FAQs
Our answer
How long should pie dough rest? ›
Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes, or up to overnight. Tip: Chilling hardens the fat in the dough, which will help the crust maintain its structure as it bakes. And the short rest before rolling relaxes the dough's gluten, helping prevent a tough crust.
How long should you rest pastry in the fridge? ›
RULE #7 Rest the pastry
Putting the dough back in the fridge to rest for any time longer than 15 minutes – but ideally at least 30 minutes – allows the gluten to relax and allows the pastry to chill. Cool and relaxed pastry is far more likely to hold its shape when cooking.
Do you have to rest pastry? ›
Resting is key! Never roll out freshly made pastry because it will shrink when it's baked. Ideally refrigerate it overnight, or at least for a few hours. Once the tart tin is lined, place it in the freezer for another hour and blind bake from frozen.
What happens if you don't chill pastry? ›
Because of the reaction between the flour and the butter. When you bake from chilled the butter melts quickly and creates air pockets in the pastry making it lovely and crumbly. If you bake it from room temperature then the butter is going to get soaked up by the flour and cause a much denser harder pastry.
Is it possible to let dough rest too long? ›
Pizza dough that has been left to rise for too long, or has been over-proofed, can potentially collapse. The gluten becomes overly relaxed, and the end product will be gummy or crumbly instead of crisp and fluffy.
How long does dough need to rest? ›
It means to let your dough rest (I give it 25-30 minutes) before kneading. This allows the flour to become thoroughly saturated, and provides time for the gluten chains to start forming up before you even lay a hand on the dough — more pre-kneading. Following that, it's an easy 5 to 7 minutes — that's all!
What is the golden rule of pastry? ›
The first golden rule of making pastry; keep the ingredients, the bowl and the hands as cool as possible. Sieve the flour to add extra air and lightness to the pastry.
Why is my pie dough hard after refrigeration? ›
And while you can keep the pie dough in the fridge for longer than 30 minutes (up to two days), it will be too cold at that point and you'll need to let it sit on the counter at room temperature to let it soften before rolling it out.
What happens if you leave pie dough in the fridge too long? ›
“Well-wrapped, pie dough can be stored in the fridge for two to three days, or in the freezer for up to three months,” says David. “After day three in the fridge, you can expect your dough to oxidize, turning a grayish color.” This is completely normal, but can be postponed by adding a bit of vinegar to your recipe.
This is really the game changing tip: a really cold pie dough is so much easier to roll than a slightly chilled pie dough. Almost every pie dough recipe I have ever seen says to chill your pie dough for two hours.
Why is it important to rest pastry dough? ›
2) Let the pastry rest and chill before rolling it out
This step accomplishes two things: It ensures the fat is cold, which encourages pastry that's flaky rather than crumbly. And it gives the gluten in the flour a chance to relax, making it easier to roll (and less likely to shrink later on).
What is the secret of good pastry? ›
Keep Everything Cool
Run your hands under cold water before starting to mix pastry. If the butter or lard warms up too much (like on a hot day, for example), pop it in the refrigerator from time to time. Roll pastry on a cool surface (a marble slab is perfect) dusted with flour.
Does pie dough need to rest? ›
Once the dough is shaped and crimped, the last thing you want to do bake it right away. Chilling the shaped pie allows the aforementioned gluten to relax and the butter to get nice and cold again, both of which help your pie hold its shape better once it's in the oven.
What is one thing you should not do when making pie crust? ›
The Most Common Pie Crust Mistakes (And Ways To Avoid Them)
- The ingredients are too warm. ...
- The pie dough is overworked from excessive mixing or rolling. ...
- The pie dough isn't given enough time to relax and chill. ...
- The pie dough is shrinking down the sides of the pan.
Do I really need to rest my pie dough for at least an hour before rolling it out and then freeze my pie crust before baking it off? ›
Let them rest in the fridge for at least 2 hours, but ideally overnight. Resting them in the fridge allows the gluten to settle and the moisture to despurse evenly throughout the pie crust.
How long should pie rest after baking? ›
Remove the pie from the oven, and set it on a rack to cool. The filling will be quite liquid at first, but will set as the pie rests. If you want the pie to slice cleanly, without oozing filling, allow it to cool completely before serving; this will take at least a couple of hours.
How long is pie dough usually rested and chilled for why is it given a resting and chilling period? ›
I always chill my dough for at least 2 hours before rolling out, and then chill again for at least 1 hour after shaping in the pie pan. There are undoubtedly faster methods out there, but this is what I've found to work best for me in terms of maintaining pretty crimps and the overall shape of the crust.
How long to set pie dough out before rolling? ›
After you make your pie dough, you should let it rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or better, 12 to 24 hours, before you roll it out.
How do you know if pie dough is too dry? ›
Too much flour = dry pie dough. Once mixed, your dough should stick together when you pinch it between your fingers. If it doesn't, you need to add more moisture. Even if you think your pie dough resembles the Sahara desert, show some restraint when adding more water.