Vodka Pie Crust
Since alcohol doesn’t promote gluten formation, replacing some of the water with vodka in pie dough yields a flakier, more tender crust. It works! Once I adapted my crust recipe to include this technique, there was no going back.
Ingredients
½ cup whole wheat flour
2 cups unbleached white flour
1 tsp. salt
12 Tbsp. frozen butter, cut into 1/4-inch slices
½ cup cold vegetable shortening, cut into 6 pieces*
¼ cup cold vodka
¼ cup ice water
Directions
Process flours and salt in food processor to combine. Remove 1 cup of the mixture.
Add butter and shortening pieces to processor; process until mixture forms into large, uneven clumps, about 15 seconds. Scrape bowl to redistribute clumps evenly around blade.
Add reserved mixture; pulse until clumps are broken up, 4 to 6 quick pulses. Transfer mixture to a bowl.
Combine cold vodka and ice water. Sprinkle liquid evenly over surface of dough. Use a rubber spatula and a folding motion to combine liquid and dough, pressing down on mixture until dough sticks together. It will be moist.
Divide dough in half, form the halves into balls, and then flatten the balls into 5-inch disks. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 45 minutes or up to 2 days before rolling it out. (They may also be frozen for future use.)
Suggestions
* If you prefer not to use shortening, use all butter instead, but reduce the water to 3 ½ tablespoons.
Makes 2 nine-inch pie crusts.
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