The Baker's Hotline

September 11, 2017 at 3:03pm

In reply to by Kevin Donohue (not verified)

Kevin, the shrinking all-butter pie crust is an enemy of many pie bakers. Butter has a lower melting point than other vegetable oils/shortening, which means it doesn't hold its shape as well during baking. To prevent the shrinking crust, you can try chilling your crust for 30 minutes before baking, but if you're looking for a defined design, it's best to use at least a bit of vegetable shortening. As for your second question: the method shown in the video is more like a "rough puff" approach. It creates distinct, flaky layers and makes a delicate crust. The other technique you're referring to is known as fraisage. This melts some of the butter and produces more of a "short" crust. It's slightly more crumbly and is nice when combined with custard pies. We recommend trying both techniques to see which texture you prefer. You might find that each one is suitable for specific pies you make. Happy baking! Kye@KAF
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