I always thought cold butter was the only way for pie crust, but I was wrong.

For years I insisted on using ice cold butter and water, thinking it was the only way to get a flaky crust. Then a baker in my town, who makes pies for the local diner, told me she uses room temp butter and works it in by hand. I tried her method on a batch of apple pies last weekend and the crust was way more tender and easier to roll out. Has anyone else switched from cold to room temp fats for certain pastries?

3 comments

3 Comments

lisa_jones212mo ago

Remember hearing a chef say the secret to shortbread was warm butter. Sounded crazy until I tried it and got the softest cookies ever. Makes you wonder what other baking rules are just suggestions, right?

terry_shah172mo ago

What other baking "rules" have you broken that actually worked better?

jakewhite1mo ago

You ever hear about the guy who skipped sifting flour for his mom's pound cake recipe? My buddy Dan did that once. His grandma's rule was sift it three times. He just dumped it all in the bowl and mixed it rough. Cake came out denser but somehow way more moist. Everyone at the party asked for the recipe. He never told them his secret.