quickly? And have you tried to press little strips of foil around the edges of a hot, baking pie? Instead, before you begin, press a piece of foil onto an empty pie plate to shape it. Then trim the outer edge and cut out the center, making a ring that's about 2 inches thick to cover the rim of the pie. If you try this and my other instructions, I feel confident that you will be crowned pie queen, too.

-- Susan Sugarman, former Deputy Food Editor

When making dough, the butter-flour mixture should have pieces ranging in size from crumbs to 1/2 inch. Add water; look for a crumbly texture. When squeezed, the mixture should hold together but not be sticky.

Divide dough. Place each half on plastic wrap. Gather wrap to shape into balls. Flatten slightly. Unwrap; rewrap loosely, leaving 1/2-inch air space around dough. Roll to 1/2 inch thick, filling space.



Start rolling, working from center. If dough loses circular shape, place end of pin near the crooked edge and roll, working that area by pressing with one hand while holding the pin loosely with the other.



Keep the work surface floured so the dough doesn't lose its shape, stick, or tear: Every few passes, release the dough by running a long offset spatula underneath, then throw more flour under it.



As you go, run your fingers around the edges of the dough to feel if the thickness is even (and if not, to find where you need to roll more).



Fit the dough into the pie plate (pushing down the sides without pressing into the corners); use scissors to trim, leaving 1/4 inch.



Add top crust, trim to 1/2 inch, tuck it under edge of bottom crust, and crimp with fingers, as shown.



More Tips
Before you begin: For a light, flaky, and tender crust, make sure your butter is very cold. Wrap the dough around your rolling pin, brushing excess flour from the bottom, to transfer it to the pie plate. Pile it high with fruit for lofty results. Use a narrow pastry bush to get the egg wash -- which gives a golden, shiny finish -- into every cranny.

TUPPERWARE PIE CRUST

2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
6 tbsp. cold water
3/4 c. shortening
2 tbsp. butter

Put in large Tupperware bowl, seal and burp. Shake until it forms a ball. Remove from container and roll.

Making Pie Crusts
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Making the Dough

Makes enough for 2 single-crust pies or 1 double-crust fold-over pie.

1 In a food processor, pulse 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour with 1 teaspoon each salt and sugar. Add 1 cup (2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces.

2 Pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few pea-size pieces remaining.

3 Add 1/4 cup ice water; pulse until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed. (If needed, add up to 4 tablespoons more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time.) Do not overmix.

4 Turn out onto a work surface; knead once or twice, until dough comes together. Chill.


Chilling the Dough > > >

Forming the Crust > > >

Prebaking the Crust > > >

For easy rolling, always start with well-chilled dough and a lightly floured work surface. Chilled dough will not soften as quickly as warmer dough; flour absorbs any moisture from the dough and prevents it from sticking.

Single Crust:

Divide dough in half, and flatten into disks. Wrap separately in plastic; refrigerate one disk at least one hour or up to three days. Freeze unused disk.

Fold-Over Crust:

Flatten the dough into a single disk. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate at least one hour or up to three days.

To Freeze Dough:

Put tightly wrapped disks in a resealable plastic bag. Label with the date, and freeze for up to three months. Defrost the dough overnight in the refrigerator before using.


Pressing: Place one dough disk on a floured piece of parchment paper. Using knuckles, press edges of dough to help prevent cracking.

Rolling: Roll dough to a 14-inch round. Using parchment, lift and wrap dough around rolling pin; carefully unroll over a 9-inch pie plate.

Fitting: To avoid tearing or stretching the dough, lift around the edge, and let the dough drape inward. Use kitchen shears to trim the edge of the dough to a 1-inch overhang.

Crimping: Fold excess dough under so itâs flush with (and on top of) pie-plate rim, and pinch to form a flat edge. Crimp edge of dough, if desired: Using your thumb and forefinger, press the dough gently against a knuckle from your other hand, and continue at regular intervals.


1 Preheat oven to 350°. Prick bottom of pie dough all over with a fork (to prevent it from puffing up or shrinking). Refrigerate until chilled, at least 10 minutes.


2 Carefully line dough with parchment paper or foil; fill to the top with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until crust is firm, about 15 minutes.


3 Remove parchment and weights; continue baking until crust is golden brown and bottom is flaky to the touch, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool completely before filling.

NOW you know all I know about pie crust. I got my info from Martha Stewart and Tupperware so you can't go wrong.

WOW!! I have had the absolute WORST LUCK with Martha Stewart's pie crust... My Mom always uses shortening and that works best for me as well... I also find that chilling the dough makes it more difficult for me to roll a crust... Hmmm... I'll have to re-read all of this and THANK YOU SO MUCH for all of your research!!! xoxoxo Cj