The Ultimate Pie Crust Recipe

Some important rules to follow for this great recipe for flaky, great tasting crust:

1. Keep ingredients well chilled. It will help prevent the butter from mixing uniformly with the flour, so that pockets can form among the flour particles. (translation: flaky crust!)

2. Use a combination of pastry flour and all-purpose flour. Different flours have different amounts of protein (a.k.a. gluten), which forms strands which form layers, which form flakes.

3. Once the butter gets down to pea-sized pieces, use the heel of your hand to smear them into streaks as you mix the dough.

1 3/4 cups pastry flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. sea salt
1 cup (2 sticks unsalted butter, very cold, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 cup ice-cold water (approx) divided

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, pulse together flours, sugar and salt. Add butter and pulse 2-3 times. Add most of the water and pulse 2-3 times or until butter is in pea-sized pieces. Grab a handful of the dough; if it sticks together turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. If it doesn't stick together, add a bit more water, pulse 2-3 times and test it again.

Grab the dough with both hands and push it into a ball (it may not hold very well? Using the heel of your hand, smear butter into streaks by pushing butter pieces away from you. Do this of a minute or so until the dough is mostly cohesive; it may still be a little crumbly. Divide the dough into 2 balls and wrap them in plastic. Refrigerate 30 minutes before baking (or you may freeze them up to 3 months).

Yield 2 piecrusts

Fresh Fruit Pies

INGREDIENTS

1 (3 ounce) package jello, same flavor as fruit

4 Tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup white sugar

1 cup water

1 cup fresh fruit

1 quart fresh fruit (place in pie crust)

1 9" prepared shortbread crust

DIRECTIONS

In a saucepan combine jello, cornstarch, sugar, 1 cup diced fruit and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until boiling. Let cool about 5 minutes. 

Place fuit (sliced if necessary) into pie crust. Pour mixture gently over fruit. Chill at least 1 hour uncovered, then cover and store until serving. 

Heavenly Rolls

Sweet Dough Standard Method

Sift together the following ingredients  and let rise 1 hour:

2 cups luke warm milk

1/2 cup sugar

2 Tbsp. yeast

3 cups flour

Add:

2 eggs

1 tsp. salt

2 cups flour

2 Tbsp. butter

Knead well for 10 minutes and let rise 1 more hour.  Roll out dough about 3/8 inch thick into rectangle shape.  Cut rolls with circular cutter and fold in half on cookie sheet to bake.  Let rise till double and bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

For Cinnamon Rolls

After rolling into rectangle shape, spread evenly with butter and desired sugar and cinnamon.  Roll into jelly roll and cut in 1 inch sections with knife, thread or floss.  Set in pan to rise 1 hour and 15 min. at 375 degrees.

Sweet Dough Bread Machine

Place the following ingredients in bread pan and set on dough setting:

1 cup room temp. milk

1 egg

1 Tbsp butter

3 cups flour

1/3 cup sugar

2/3 tsp salt

1 Tbsp. yeast

1 Tbsp. dough enhancer

Follow directions for rolling out and baking after dough cycle is completed.

Glaze

Mix to a thin consistency:

Powdered sugar

Milk

Melted Butter

Vanilla Flavor

Snickerdoodles

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup shortening

2 eggs

2 3/4 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp cream of tartar

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup sugar

2 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions

1.  Heat oven to 400 degrees.

2.  Mix sugar, butter, shortening, eggs in large bowl.  Stir in flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt.

3.  Shape dough into 1 1/4 inch balls.  Mix 1/4 cup sugar and 2 tsp. ground cinnamon.  Roll balls in cinnamon-sugar mixture.  Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.

4.  Bake 8-10 min. or until set.  Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.

Leanne's Buttermilk Cornbread

Ingredients

1/4 pound butter

2/3 cup white sugar

2 eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 cup cornmeal

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt.

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Grease 8 inch square pan.

2.  Melt butter in large skillet.  Remove from heat and stir in sugar.  Quickly add eggs and beat until well blended.  Combine buttermilk with baking soda and stir into mixture in pan.  Stir in cornmeal, flour and salt until well blended and few lumps remain.  Pour batter into the prepared pan.

3.  Bake 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

SPUDNUTS

2 cups mashed potatoes
1 cup water (Slightly Warm)
3/4 cup butter
2 tsp. salt
3 cups milk (Slightly Warm)
2 cups sugar
2 Tbsp. yeast
5 eggs
1 tsp lemon juice
13 cup flour
1 tsp nutmeg

Dissolve yeast in warm water
Mix all ingredients to soft dough
Let rise 2 hours
Roll out and cut
Let rise 2 hours
Fry in 360 degree oil

Note: This makes a huge batch. You may want to half it. Also you can cut down the rise time but placing dough in a slightly warm oven.
Glaze with powdered sugar mixed with milk and vanilla till smooth and runny.