Simple Whole Grain Pie Crust Dough in Bulk
Whole grain pie crust dough made from scratch is one of the best things to have on hand, stored away in the freezer whenever you need it. This simple whole grain pie crust recipe makes 6 portions of pie dough. Using only basic ingredients, this recipe makes a flaky and versatile crust to be used for any sweet or savoury bake.
I love having whole grain pie crust on hand because it can be used for so many different things. For savoury items such as quiche, pigs in a blanket, or meat pies. Or sweet items such as tarts, fruit pies, or turnovers. The possibilities are endless. And if you’re going to make one pie crust, why not make six!?
You’ll love this recipe because it only uses simple ingredients and comes out nice and flexible every time. The whole-grain flour also adds a nice depth of flavour without compromising the texture. This is my go-to recipe whenever I need to restock on pie crust dough and it stores perfectly in the freezer.
Tips For Working With Whole-Grain Flour
Working with whole grains may require some trial and error. When using whole-grain flour in baked goods, take note that it can affect the texture and hydration of your creations. You may need to make adjustments to ensure that your whole-grain baked goods are actually enjoyable!
Choose The Right Flour
When making baked goods, choosing or blending low-gluten flours like spelt, soft white, rye, einkorn, and oat flour can make a significant difference. These flours have lower gluten content compared to traditional all-purpose or whole-wheat bread flours, which helps reduce the chance of over-mixing. Over-mixing can develop too much gluten, causing the dough or batter to become tough rather than tender. Most baked goods are best when they are flaky and tender, rather than tight and chewy. Using these lower-gluten flours ensures a more delicate and desirable texture in your baked creations.
Blend With All-Purpose Flour
For a balance between flavour and texture, I like to mix whole grain flour with all-purpose flour. This helps maintain some of the fluffy and delicate texture of the baked good while still getting the nutritional and flavour benefits of whole grains.
Slowly Incorporate Liquid
When working with different whole grains, it’s important to note that they can retain varying amounts of liquid. Therefore, when substituting with whole-grain flour in baked goods, take your time adding liquid. It’s important to become familiar with the texture a recipe should have, so you can determine when it has reached optimal hydration. Depending on the type of whole grain you’re using, you might be able to hydrate the mixture a little more than usual, as it will continue to absorb water as the dough or batter rests. Play around with it and expect to fail and learn from your mistakes.
Where To Source Whole-Grain Flour
If you’re living in a city, you can mostly likely find a bakery or fancy grocery store that sells fresh-milled whole-grain flour. If you’re living in the country and you can source whole-grains, you may want to consider milling your own flour. You can start without making a large investment by using a powerful coffee grinder or blender that you already own. A step up would be purchasing a KitchenAid grain mill attachment.
If you’re really enjoying working with fresh-milled whole-grains and you have a reliable source of grain, you can also consider a Harvest NutriMill which is the one I use almost everyday and love both for its beauty and practicality.
Get your Harvest NutriMill when you’re ready to invest using this link and my discount code BRONSBREAD20 at checkout to get $20 off your order!
When And How To Blind Bake
When to Blind Bake:
- Custard Pies: Pies with a custard filling, like pumpkin or lemon meringue, require blind baking to prevent a soggy bottom.
- No-Bake Pies: Pies with fillings that don’t need to be baked, such as fresh fruit pies or some cream pies.
- Quiches: Ensures a crisp crust even with a wet filling.
How to Blind Bake:
- Prepare the Dough: Roll out your pie dough and fit it into your pie pan. No need to grease the pan as the dough is already rich in fat. Trim and crimp the edges as desired.
- Chill the Dough: Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This helps prevent shrinking during baking.
- Dock the Dough: Prick the bottom and sides of the crust with a fork to prevent bubbles.
- Weigh it Down: Line the crust with parchment paper or aluminum foil and fill it with pie weights, dried beans, or uncooked rice. This keeps the crust flat and prevents puffing.
- Bake: Bake in a preheated oven at 375°F (190°C) for about 15-20 minutes until the edges start to brown.
- Remove Weights and Continue Baking: Carefully remove the parchment and weights. Return the crust to the oven and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes or until the bottom is golden and cooked through.
What You’ll Need
Materials
Cutting Board: For cutting cold butter on.
Small Bowl: To whisk egg and vinegar.
Sharp Kitchen Knife: For slicing cold butter.
Stand-mixer with Paddle and Hook Attachment: For mixing the dough.
Small Plastic Bags or Seran Wrap: For storing in the freezer.
Ingredients
Butter/Lard: Fat must be chilled and cubed. I like to do a blend of butter and lard but you can do all butter if you prefer. Using only lard will work but doesn’t have the best flavour.
Learn how to make your own lard here!
All-Purpose Flour: For tenderness and pliability.
Whole Grain Flour: I used a blend of spelt, hard white wheat, and hard red wheat. Refer to the text to learn about other whole grains that work well for baked goods.
Salt: I use Himalayan sea salt but any salt will work.
Whole Egg: Any simple ol’ egg will do the trick.
White Vinegar: The acidity weakens gluten formation so your pie dough doesn’t come out tough after mixing.
Cold Water: Cold water is essential so it doesn’t melt the butter as the dough comes together.
How To Make Whole Grain Pie Crust
Prepare Butter/Lard: Cube cold butter and/or lard, then set aside in the fridge to keep chilled.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a stand mixer, combine white flour, whole grain flour, and salt.
Incorporate Butter/Lard: Add the cold, cubed butter/lard to the dry ingredients. Using the paddle attachment, mix until the mixture becomes crumbly.
Prepare Wet Ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together an egg and vinegar.
Combine Mixtures: Add the whisked egg and vinegar to the crumbly flour mixture.
Add Water: Switch to the hook attachment on the stand mixer. Gradually add cold water to the mixture until the dough starts to come together and is slightly sticky.
Shape Dough: Transfer the dough to a floured surface. Pat it into a large rectangle and divide it into six equal pieces.
Form Disks: Shape each portion of dough into a round disk, dusting with flour as needed.
Store Dough: Place each dough disk into a small plastic bag. Label, date, and freeze for future use.
Notes
Small to medium-sized chunks of butter or lard are good for a flaky crust.
When using the dough, take a portion from the freezer for a couple of hours before rolling it out. Make sure it is fully thawed before attempting to roll it out; this shouldn’t take too long as it’s mostly fat. Do not try to speed up the thawing process by putting it somewhere warm, as this could melt the butter and ruin all your hard work.
The dough is ready when it’s a little sticky. This allows you to add extra flour and control the texture when rolling it out. Keeping it a bit sticky also prevents it from drying out.
Watch Me Make Pie Crust Dough In Bulk!
Simple Whole Grain Pie Crust in Bulk
Ingredients
- 300 g Butter cold and cubed
- 275 g Lard cold and cubed
- 440 g All-Purpose Flour
- 220 g Whole Grain Flour
- 10 g Salt
- 1 Whole Egg
- 1 Tbsp White Vinegar
- 1 – 1 + 1/2 Cups Cold Water
Instructions
- Prepare Butter/Lard: Cube cold butter and/or lard, then set aside in the fridge to keep chilled.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a stand mixer, combine white flour, whole grain flour, and salt.
- Incorporate Butter/Lard: Add the cold, cubed butter/lard to the dry ingredients. Using the paddle attachment, mix until the mixture becomes crumbly.
- Prepare Wet Ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together an egg and vinegar.
- Combine Mixtures: Add the whisked egg and vinegar to the crumbly flour mixture.
- Add Water: Switch to the hook attachment on the stand mixer. Gradually add cold water to the mixture until the dough starts to come together and is slightly sticky.
- Shape Dough: Transfer the dough to a floured surface. Pat it into a large rectangle and divide it into six equal pieces.
- Form Disks: Shape each portion of dough into a round disk, dusting with flour as needed.
- Store Dough: Place each dough disk into a small plastic bag. Label, date, and freeze for future use.
Notes
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