Hot-water crusts are one of the oldest forms of pastry; they were molded around a filling and baked free form, rather than in a pie dish. With a hot-water crust, instead of cutting cold fat into flour and then adding cold water, boiling water is whisked into fat (usually lard) until it forms an emulsion. This lard mixture is then added to flour. The result is an extremely pliable dough that’s easy to work with since it doesn’t crack or tear.
When we (Cooks Illustrated) compared a hot-water crust in several recipes (quiche, deep-dish apple pie, and blueberry turnovers) with our Foolproof Pie Dough (Nov./Dec. 2007), we understood why it might not have been eaten in the past. It baked up so tender, some tasters called it “mealy”—the result of both its higher-than-usual fat content and the fact that “precooking” the flour with a hot-water emulsion causes some of its starches to immediately swell with water, making less of the liquid available to form structure-building gluten.
HOT WATER CRUST: Boiling water and fat are emulsified, then added to the flour, createing a nicely pliable dough but a mealy crust.
CLASSIC CRUST: Our favorite pie dough (cut cold fat into flour, then add cold water) is both pliable and flaky.
While a hot-water crust is simple to prepare and easy to work with, stick with our Foolproof Pie Dough if you want pastry worth eating.
- 3/4 cup solid veg shortening (Crisco)
- 2 TBL butter
- 1 teaspoon milk
- 1/4 cup boiling water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
STEP BY STEP
- In a large bowl, combine shortening, butter, salt, milk and boiling water.
- Whip with fork until completely emulsified (smooth and creamy).
NOTE: The solids should be added while solid, to dissolve slowly so that they can be emulsified into the water drop by drop, and not overwhelm the water. Do not premelt your solids. - Add 2 cups flour and stir until all flour is incorporated. Scrape sides as necessary.
- Makes crust for one double crust pie.
- Blind bake the bottom crust.
- Dock before baking.
- Put pie weights or dry beans in the crust
- Bake at 350º for 12 minutes
- Remove the weights and bake another 8 minutes
- Cool completely and fill with desired fillings.
