Basic Flaky Pastry Variations

The quantities given below are for All-Purpose Flaky Pastry made with 2 1/2 cups flour. If you are changing the amount of flour in your recipe, change these variations proportionately: i.e., increase them slightly for the 3-cup recipe; halve the amounts for 1 cup flour; reduce them only slightly for 1 1/2 cups.

BASIC HAND PREPARATION TECHNIQUE

1. Combine the dry ingredients (flour, salt, optional sugar) in a large bowl and whisk to blend. Add the cut-up chilled fat (butter, Crisco, or solid stick margarine). Working quickly and lightly, pinch and slide lumps of dough between your fingertips until the mixture resembles dry rice. This process layers the shortening and flour together, creating "leaves" that will form flakes when baked. Cool fingertips are used instead of the warmer palms of your hands because warmth would melt the shortening, which could then be absorbed by the flour, causing the dough to toughen. The rule: Keep everything as cold as possible. Instead of fingertips, you can also use a wire pastry blender, a fork, or two crosscutting table knives.
2. Add the yolk, lemon juice or vinegar, and the minimum amount of iced water. Take care not to overwork the dough, lest you develop its elasticity. Lightly toss the dough until it just begins to cling together in clumps but has not begun to form a ball. Sprinkle on a tiny bit more water if the dough looks too dry. The dough should cling together and feel pliable like clay, but not be sticky. If you catch the dough at this point, you will not have overworked the pastry. At this stage, you can go directly to step 3, make a ball of dough, and chill it, or you can further layer together the fat and flour and increase flakiness by a technique known in French as fraisage.. Break off a small lump of dough, put it under the heel of your hand on the counter, and push on the dough as you slide it forward about 4 inches. Scrape up and set aside that piece of dough and repeat with the remaining dough. Gather all the dough together.
3. Turn the dough out onto a sheet of wax paper. Lift the paper's opposite corners and press them together, squeezing the dough into a cohesive ball. Flatten the ball into a 6-inch disk for a single pie shell, or divide in half and make two disks for a 2-crust pie. Wrap dough and refrigerate before rolling for at least 30 minutes, but the longer the better--up to several hours or even overnight. (Or the wrapped dough can be refrigerated for 3 to 4 days or double-wrapped airtight and frozen for up to 6 months.) Chilling allows the glutinous, or elastic, properties of the flour to relax and helps prevent the dough from shrinking during baking. (Note: Allow the chilled dough to sit out at room temperature a few minutes to soften it slightly before rolling it out.) To roll out, form, and bake the dough.

ELECTRIC MIXER METHOD

1. Read the Basic Hand Preparation Technique, above. If your mixer is so equipped, fit it with the paddle attachment; otherwise, use regular beaters. Add the flour, salt, and the sugar, if you are using it, to the mixing bowl. Beat for 30 seconds to blend, then add the cut-up fat. Beat on low speed until the mixture forms rice-sized bits.
2. A little at a time, add the yolk, lemon juice or vinegar, and the minimum amount of ice water. Beat on low-medium speed only until the dough begins to pull away from the bowl sides and starts to clump together. Sprinkle on a tiny bit more water only if the dough looks too dry. Do not allow a ball of dough to form. Turn the dough out onto a piece of wax paper and form it into a ball, flatten it into a 6-inch disk, wrap it, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or several hours or overnight. To roll out, form, and bake the dough.

FOOD PROCESSOR METHOD

1. Read the Basic Hand Preparation Technique, above. Freeze or hard-chill the butter and shortening, then cut it up into small pieces. Add the flour, salt, and the sugar, if you are using it, to the work bowl fitted with the steel blade. Cover the bowl and pulse quickly (short on- off spurts) 2 or 3 times, to lighten the dry ingredients.
2. Uncover the bowl and add the cut-up fat. Pulse for 5 to 10 seconds, until the dough has the texture of rough cornmeal.
3. Add the egg, lemon juice or vinegar, and the minimum amount of ice water through the feed tube and pulse 2 to 3 times. Add more liquid only if the dough seems powdery, following each addition by 2 quick pulses. Watch the dough carefully at this stage, and stop the machine the instant the dough starts to clump together. It will still look rough and lumpy, and you will see specks of yolk and butter. This is normal. Lift the cover and pinch the dough between your fingers. If the dough holds together, it is done. Do not allow a dough ball to form on the machine blade, or the pastry will be overworked and tough.
4. Turn the dough out onto a piece of wax paper. Lift the opposite corners of the paper and press on the dough, forming it into a ball, then press it into a 6-inch disk. Wrap the dough and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or several hours or overnight. Roll out, form, and bake the dough.