Only problem, and I know I’m not alone in this: I can’t make a decent pie crust.
That’s right, though I’m a culinary school grad, cookbook author and have spent years working for Martha Stewart, I still can’t rock a pie crust. It’s not for lack of trying, but there’s something always just a little bit off. Too flaky, too crumbly, too wet, too dry; my crusts were always lacking.
Since I write about food, sometimes a publishing house will be so kind as to send me a cookbook. Recently, I received a copy of Joy The Baker’s new book from Hyperion, and I was pretty delighted when I did. Joy is an LA-based 20-something blogger who learned to bake from her father. She’s full of love and hipness, an Anthropologie advertisement brought to life. Joy is buzzing bees and butterflies, cupcakes with pink frosting and a big tattoo on her shoulder. Edgy sweet.
I flipped through the cookbook and it was clear that Joy took the preciousness out of baking. She was taught by her dad, and now she’s teaching thousands of fans that yes, they can bake.
I searched online for a crostata recipe, and up she popped. Baking kismet. Here’s the recipe for Joy’s Apricot Crostatas]. It’s a lovely story and an enthusiastic description.
I followed the recipe (using all butter), and worked the mixture in the food processor as she describes. I used frozen butter, sliced twice lengthwise and then into bits. I made one big crostata, gave a nice egg wash to the outer crust and sugared it well before I baked it at 375F for about 50 minutes. The filling was simple: apples and strawberries, a handful of sugar and a teaspoon of fine tapioca to thicken.
It was the best pie crust I ever made.
But why? Perhaps because the butter was really frozen. Perhaps because I was making it for Valentine’s Day, and putting a whole lot of love into it.
Either way, I’m thrilled I’ve got a new pie crust recipe that works magic.
Allison Fishman is the host of Yahoo’s Blue Ribbon Hunter and author of You Can Trust A Skinny Cook. For delicious humor & recipes, visit allisonfishman.com or follow @allisonfishman on Twitter.