Equipment
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 315 g all-purpose flour
- 25 g granulated sugar
- 6 g kosher salt
Fats
- 225 g unsalted butter, cut into 1cm cubes, very cold
Liquids
- 60 ml vodka, chilled
- 60 ml water, ice cold
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Combine the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, and kosher salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse 2 to 3 times until the dry ingredients are evenly distributed.
Scatter the very cold butter cubes over the dry ingredients. Pulse the machine 5 to 7 times until the butter is cut into pieces the size of large peas and the mixture resembles a coarse meal.
Sprinkle the chilled vodka and ice-cold water evenly over the mixture. Pulse 4 to 6 times, just until the dough begins to clump together in small curds. It should not form a complete ball in the food processor.
Turn the crumbly mixture out onto a clean work surface. Gently press the dough together, divide it into two equal portions, and shape each into a flat disc about 10 centimeters wide. Wrap each disc tightly in plastic wrap.
Refrigerate the wrapped dough discs for at least 1 hour before rolling out. This allows the flour to properly hydrate and the butter to firm up again.
Chef's Notes
- Vodka contains 40 percent alcohol and 60 percent water. Gluten forms when flour proteins bind with water, so replacing half the recipe's water with vodka provides the moisture needed for rolling without developing tough gluten networks.
- Almost all of the alcohol vaporizes in the heat of the oven, leaving behind no spiritous flavor, only a remarkably tender crust.
- Temperature is your most important ingredient in pie dough. Freeze the butter cubes for 10 minutes and combine the vodka and water in a glass with an ice cube before using to ensure everything stays frigid.
- When rolling out this specific dough, you may need slightly more dusting flour than usual, as it tends to be marginally more moist than an all-water crust.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Wrap tightly in plastic wrap to prevent drying out
Freezer: 3 months — Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place in a sealed freezer bag. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before rolling.
