This particular recipe is very forgiving (meaning don't worry about mistakes) and I like the proportions. I start this dough in the food processor and I've made plenty of errors. I've over pulsed the butter so there's almost nothing left (like when they say the flour should resemble corn mean-sort of damp). I've accidentally added to much water and the dough was so soft it never firmed up overnight in the fridge (now that's the scary one).
Most likely even if you over pulse the butter there will still be pieces left. To ease your mind the remedy is to put the flour/butter mix into the freezer until it chills before you add the water. This will help keep the remaining pieces solid. Your dough will still be delicious it just won't be quite as flakey as it would be with larger pieces, but it will work!
Accidentally adding too much water is scary. You think its completely ruined and it must be tossed! Not necessarily, unless you've dumped a quart of water in and it's complete soup! Sometimes you add all the water a recipe calls for and your dough won't come together and it's beginning to feel like soft wet sand. Trust me, it's ok to add more water, a tablespoon at a time. I've overcompensated and added4 extra tablespoons - oops it feels really wet now. The trick: DO NOT OVER WORK YOUR DOUGH, less is more. Just push it together, flatten it out loosely wrap and refrigerate. If you work the dough it will be tough more like a cracker. Granted it won't be the flakey dough you yearn for, but it will work. In fact it will be a lot softer and easier to roll out. So be careful not to make the edges to thin. The cooked dough will be softer instead of crisp. Even if it feels crisp when you remove it from the oven there's still moisture in there (and additional from the steam coming off the cooked fruit or filling). Everyone will still love it and it will still hold up. Yes, This Has Happened to Me!
I used scraps of left over dough pushed together and then rolled to make this rustic apple tart treat! I don't always put sugar in my dough recipe. I take the liquid the apples release and rub it on the outside crust to get the brown glazed look on my tart!
One of the most important steps in making pie dough is letting the dough rest for at least 2 hours or overnight. This allows the flour to hydrate, absorbing the liquid and also to relax. Initial mixing and subsequent rolling activates the gluten. Did the dough stretch and spring back after rolling, too much water activates the gluten. Thats why pie recipes also call for cold water. Hot water activates gluten almost immediately. Notice if you wash your hands in cold water after they're covered in flour, it washes off right away (yes the fat in the butter sticks). Wash with cold water first and then warm.
Another important thing to watch is how you measure your flour. These days I weigh most everything but it's so easy to put your scoop in and pull out the flour you need with a measuring cup. Be careful not to bang the cup on the counter. That will condense the flour and you will end up adding more than you want. Remember you can always add flour but you can't take it away if you've added too much. To measure flour properly the best way is to loosen flour then spoon it into your measuring cup using a straight edge to remove the excess.
This recipe make two huge balls of dough about 12 ounces each. Each one is enough for a large rustic tart that will feel 10. You might get 3-4 balls if you're making much smaller 8 inch pies.
4 cups All Purpose I have been using King Arthur Flour
12 ounces Unsalted Butter in chunks note-Plugra has more fat than water from other brands.
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse diamond kosher salt
1/2 cup ice water
1. Place flour in food processor and pulse 3 times to loosen.
2. Add butter pieces and pulse 3 times just to break up the butter
3. Put salt into the water and stir until dissolved.
4. Add water while pulsing just enough for the dough to begin to form.
5.Use the pulse option for 3 seconds One one thousand, two one thousand, three one thousand. If the dough is very dry and will not come together when you pinch it between your fingers try pulsing a couple more times or add an additional tablespoon of ice water (don't add any more salt). As long as the dough holds together when you press it with your fingers, it's not necessary to keep pulsing.
6. Divide dough into 2 pieces (or whatever your needs are)
7. Gently form a ball or mass and wrap in plastic wrap. You can make a round flat disk about 1/2 inch thick or a square shape to fit your needs.
8. Chill for at least 2 hours. The dough can rest in the refrigerator overnight if needed the next day or frozen for up to 3 months as long as it doesn't get freezer burn it will stay fresh.
9. Roll out to desired shape and thickness. Epicurious says: The dough should be 1/8" thick and 1" wider than the pie plate. Pro Tip: stack two quarters next to the dough. That heigh is roughly equivalent to 1/8 of an inch!
Have Fun & Enjoy
