It just took some extra time at home to discover how much better homemade is than store bought, especially when it comes to baking. Granted, home-baked takes a bit more effort but that feeling of satisfaction when you take your first bite makes it worth it all.

Making a pie pastry from scratch is something that is guaranteed to make you happy. Getting it right means many joyous mouthfuls of your favourite pies, sweet and savoury.

Here are a few favourite tips for that wonderful tasty, flaky pie crust.

Make sure your butter is cold

For that extra flaky texture, your pastry needs to retain some integrity and that means not overworking your fat or butter into the dough. The best way to ensure this doesn’t happen is to use well chilled butter, cut into small cubes. On a hot day keep your butter in the freezer for ten to fifteen minutes before use, of keep it in a bowl of ice cubes.

Don’t overwork the dough

As said above, having some larger chunks of fat or butter in your dough lends itself to a flakier crust so go easy of that dough.

Limit the amount of water you use

For a pie crust you really just need the minimum amount of water so the dough holds together but isn’t sticky.

Before you roll, shape into a disc

Tired of rolling out an uneven pie crust? Take the time to shape your dough into an even disk with smooth edges. Having a floured surface and well-floured hands makes this shaping process easier. And more even results when rolling out later

Chill your dough

Stash your dough disc in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes before rolling it out, and for a maximum of 2 days. On a hot day you may consider putting your dough into the freezer 10 minutes before you are ready to roll.

Roll and turn, roll and turn

Using a well-floured surface and rolling pin you can start rolling out your dough. To make sure your dough isn’t sticking to the surface, remember to turn your dough about 90 degrees after every roll. If you notice any sticking, lift that side up and put some more flour underneath.

Don’t stretch the dough

When you have finishing rolling and are placing the dough onto a greased pie pan, rather let the dough fall in place rather than stretching it and pressing it down. Stretched dough pulls back to its original shape when you bake it so you will end up with a smaller crust if you try to pull and push it into the pan.

Take the time to chill, again

Before blind baking your pie crust it helps to cover and chill your dough in the pan. This helps retain shape and size when baking.