Sometimes information in a hundred-year-old magazine or cookbook helps me improve my cooking technique. Making a flaky pie crust is a recurring challenge for me, and I often end up with hard, dry crusts. I tried many recipes that call for using shortening, lard, or butter – but I have not found the perfect recipe.
Our sour cherry tree produced lots of cherries last summer, and I froze 24 pints. A few days ago, I decided to use some of the cherries to make a cherry pie. I wasn’t thinking about hundred-year-old recipes, or this blog – but I was thinking about how hard it is to was to make good pie crusts. Suddenly I remembered seeing a hundred-year-old advertisement for an old-time cottonseed oil shortening called Snowdrift – and how it contained a recipe with a tip for flaky pie crusts. Next thing I knew I was digging through old magazines looking for recipe in the ad:
Even if I could find a cottonseed shortening similar to Snowdrift, I had no interest in making a pie pastry using it. What intrigued me were the directions for making flaky pastry – reserve a little of the shortening when making the pie pastry, then spread some of the reserved shortening on the rolled out dough, fold dough, re-roll, repeat. Were they adaptable for use with other recipes?
The answer is a resounding “yes.” I made the crust for the cherry pie using a modern pastry recipe – but with the added steps described in the old recipe. This resulted in a noticeably flakier pie crust. I definitely plan to regularly use this technique in the future.
Here are the additional steps for a flaky pie crust.
Step 1
Reserve a little of the shortening or other fat when making the pastry. Use any pastry recipe that calls for shortening, lard, or butter; but, use a little less shortening or other fat than called for in the recipe.
Step 2
Roll out the pastry, and spread with some of the reserved shortening or other fat. 
Step 3
Fold the pastry dough twice (so that it is four layers thick).
Step 4
Roll dough out.
Step 5
Repeat Steps 2 – 4 (roll out dough and spread with shortening or other fat, fold dough, roll dough) two additional times. 
Sounds like what you do with puff pastry! Going to try it. Putting dough in fridge for an hour or so to chill it, is definitely a help as well.
I’ve never made puff pastry, but it probably is a similar process. Thanks for the suggestion about putting the dough in the fridge.
Very interesting, and definitely worth a try. What caught my eye, though, was your mention of the sour cherry tree. Growing up in Pennsylvania, we had one in our backyard, and I spent many summer afternoons at our picnic table, pitting cherries for my mother to turn into pie filling. Sour cherries are something we never see here, and the thought of cherry pie is making my mouth water right now. Thanks for triggering some very happy memories. ❤
It wonderful to hear that this post bought back some good memories. We are very fortunate to have two sour cherry trees in our yard.
What a beautiful looking pie!
Thank you – it did turn out nicely.
A lovely looking pie, Sheryl I always lattice mine… thank you for the tip to make pastry flakier I will definitely be trying that when I next make pastry 🙂
Similarly to you, I like to lattice cherry pies. Cherries are so juicy, and lattice just seems to work better than a solid top crust.
Absolutely Sheryl ❤️
I not a pie maker and having to eat GF, I doubt I could make a flaky crust. I have switched to flans and cheese cakes. But I do remember my neighbor’s cherry tree. She would have the kids climb up to get the cherries.
Fortunately our trees are dwarf trees so we can reach most of the cherries while standing on the ground.
So I guess you don’t have to make the neighborhood kids pick them. 🙂
I will try that trick the next time I make a pie. Thank you for sharing it.
It worked really well, and only took a few minutes longer.
Now all I have to do is make a crust I can actually roll out!!!
I think I might be karmic challenged for pie crust.
My mother-in-law could make incredible pies and I learned a lot about how to successfully roll out a pie crust from her.
Agreed–that is a beautiful pie. I guess I am just not that picky about a pie crust!
For some strange reason, my pie crusts seemed to get harder and drier in recent years – and I’ve been frustrated.
Will have to try this. I have cherries, blue berries and apple pie filling in the freezer. 🙂
I see a lot of wonderful pies in your future. 🙂
What a fabulous result. It certainly looks good.
The pie turned out well.
Your pie is beautiful! I remember Snowdrift Shortening from when I was a child.
If you want a great modern pie crust and the technique how to make it very flaky, check out Helen Fletcher’s blog, Pasteries Like a Pro.
https://pastrieslikeapro.com/amazing-pastry-dough-recipe/
Thanks for the link to the very helpful site.
It’s all about the butter, and the lyrics. And result looks delicious. Thanks for sharing
It’s nice to hear that you enjoyed this post.
Pie perfection!
I’m not sure that I’ve reached perfection yet, but I’m getting closer. 🙂
I love to make pie crust! and I can’t wait to try this idea! Thanks for sharing 🙂
(I am finally getting back to blogging and look forward to visiting again)
You should give it a try. I think that you’ll like how the crust turns out. It’s wonderful to hear that you’re getting back into blogging. I look forward to catching up on what you’ve been doing.
What a fun post to read about Sheryl! My pie crust is very similar (I use shortening) but I never heard of spreading some of the shortening and folding the dough. I will have to try that, thank you!