Pie crust advice from a stranger at the county fair changed my method

At the Clackamas County Fair last August, an older woman watched me roll out dough and said my crust looked like I was 'fighting the gluten.' She told me to stop worrying about perfect circles and just pat the dough together with my hands before rolling. I switched from mixing with my fingers to using a bench scraper and now my crusts come out tender every time. Anyone else get a random tip that flipped their whole baking routine?

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nguyen.angela6d ago

Wait till you try baking in a humid kitchen or with a different brand of flour and see if that tip still holds up. I've been making pie crust for years and honestly, the biggest change for me was just using cold butter and not overthinking it. Patting vs rolling might work for some, but I've seen people get perfect flaky layers doing the exact opposite. Feels like every baking rule has a counter-rule depending on the day. The fair lady's advice is fine, but I wouldn't rewrite your whole recipe book over it.

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