Previously I have been using store bought pie crusts. I'm going to try & make my own. The recipes call for using Crisco & a thing called a pastry blender to "cut" the Crisco into the flour. How exactly do I use a pastry blender? Is there some preferred technique? Also could I just use vegetable oil instead of Crisco? TIA
If you own a pastry blender, you can see that it is a set of blades designed to cut. In this case, you are cutting a fat - eg crisco - into flour. It is a rocking back and forth motion. You can not use oil for this. Crisco is a solid fat and you are "cutting" it into the flour mixture. You then add a liquid - water - to this to make your pastry. Many people use two knives to replicate the use of the pastry blender. Myself I use the pastry blender. Some folks use an appliance like the food processor or a "kitchen aid" mixer or other such mixer. I've used the mixer for pastry when making large quantities and a tired arm. wendy
----- Original Message ----- From: "Roughrider50" Newsgroups: rec.food.baking To: Sent: Sunday, May 27, 2007 11:10 PM Subject: Pastry blender
I believe it's called a fork.
It spreads the vegetable shortening through the flour, rather than forming a lump like a spoon might.
I have a vague feeling that there is a non-electric gadget specifically intended for doing this, but I've blanked out about it.
Michael
The thing that makes pie crust flaky is having bits of solid fat (usually shortening, butter, or lard) between layers of the flour mixture. Vegetable oil won't work--it will just saturate all the flour and turn it to goo. A pastry blender is a gadget that's usually U-shaped, with a handle across the open end of the U. It has multiple blades or wires that you press down into the fat and flour mixture, cutting it into smaller and smaller bits, until it's consistency of coarse crumbs. If you can still see little lumps of solid shortening, that's good. It's easier to over-blend it than to not mix it enough.
I can almost guarantee that your first attempt at making your own pie crust will be better than the store-bought ones. But that doesn't mean it's easy! I've been working at mine for years. Keep trying--it'll be worth it!
well, blades or sturdy wire loops.
bears repeating. you cannot make pastries without fats that are solid at room temperature.
Hey, I never heard of one until my ex-mother-in-law bought one for me. I love mine and use it all the time. what ever recipe you use, fluff the flour before adding any wet ingredients. (Fluff: using the pastry blender, just move the flour/dry ingedients around for a bit) then cut the shortning but leave pea size pieces. don't over "cut" the less you mix/touch the dough the flakier it will be. once you roll it out and make your pie, cook it for 10 minutes on high 400 then lower to 350. the high heat will give your crust flaky layers.... the pea size explode in the crust creating flaky layers. don't laugh I do it that way all the time. When i make pies, every bit is always eaten event the edge crust. P.s. i use butter flavor crisco, individually wrapped so i don't have to measure. not at home, wish I remembered the exact ingredients.... good luck, chilichick
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