Flaky Buttery pie crust.
I think it was the ice cubes in the water that made this the best butteriest flakiest  pie crust I've ever made!
Fill a one cup liquid measuring cup with water, and drop in a few ice cubes; set it aside.
Dice two sticks  of very cold unsalted butter into 1/2-inch pieces.There is something about unsalted butter for pie crust, I don't know what it is and why salted butter just isn't the same but it just isn't.

In a large bowl mix together 2 1/2 cups flour, 1 tablespoon of sugar and a teaspoon of salt.
Sprinkle the butter cubes over the flour, work the butter in with the pastry blender, stop when all of the butter pieces are the size of tiny peas. Yes, even if it looks like there are a few extra big pieces of butter.

 Yes, even if it looks like there are a few extra big pieces of butter.


Start by drizzling 1/2 cup of the ice-cold water  over the butter and flour mixture. Using a spatula, gather the dough together. You may need an additional 1/4 cup of cold water to bring it together, but add it a tablespoon as a time. Once you’re pulling large clumps with the spatula, knead gently together with your hand, or hands if you have both free.


shape into 1or 2 balls. wrap with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for one hour, but preferably at least two,  or pop it in the freezer for a little while before rolling it out.

Roll out a ball about the size of a tennis ball.

Oh look at the buttery layers here!


Lay the rolled out crust into the pie shell or just admire it hanging there so soft and stretchy, so unlike the last crust I made with half the amount of butter that came out like some kind of shoe leather.


cold butter and ice water, who knew?

fold the edges in some pattern that pleases you and you're ready to make pie filling or pop it in the freezer for another time.



Buttery Flaky Pie Dough
Adapted from Smitten kitchen
Makes enough dough for 2 smallish two-crust pies.

• 2 1/2 cups whole wheat organic pastry flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, very cold

 Fill a measuring cup with water and a few ice cubes; set it aside. In a large bowl mix together 2 1/2 cups flour, 1 tablespoon of sugar and a teaspoon of salt. Dice two sticks of very cold unsalted butter into 1/2-inch pieces.

 Sprinkle the butter cubes over the flour, work the butter in with a pastry blender, stop when all of the butter pieces are the size of tiny peas. Yes, even if it looks there are a few extra big peas of butter.
 Start by drizzling 1/2 cup of the ice-cold water over the butter and flour. Using a rubber spatula, gather the dough together. You may need an additional 1/4 cup of cold water to bring it together, but add it a tablespoon as a time. Once you’re pulling large clumps with the spatula, take it out and mix with your hands knead gently together.
 Divide the dough in half, and wrap with plastic wrap.  Let the dough chill in the fridge for one hour or two,  or pop it in the freezer for a little while before rolling it out.