Food - Drink
The Fraisage Method Will Forever Change The Way You Make Pie Crust
By MICHELLE WELSCH
With a flaky, buttery crust, and a sweet, fruity filling, there’s something extremely satisfying about pie. However, pie can quickly turn disappointing if not made properly, so to ensure all your pies are crowd-pleasers try the French method of fraisage to make the flakiest, butteriest crust.
Typically, homemade pie crust calls for mixing cold butter into flour using a pastry cutter or food processor, and then slowly adding water until a dough comes together. However, in fraisage all the ingredients are piled onto a floured surface and kneaded together with the heel of your hand or a rubber spatula if you’re worried about germs.
Tips to get the most out of your fraisage include cutting your butter into half-inch cubes and making sure to flip your dough so the fats are evenly mixed. You’ll know you’re finished when the dough is shaggy but still sticks together, but be careful not to overwork the dough as the coldness of the butter is what keeps the crust flaky.