Had to pick between my grandma's pie crust recipe and a new one I saw on YouTube

So I was making apple pie for Thanksgiving and I always used my grandma's recipe, but it's super finicky with the butter needing to be ice cold and all. I watched this video last week from a baker in Portland who said you could use half shortening and half butter and it's way easier. I went with my grandma's anyway because I didn't want to mess up the family meal. The crust turned out flaky but it took me like 45 minutes to get it right. Has anyone tried that shortening trick and actually had it taste good?

2 comments

2 Comments

troy_scott4d ago

I used to be a total purist about all-butter crusts... my grandma always said shortening was for people who didn't care about flavor. But a few years back I tried that exact Portland baker's trick, half and half, for a potluck where I was running late. The crust came together in maybe 15 minutes, rolled out way easier, and honestly nobody at the party said a word about it being off. I still make my grandma's for Thanksgiving too, but for weeknight pies or when I'm crunched, the half-shortening version is my go-to now. It's not quite as flaky as the all-butter one but the texture is still real good, and the taste is fine if you use a decent brand of shortening.

sarahpatel3d ago

Used to be all about butter myself, swore by it for years. But then I tried the half and half trick for a last minute apple pie and yeah, it really does make the rolling easier without losing that much. Still makes me feel a little guilty, but not guilty enough to go back.