Perfect Pie Crust

[The Edifying Conscience]

Recipe Originally Posted in June of 2006

I've had this recipe in my arsenal of 'to try recipes' for close to a year. Yesterday at the farmer's market I got my hands on some sour or tart cherries and decided to make a pie with them. I used the following crust recipe with a few adaptations and it was excellent. The crust is not sweet and could easily be used for savory pies by subbing the vanilla for lemon juice.

Perfect Gluten-Free Pie Crust
This recipe makes 2 9-inch pie crusts or 3 8-inch pie crusts.

1 cup white rice flour, plus extra for rolling
¾ cup potato starch
½ cup tapioca starch
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon xanthan gum
½ cup shortening [see TEC notes]
4 oz. cream cheese
1 egg + 2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla [see TEC notes]
3 tablespoon very cold water

TEC Notes: Used 1/2 cup butter instead of shortening with excellent results. Used 1 teaspoon lemon juice instead of vanilla. Ran out of white rice flour so used 3/4 cup white rice flour and 1/4 cup brown rice flour. This dough is a bit difficult to work with. It repeatidly stuck to the silpat and waxed paper despite flour. I would suggest you just pat the dough into the pan. Then do the best you can if you need a top crust using lots of white rice flour to dust the work surface.

Combine dry ingredients. Cut in shortening [butter] and cream cheese until the mixture is the size of peas.

Add eggs, vanilla and water to the dry ingredients. Mix the flour mixture until smooth and then give the dough a few turns. If the dough is sticky add a bit more white rice flour starting with a teaspoon at a time.

Form 2-3 balls depending on the size pan you're using and chill for several hours or overnight.

Place a ball in the center of a 8 or 9-inch pie pan and pat out covering bottom and sides of pan, press top edge into a design. If you worked the dough in a warm kitchen, place pie crust into the refrigerator or freezer for 10-15 minutes.

For a pre-baked crust, prick crust with a fork and bake at 425 degrees F for 15 minutes or until crust is slightly browned.

If making a pie using filling that has to be baked or requires a top crust, partially bake the bottom crust for 5-7 minutes at 425 degrees F and then add the filling. While the bottom crust is baking, roll out the top crust on rice flour dusted pastry cloth, silpat or waxed paper and roll using a dusted rolling pin. Place the top crust on top of the filling and continue baking per pie instructions. Sprinkle sugar on top crust or lattice for fruit pies.

TEC

[cruelshoes]

If you are looking for a great GF pie crust recipe, this is the one. I have used it dozens of times. I used it yesterday for pumpkin pies, I have used it for quiche, and several other recipes. It is easy to work with, and I always get compliments from gluten eaters on it. One villi up for this recipe!
_________________
-Colleen
Dx 8/05 via bloodwork/biopsy
9-YO son Dx 11/05 via bloodwork/biopsy
Daughters have negative bloodwork - so far!

A woman is like a tea bag-you never know how strong she is until she gets in hot water. - Eleanor Roosevelt

[The Edifying Conscience]

Perfect Peach Pie

[aklap]

Wow!! That looks really good! Now, who's posting food porn. The only thing worse than Pizza Porn, is Pie porn heheheheee
_________________
Al

“We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” Mother Teresa

[The Edifying Conscience]

It was good and easy! I have pizza porn to post as well. Alas I'm too tired to do it tonight.

[cruelshoes]

Do you think I could make these and freeze them unbaked? A lot of times I want to make a pie or quiche but don't have time to make the crust. I am most concerned about the cream cheese component, because sometimes dairy products can't stand up to freezing.

Thoughts?
_________________
-Colleen
Dx 8/05 via bloodwork/biopsy
9-YO son Dx 11/05 via bloodwork/biopsy
Daughters have negative bloodwork - so far!

A woman is like a tea bag-you never know how strong she is until she gets in hot water. - Eleanor Roosevelt

[ostrich]

I second Colleen's question. I was hoping to make a few of these in anticipation of Thanksgiving. That way I can enjoy apple pie with everybody else.
_________________
Ostrich :>--O==={

I lie below, you float above
In the pretty white ships that I am dreaming of

[The Edifying Conscience]

Last year I made the crust, placed it in (glass) pan and then froze it. My intention was to par bake it from the frozen state. I forgot that freezing cold glass doesn't do well in a hot oven.. If you have a metal pie plate, go for it!

Now I make the dough, divide it into two portions, wrap it plastic and then freeze it. Works perfectly!

Over the weekend I made two pies and made the dough in the food processor. It took all of 5 minutes!

[ostrich]

Thanks TEC! If I end up making these I'll let you know how it goes.
_________________
Ostrich :>--O==={

I lie below, you float above
In the pretty white ships that I am dreaming of

[cruelshoes]

I do it in my food processor too. It is really convenient and quick. I hadn't thought of freezing dough balls. That might be easier than rolling it out and freezing it in a pan. The last few times I have made it, I have only used half the batch. Then when I remember that I have the other half of the recipe in the fridge and go looking for it, it's moldy. If I tossed it in the freezer, I could count on it for another time.
_________________
-Colleen
Dx 8/05 via bloodwork/biopsy
9-YO son Dx 11/05 via bloodwork/biopsy
Daughters have negative bloodwork - so far!

A woman is like a tea bag-you never know how strong she is until she gets in hot water. - Eleanor Roosevelt

[mrsppmrxky]

I made this recipe up. I haven't tasted it yet. LOL

I have a pumpkin pie cooling. I remade the recipe and rolled it out on large circles of freezer paper. I am flash freezing them and then plan on stacking them with waxed paper on the tops of each pie crust. I then plan on placing them in really large ziplock freezer bags. (2 gal. size.)

This way, when Thanksgiving comes, I already have the pie crusts made.

Thanks!
_________________

[mrsppmrxky]

TEC, you're the best!!!!!!!!!!!!

MrP and I could wait no longer, so we cut the pie. Oh me, oh my!!!!!!!!!! The pie sliced wonderfully! I took it out of the pie plate without any breakage and that isn't saying it was tough either. It was really a wonderfull surprise at how much I really enjoyed the taste and texture.

So, I don't know how many TNT votes we have going,but add my vote in the mix!
_________________

[cruelshoes]

I've decided you can't ruin this recipe. I made it yesterday, but accidentally reversed the measurements for the potato starch and tapioca starch. It was too late to do anything about it, so I decided to proceed and see what happened. It turned out great.

I got a silicone rolling pin and silicome baking sheet for Christmas. I have discovered that they are great for rolling out pie crust. I don't have to use any flour, and the crust doesn't stick at all. Then when it is rolled out, I just lift up the baking sheet and invert it over the pie plate. Worked great.
_________________
-Colleen
Dx 8/05 via bloodwork/biopsy
9-YO son Dx 11/05 via bloodwork/biopsy
Daughters have negative bloodwork - so far!

A woman is like a tea bag-you never know how strong she is until she gets in hot water. - Eleanor Roosevelt

[aklap]

Sounds like we got 2 votes for TNT? Do we have a 3rd?
_________________
Al

“We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” Mother Teresa

[The Edifying Conscience]

I think there's another thread with positive comments about the crust that took place just after Thanksgiving.