Best 2 Four And Twenty Blackbirds All Butter Pie Crust Recipes

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Indulge in the culinary delight of "Four and Twenty Blackbirds" All-Butter Pie Crust, a pastry haven that elevates your baking adventures to new heights. This comprehensive guide presents a trio of exceptional recipes, each meticulously crafted to cater to diverse tastes and preferences. Embark on a journey of flavors, textures, and aromas as we unveil the secrets behind this iconic pie crust and its enchanting variations.

1. **Classic All-Butter Pie Crust:** Experience the timeless elegance of the classic all-butter pie crust, a culinary cornerstone renowned for its golden-brown perfection and flaky layers. This recipe embodies the essence of simplicity, showcasing the harmonious blend of butter, flour, salt, and ice water. It's a versatile foundation for both sweet and savory pies, promising a delectable crust that complements any filling.

2. **Sour Cream Pie Crust:** Elevate your pies with the tangy twist of the sour cream pie crust, a delightful departure from the traditional all-butter version. The addition of sour cream imparts a subtle richness and tenderness, resulting in a crust that is both sturdy and melt-in-your-mouth delectable. This recipe is a perfect choice for fruit pies, cheesecakes, and other desserts that call for a slightly tangy crust.

3. **Whole Wheat Pie Crust:** Embrace the goodness of whole grains with the whole wheat pie crust, a healthier alternative that doesn't compromise on flavor. This recipe combines whole wheat flour with all-purpose flour to create a wholesome and nutritious crust. Its nutty flavor and rustic texture add a delightful dimension to both sweet and savory pies, making it a favorite among health-conscious bakers.

Prepare to be captivated by the versatility of "Four and Twenty Blackbirds" All-Butter Pie Crust as you explore the nuances of each recipe. Whether you seek the classic allure of the all-butter crust, the tangy zest of the sour cream variation, or the wholesome goodness of the whole wheat option, this guide has something for every pie enthusiast.

Let's cook with our recipes!

FOUR AND TWENTY BLACKBIRDS ALL-BUTTER PIE CRUST RECIPE - (4.4/5)



Four and Twenty Blackbirds All-Butter Pie Crust Recipe - (4.4/5) image

Provided by Mother_Daniel

Number Of Ingredients 8

Makes Dough for one single-crust 9- to 10-inch pie or tart
1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/4 pound cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, 1 stick
1/2 cup cold water
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 cup ice

Steps:

  • Stir the flour, salt, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add the butter pieces and coat with the flour mixture using a bench scraper or spatula. With a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour mixture, working quickly until mostly pea-size pieces of butter remain (a few larger pieces are okay; be careful not to overblend). Combine the water, cider vinegar, and ice in a large measuring cup or small bowl. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the ice water mixture over the flour mixture, and mix and cut it in with a bench scraper or spatula until it is fully incorporated. Add more of the ice water mixture, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time, using the bench scraper or your hands (or both) to mix until the dough comes together in a ball, with some dry bits remaining. Squeeze and pinch with your fingertips to bring all the dough together, sprinkling dry bits with more small drops of the ice water mixture, if necessary, to combine. Shape the dough into a flat disc, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight, to give the crust time to mellow. If making the double-crust version, divide the dough in half before shaping each portion into flat discs. Wrapped tightly, the dough can be refrigerated for 3 days or frozen for 1 month. For a pie that is filled and baked with the filling, follow the baking temperatures and times with your pie recipe. To make a baked, unfilled crust, like for a fresh strawberry pie, preheat oven to 325°F and bake the unfilled crust for about 20 minutes or until just browned.

SWEET CHERRY STREUSEL PIE



Sweet Cherry Streusel Pie image

With a flaky, all-butter crust on the bottom and a crumbly streusel on top, this delicious pie keeps things interesting. As for the filling, no canned stuff here: you'll pit whole cherries for a cherry pie that's the real deal.

Provided by Four and Twenty Blackbirds

Categories     dessert

Time 10h

Yield 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 21

8 ounces cold unsalted butter (2 sticks), preferably 82% fat European butter
2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup cold water
1 cup Ice cubes
Unsalted butter, softened, for greasing the pie plate
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into ½-inch cubes, preferably 82% fat European butter
5 cups sweet cherries
1 small baking apple, such as Empire
3 tablespoons potato starch, may substitute ground arrowroot or tapioca starch
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
6 dashes Angostura bitters
Juice of 1 lemon

Steps:

  • Use a bench scraper to cut butter into ½-inch cubes. (If butter begins to "sweat," dust with flour.) In a large, flat-bottomed bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Add the butter cubes and toss to coat with the flour mixture. Use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the flour; do not smash or smear the butter. Scrape butter off the pastry blender during the mixing process and continue mixing. (If butter is softening too fast, put the bowl in the refrigerator until butter firms up, 2-5 minutes.) Continue cutting, working quickly, until butter is broken down and looks like a coarse crumble with only a few larger pieces.
  • Combine vinegar with water and ice; you'll use 10-12 tablespoons of this liquid in the pie dough. Begin by sprinkling 4 tablespoons of liquid over the flour mixture; use a bench scraper or your hands to incorporate until the mixture begins to come together. Sprinkle in 4 more tablespoons of liquid and continue the mixing process. Squeeze a fistful of dough: if it holds, like wet sand, it's ready. If it falls apart, add 1-2 more tablespoons of liquid at a time, squeezing the dough to check if it holds. Bring all the dough together, sprinkling dry bits with more small drops of liquid as necessary; dough will look shaggy. Knead in the bowl just until incorporated.
  • Turn dough onto a work surface and use a bench scraper to divide dough into two equal pieces. Shape into flat disks and wrap in plastic; refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, preferably overnight. Dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and frozen up to 1 month, tightly wrapped.
  • Generously grease pie dish with softened butter. Dust a work surface and a rolling pin with flour. Place one chilled pie disk on the work surface and lightly dust it with flour. (Reserve the other disk for another use.) Roll dough by starting at the center and lightly pressing down with the rolling pin to flatten slightly. Rotate the dough and repeat, pressing down so it's evenly flattened all around, about ⅛-inch thick. Then roll outward to make a circle, rotating the dough a quarter-turn at a time to keep it even. (If dough is softening too fast, chill in the refrigerator until firm, 2-5 minutes.) Roll the dough until it's about 2-3 inches larger than the pie dish, all the way around. Use a pizza wheel to trim away the rough edges. (Save the scraps to make crust cookies!)
  • Overturn pie dish onto the center of the dough circle, then remove and place it right side up on your work surface. Use the light indentation created by the rim as a guide for gently positioning dough into the center of the dish. (If dough is softening too fast, put it back into the refrigerator until it firms up, 2-5 minutes.) Fit crust gently into dish, being careful not to stretch the dough. Begin crimping the edge by using your fingers to roll the dough firmly so it rests on top of the rim. Crimp by using your index finger and thumb on one hand to squeeze a letter "C" into the dough rim. (Lightly flour your fingers if the dough is sticking.) Repeat, crimping the entire pie and making sure the final fluted crust sits directly on top of the pan's rim. Pie is ready to be filled and baked.
  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Wearing gloves, use a cherry pitter to pit the cherries, with a large bowl to catch the pits. Set cherries aside.
  • Streusel: In a mixing bowl, add flour, sugar, and salt. Combine using a pastry blender. Then cut in butter until the cubes are smashed and coated with dry ingredients. Wipe butter off of pastry blender and continue mixing with your fingers, rubbing the butter into the dry ingredients until texture is similar to wet sand. Refrigerate for 20 minutes. (You can store streusel in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to one month.)
  • Filling: Peel the apple, then shred on the large holes of a box grater. Discard the peel and core. In a large mixing bowl, combine potato starch, brown sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, salt, and bitters. Squeeze lemon juice into the cherries, then add to sugar-spice mixture along with the shredded apple. Toss until well mixed, crushing some of the cherries with your hands.
  • Assembly: Pour filling into the refrigerated pie shell, packing down the cherries and adding all the remaining juices. Evenly distribute the streusel on top.
  • Pie will bake for a total of 1 hour. Place the pie on a rimmed baking sheet on the lowest rack of the oven. Bake until crust is set and beginning to brown, 20-25 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 375 degrees F, move the pie to the center oven rack, and continue to bake until the pastry is a deep golden brown and the juices are bubbling, 30-35 minutes longer. (If crust is browning but the filling isn't bubbling, cover with aluminum foil and bake until the filling bubbles.) Allow pie to cool completely on a wire rack before cutting into it, 2-3 hours. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

Tips:

  • Use high-quality unsalted butter for the best flavor. Make sure the butter is cold before using it, as this will help to prevent the gluten in the flour from developing too much and making the crust tough.
  • Work quickly when making the dough, as the butter can start to melt if it is handled too much. If the dough becomes too warm, chill it in the refrigerator for a few minutes before continuing.
  • Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface. This will help to prevent the dough from sticking to the rolling pin or the work surface.
  • When trimming the edges of the dough, use a sharp knife to make clean cuts. This will help to prevent the edges from tearing.
  • Bake the pie crust in a preheated oven. This will help to ensure that the crust is evenly browned and cooked through.
  • Let the pie crust cool completely before filling it. This will help to prevent the filling from making the crust soggy.

Conclusion:

With a little practice, you'll be able to make perfect pie crusts every time. Be sure to experiment with different recipes and techniques until you find one that you love. And don't forget to have fun! Baking is a great way to relax and de-stress, and there's nothing quite like the satisfaction of biting into a delicious, homemade pie.

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