On Thu 08 Sep 2005 02:15:36p, Dave Smith wrote in rec.food.cooking:

> Myraide wrote:
>
>> ok i see my major mistake. not having EVERYTHING really cold. and then
>> when mixed, i did not add the water as i thought it would just make it
>> more gooey than it already was. AND i mixed it with my hands which were
>> warm too....
>
> Actually, you had me totally confused with the recipe. I have never
> heard of making a pie dough recipe using organic coconut butter. That is
> not to say that it can't be done, just that there are basic pie dough
> recipes using other types of shortening and they might be a better place
> to start for a first try.

No reason you can't use coconut better, or any other solid fat. If that's
what you plan to use ongoing, thenyou might as well learn how to work with
from the beginning.

> I almost always use Crisco shortening and follow the recipe on the box,
> and it works great for me. I have made it with lard too, and I have
> made other types of pastry crust with butter.

I almost always use a mixture of butter and lard for pie pastry, and I use
both chilled. I do keep Crisco on hand and use it occasionally for pie
pastry when I'm out of butter and/or lard. Agreed, Crisco does not need to
be chilled in order to work.

> Everything does not have to be cold. Crisco cuts in nicely at room
> temperature. The trick is to cut it into the salted flour until there
> are still small pieces, which is why I prefer to do it by hand rather
> than with a food processor.

I, along with many experts, find that if everything is cold, you are more
likely to have a more successful and flaky crust. Again, Crisco
notwithstanding. It is essential that dairy butter, coconut butter, or
lard be chilled in order to work correctly.

> The water should be ice cold. After it
> forms into a ball, I cut the ball in half, wrap each ball in waxed paper
> and form discs and stick them into the fridge while I prepare the
> filling.

Yep, pretty standard.

--
Wayne Boatwright *¿*
____________________________________________

My doctor told me to stop having intimate dinners for four,
unless there are three other people.