Butter vs shortening for pie crust - picked the wrong one

I had to decide between all butter or half shortening for my apple pie last weekend, and I went with butter because everyone says it tastes better. The crust was flaky but fell apart completely when I tried to cut it, has anyone else dealt with that?

2 comments

2 Comments

nathan_patel8d ago

Fell apart completely when I tried to cut it" - oh, that hurts to read, I've been there. I know exactly how frustrating that is after putting in all that work. You might want to try adding a tablespoon of vinegar next time, it helps the gluten relax and keeps the crust from shattering like glass. Also, make sure you're not overworking the dough, that can make it tough and prone to cracking. The butter flavor is worth it though, just takes a little practice to get the texture right.

noahchen8d ago

Burned my fingers trying to hold the crumbling slices together last time I used all butter.