Pastry chefs know that the secret to flaky, delicate and decadent pie crusts is Challenge European Style Butter. Made more slowly, European style butter offers a richer flavor and contains less water, resulting in a richer, flakier pastry.

Challenge European Style Butter can substitute for regular butter in your favorite pie crust recipe without any adjustments in quantities or baking times, but here are a few helpful tips:

  • Ensure that your European style butter is cold and firm, cut into 1/2” cubes. As you cut it into the flour, these cubes will become pea-sized flecks that disperse evenly throughout the dough and, when they melt, will leave pockets and result in layers or “flakes.”
  • Be careful not to over-blend your dough. Dough that has been handled too much will yield a tough crust. Use a pastry cutter, two dinner knives, or a food processor (pulsing in one second intervals about ten times) to cut your butter into the dough until the pieces are pea-sized and uniformly distributed through the flour.
  • Keep your liquid cold. After you’ve cut in your butter, sprinkle ice water over the butter and flour mixture only until the dough begins to hold together in moist clumps. (Different flours have different absorbencies, so it might be more or less ice water depending on the brand.)
  • Don’t skimp on chilling time. Cover the pie dough with plastic wrap and chill it for at least 30 minutes before rolling it out. This will give the liquid time to absorb into the dough, let the fat firm up, and promote elasticity as the gluten relaxes, making the dough easier to handle and roll.
  • Roll just once. When rolling out your dough, start from the center and rotate the dough as you roll, then transfer and fit it into a lightly buttered pie pan. If the pastry is not totally round or is broken in places, don’t be tempted to re-roll the dough. Instead, patch it wherever necessary using gentle pressure and a dab of water.
  • Give it one more chill. Once your dough is shaped the way you want it in the pan, re-cover it with plastic wrap and chill it again, either in the freezer for 10 minutes or in the fridge for 30 minutes to help it keep its shape during baking. Fill and bake according to your favorite pie recipe.