Pie crusts are the main essence of a baked pie dish. However, it can be prepared effortlessly if the right instructions are followed. You can prepare them just before baking a pie, or you can even make them beforehand and freeze them for future use. All Butter Crust for Sweet and Savory Pies Ingredients

• 3 cups, all-purpose flour (plus extra flour for rolling)
• 16 tablespoons, butter (cubed)
• 1 teaspoon, sugar
• 3-6 tablespoons, ice-cold water
• salt, according to taste

Preparation Mix the flour, salt, sugar, and pulse them with the help of a food processor. Add butter and pulse again. Mix it well till it is coarse and crumbly. Now, start adding water gradually and slowly so that it begins to form a dough that has small peas-sized lumps of butter in it. Now, remove the formed dough carefully from the food processor and allow it to get settled on a clean surface. Shape the dough into two discs. Make sure they are not over kneaded. If you have followed the correct procedure then still you will be able to see small bits of butter. This butter pieces will help your crust to be flaky. Now put your discs in refrigerator for 1 hour after wrapping them in plastic. After 1 hour, remove one of the discs from refrigerator sprinkle some flour on top, roll out the dough with a rolling spin by using a metal spatula. Gently fold the dough and press it down to the line the pie dish. Fill the dish with your choice of filling. When you are ready, take the second disk of dough as the before one, turn it over on the top of the filling and pinch the top and bottom of dough firmly. Take out the excess of dough; fold it with the edge of the pan using your thumb. Score the top of the pie with long cuts sufficient for the steam to escape. All Butter Crust with Almonds Ingredients

• 2 cups, all-purpose flour, plus extra flour for rolling
• ½ cup, blanched almonds (finely ground)
• 16 tablespoons, chilled butter (cubed)
• 1 teaspoon, brown sugar
• 3-6 tablespoons, ice-cold water
• salt according to taste.

Preparation Preparation is same as the All Butter Crust for Sweet and Savory Pies, the only difference is, you have to include ground almonds, salt, and sugar. To Pre-bake a Crust If you are going for pre-baked crust, then follow all the steps as above and freeze the crusts for 30 minutes. When it is chilled sufficiently, line it with wax paper or aluminum foil, fill at least 2/3 with dry beans or rice. Bake with stainless steel pie weights for another 20 minutes. After baking allow it to cool before the pie weights are taken off. Again bake for approximately 10 min, the crust will become golden. Use it for filling. Combination Butter and Shortening Crust Ingredients

• 3 cups, all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons, sugar
• ¾ cup, chilled butter (cubed)
• ½ cup, all-vegetable shortening
• 6-8 tablespoons, of ice-cold water
• salt to taste

Preparation Mix flour, salt, and sugar in food processor with a steel blade. Then, scatter the butter pieces over flour mix pulse the mixture. Keep adding the shortening at regular intervals. The butter bits should be like peas in the mixture resembling like to that of coarse cornmeal. After this, sprinkle ice water over the flour mixture and start pressing down the dough using a folding motion, until it gets stuck together. If required add more ice water. When the dough is ready divide it into 2 balls and prepare the disk out of it. Wrap it in a plastic and keep it in the refrigerator for 30-40 minutes. When your dough is ready for rolling, take it out of the refrigerator, sprinkle a little flour on it and roll it outwards from center. When the dough reaches the exact size, fold it in quarter shape, lift it and again place it at center. Now gently unfold. If you are making single crust pies then use kitchen scissors to trim it. Tuck the overhung underneath it. Crumble the edge of crust using a fork. Use a sharp knife to cut vents in to the top, so that steam will escape through it. You can paint the top with an egg wash. Egg Wash Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon, heavy cream
• 3-4 tablespoons, milk
• 1 large egg yolk

Preparation Beat egg yolk with cream and paint the top of pie with pastry brush to get a nice finish.