Traditional Pastry Piecrust - flour

Method

• In a medium bowl, mix together the flour and the salt.
• Add the Crisco to the flour mixture.
• Use a pastry blender and mix the ingredients together with an up-and-down chopping motion until the dough forms coarse, pea-size crumbs.
• Add the ice-cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, delicately incorporating each tablespoon into the flour mixture before you add the next.
• You may have to use 1 more or 1 less tablespoon of water than the amount recommended, depending upon the humidity in your kitchen at the time of baking.
• You will know you have added just the right amount of water when the dough forms a ball that easily holds together.
• Wrap the ball of dough with plastic and place it in the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes.
• Once the dough has chilled, divide the ball in half.
• Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface, place dough in pie pan; crimp edges; brush heavy cream over the crimped edges to create a perfect, golden brown finish.
• Line the bottom of the crust with parchment paper and place pie weights on top to ensure the edges do not fall into the shell while the crust is baking.
• Prebaked pie shells-bake the crust at 425 degrees on the middle rack of the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until a golden brown color is achieved.
• Before removing the shell from the oven, make sure that the crust under the parchment paper has turned a golden brown.
• Partially baked pie shells-bake the pie shell for only 10 minutes so the crust only begins to bake.