Put all dry ingredients in food processor and pulse briefly to combine. Cut cold lard and butter into 1/2 cubes into the processor. Pulse five times for 1 second each. The mixture should have pea-sized lumps of butter.
It's very important not to over process. If you over process, it will start to ball up. You will activate the gluten in the flour and the result will be tough. You need lumps of butter so when you roll the crust out they make little pockets of butter which make the crust flaky.
In a glass with ice, add the water and whisk in an egg yolk. (If you double the recipe, still only use one egg yolk.)
Dump the mixture into a large bowl and drizzle in a tablespoon of the yolk water. Lightly mix with a folk. Keep adding water a tablespoon at a time and mixing lightly until crust starts to come together. It may require an extra tablespoon or two of water depending on the humidity.
Turn out half the crust onto a square of plastic wrap or waxed paper. Wrap tightly. Repeat with remaining half of crust and refrigerate the discs for at least 25 minutes. In my experience, 35 minutes in the refrigerator is perfect.
The key to having the crust roll out easily is to have the temperature of the butter right. Too warm and it will fall apart and be sticky. Too cold and you won't be able to roll it out. The dough should be firm but still workable.
Flour your work surface and roll out. If it starts sticking to the surface, roll the dough over your rolling pin and flour underneath again. When about 1/8" thick, roll over rolling pin and transfer to pie plate.
If it's a single crust, trim to about 1" away from pie plate edge. Fold under and crimp edges as desired.
If double crust, trim bottom to pie plate edge. Add filling and top crust. Trim to 1" from pie plate edge. Fold underneath bottom crust to seal and crimp.
I don't use milk or egg wash as it tends to make the pies brown overmuch. I do cut a few slits for ventilation and sprinkle some sugar on top for a little crunch.
Instructions
Put all dry ingredients in food processor and pulse briefly to combine. Cut cold lard and butter into 1/2 cubes into the processor. Pulse five times for 1 second each. The mixture should have pea-sized lumps of butter.
It's very important not to over process. If you over process, it will start to ball up. You will activate the gluten in the flour and the result will be tough. You need lumps of butter so when you roll the crust out they make little pockets of butter which make the crust flaky.
In a glass with ice, add the water and whisk in an egg yolk. (If you double the recipe, still only use one egg yolk.)
Dump the mixture into a large bowl and drizzle in a tablespoon of the yolk water. Lightly mix with a folk. Keep adding water a tablespoon at a time and mixing lightly until crust starts to come together. It may require an extra tablespoon or two of water depending on the humidity.
Turn out half the crust onto a square of plastic wrap or waxed paper. Wrap tightly. Repeat with remaining half of crust and refrigerate the discs for at least 25 minutes. In my experience, 35 minutes in the refrigerator is perfect.
The key to having the crust roll out easily is to have the temperature of the butter right. Too warm and it will fall apart and be sticky. Too cold and you won't be able to roll it out. The dough should be firm but still workable.
Flour your work surface and roll out. If it starts sticking to the surface, roll the dough over your rolling pin and flour underneath again. When about 1/8" thick, roll over rolling pin and transfer to pie plate.
If it's a single crust, trim to about 1" away from pie plate edge. Fold under and crimp edges as desired.
If double crust, trim bottom to pie plate edge. Add filling and top crust. Trim to 1" from pie plate edge. Fold underneath bottom crust to seal and crimp.
I don't use milk or egg wash as it tends to make the pies brown overmuch. I do cut a few slits for ventilation and sprinkle some sugar on top for a little crunch.
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