Pies make excellent sugar free desserts, so knowing how to make a fast, easy, virtually fool-proof crust is a valuable skill. Make it once, and Easy-As-Pie Pastry will forever more be your go-to recipe every time you want a rich, golden, gorgeous pie crust for your sugar free pie creations. The trick to making a beautiful edge on your pastry shell is having plenty of dough to go around, and this recipe gives you a bounty to work with!
Pie crusts tend to brown quickly in the oven, so have foil on hand to slip atop the pie midway through the baking process. That way, the contents of the pie can continue to cook, and your crust will stay beautifully golden and not turn burnt-brown. Another trick to attractive crusts is brushing them with a thin coat of evaporated milk before putting them in the oven. This will give your crust a lovely gloss, but be aware that it will also cause it to brown a little faster.
For this recipe you’ll need a pastry cutter, sturdy whisk, or two forks, an 8″ or 9″ pie plate, waxed paper and tape, and a rolling pin.
Sugar Free Easy-As-Pie Pastry
For a single-crust pie:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
pinch of nutmeg
1/2 cup (1 stick) margarine with no water content (read ingredients on label to be sure)
4-5 tablespoons cold water
For a double-crust pie, simply double the ingredients.
In a large bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together. Using a pastry blender, a sturdy whisk, or a knife held in each hand and making a criss-cross motion, cut in half the margarine until the mixture resembles corn meal. Then cut in the remaining margarine until the pieces in the mixture are about the size of small peas.
Sprinkle one tablespoon of cold water over a small section of the mixture, and gently toss it with a fork to moisten. Push the moistened section to the side of the bowl. Repeat this process until all of the mixture is moistened, gather the dough up with your fingers, and form it into a ball. Divide the dough into two balls for a double-crust pie.
You can wrap the dough balls in plastic wrap and refrigerate them until you’re ready to roll out your crust. For easy rolling, tear off two large sections of waxed paper and tape them together to make a large square. Dust the square with flour, and place your dough on top. Dust the dough with flour, make another waxed paper square, and place it on top of the dough. Roll the dough between the waxed paper sheets into a circle several inches in diameter larger than your pie plate. Peel off the top layer of paper, pick up the dough using the bottom layer of paper, and invert the dough into your pie plate. Adjust it as needed to fit the plate and peel off the remaining paper.
If you’re making a one-crust pie, trim the dough until it extends about an inch from the side of the pie plate, and turn it under. Using your fingers, a fork, or another utensil, make a design around the edge. If you’re making a double-crust pie, fill the pie and put the top crust on before trimming the dough and making a design to seal the dough around the edges. Cut a few decorative vents in the top of your double-crust pie before baking.
If you need a baked pie shell, follow the dingle-crust directions, and prick the bottom and sides of the pastry evenly with a fork. Bake the empty shell at 450 degrees for about ten minutes.
Check out some more choice sugar free desserts for diabetics!
Follow Us!