Pie crust, no shortening?

Question

I have no shortening in the house and no oil of any kind. My pie crust recipe calls for flour, sugar, salt, butter, shortening and cold water. Can I leave out the shortening and proceed, or does the chemistry of the crust not allow that?

Answer 1

You need shortening or some type of solid fat or you pie crust will be a hard stiff layer of flour.

If you have only butter, then use all butter in place of the shortening.

If you have no shortening or butter, then you're going to have a very hard crust with no tenderness or flakiness.

Answer 2

You can use all butter to make your pie crust. I recommend working it in well, until the crumbs are quite fine, about like cornmeal. Keep the crust cold (use cold water, cold butter). You might need less water than the recipe calls for, because butter is almost 20% water. All-butter pastry is just a bit more fragile and tricky to work with, but if you're experienced, you may not even notice. Chill the dough for a few minutes before you try to roll it out. It will probably be a bit more fragile to roll out than a shortening crust, and it won't be as flaky as a shortening crust, but the end result will be tender, and it will taste very good.

Answer 3

What kind of pie crust recipe calls for butter and shortening together? Why not just make a crumb crust (graham or corn flake) or do you need a top crust too? What kind of pie are you making?

Answer 4

Replace the shorting called for with butter or margarine...it's needed in order for the crust to have the right consistancy/tenderness/flakiness...or your crust will not roll out properly, will be dry, and even if you manage to get it rolled out and into the pie pan, it'll bake hard, dry, and as tough as a brick.

Answer 5

I don't understand that it says both butter & shortening, as butter IS a shortening, & my preferred shortening for sweet pastry. If it does indeed have both ingredients, just put extra butter in.My favourite sweet(or biscuit) pastry, is as follows,
8oz butter, 4oz sugar,16oz SR flour,2eggs.I process it in the blender then roll out on floured board.

Answer 6

yes you can use all butter in the pie crust it will not be as flaky

Answer 7

Use butter (reduce the salt slightly), Margerine or lard.

Bert

Answer 8

I really don't think you can. My best suggestion is to bash up some cookies (graham crackers would be best), and mix with some condensed milk- just enough to bind it, and proceed that way.

Answer 9

Use butter only.

Answer 10

Sure leave anything out . It's for you.