pies_crust_creamcheese

Pastry for a 9-inch pie shell or a 9 1/2- or 10- by 1-inch tart shell:

		6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold
		1 cup + 1 tablespoon (5 ounces) pastry flour OR 1 cup bleached all-purpose flour
		1/8 teaspoon salt*
		1/8 teaspoon baking powder
		1/4 cup cream cheese, cold
		1 tablespoon ice water
		1 1/2 teaspoons cider vinegar

Pastry for a 9-inch lattice pie, a 9-inch deep-dish pie, a 10-inch pie shell, or a 12- to 14-inch free-form tart

		8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold
		1 1/3 cups + 4 teaspoons (6.5 ounces) pastry flour OR 1 1/3 cups bleached all-purpose flour
		1/8 teaspoon salt*
		1/8 teaspoon baking powder
		1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, cold
		1 1/2 tablespoons ice water
		1 1/2 teaspoons cider vinegar

Pastry for a Two-Crust 9-inch pie

		12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold
		2 cups + 3 tablespoons (10 ounces) pastry flour OR 2 cups bleached all-purpose flour
		1/4 teaspoon salt*
		1/4 teaspoon baking powder
		1 1/2 (3 ounce) packages (4.5 ounces) cream cheese, cold
		2 tablespoons ice water
		1 tablespoon cider vinegar

* For savory recipes, use 1 1/2 times the salt

FOOD PROCESSOR METHOD

Cut the butter into small (about 3/4-inch) cubes. Wrap it in plastic wrap and freeze it until frozen solid, at least 30 minutes. Place the flour, salt and baking powder in resealable gallon-size freezer bag and freeze for at least 30 minutes.
Place the flour mixture in food processor with the metal blade and process for a few seconds to combine. Set the bag aside.
Cut the cream cheese into 3 or 4 pieces and add it to the flour. Process for about 20 seconds or until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the frozen butter cubes and pulse until none of the butter is larger than the size of a pea. (Toss with a fork to see it better.) Remove the cover and add the water and vinegar. Pulse until most of the butter is reduced to size of small peas. The mixture will be in particles and will not hold together. Spoon it into the plastic bag. (For a double-crust pie, it is easiest to divide the mixture in half at this point.)
Holding both ends of the bag opening with your fingers, knead the mixture by alternately pressing it, from the outside of the bag, with the knuckles and heels of your hands until the mixture holds together in one piece and feels slightly stretchy when pulled.
Wrap the dough with plastic wrap, flatten it into a disc (or discs), and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes, preferaly overnight. (For a pie shell and lattice, divide it in a ratio of two thirds : one third -- use about 9.5 ounces for the shell and the rest for the lattice, flattening the smaller part into a rectangle.)

HAND METHOD

Place a medium mixing bowl in the freezer to chill.
Cut the butter into small (about 3/4-inch) cubes. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Place the flour, salt and baking powder in medium bowl and whisk to combine. Add the cream cheese and rub the mixture between your fingers to blend the cream cheese into the flour until it resembles coarse meal. Spoon the mixture, together with the cold butter, into reclosable gallon-size freezer bag. Expel any air from bag and close it. Use a rolling pin to flatten the butter into thin flakes. Place the bag in the freezer for at least 10 minutes or until the butter is very firm.
Transfer mixture to the chilled bowl, scraping sides of bag. Set bag aside. Sprinkle mixture with water and vinegar, tossing lightly with a rubber spatula. Spoon it into the plastic bag.
Holding both ends of the bag opening with your fingers, knead the mixture by alternately pressing it, from the outside of the bag, with knuckles and heels of your hands until mixture holds together in one piece and feels slightly stretchy when pulled.
Wrap the dough with plastic wrap, flatten it into a disc (or discs) and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes, preferably overnight. (For a pie shell and lattice, divide it in a ratio of two thirds : one third -- use about 9.5 ounces for the shell and the rest for the lattice, flattening the smaller part into a rectangle.

How to Roll the Crust

VARIATION

MASCARPONE CHEESE CRUST
An equal weight of mascarpone cheese can be substituted for the cream cheese, but omit the vinegar and use bleaced all-purpose flour, not pastry flour, or the crust will be too tender.

STORE
Refrigerated, up to 2 days; frozen, up to 3 months.

UNDERSTANDING

		A classic cream cheese crust contains no water and is more tender than an all-butter crust but not at all flaky. I have found it to be so tender it is impossible to use for a lattice top and the bottom crust often develops cracks through which a filling will leak and stick to the bottom of the pan. Very little water is needed, because the cream cheese contains 51 percent water. The addition of a small amount of water connects the two gluten-forming proteins in the flour, producing the rubbery, stretchy gluten that strengthens the structure just enough to prevent cracking when the crust bakes. This pie crust does not shrink or distort as much as an all-butter crust because there is less development of gluten. The acidity of the vinegar weakens the gluten that forms, making the crust still more tender and less likely to shrink. If desired, it can be replaced with water.
		Cream cheese is 51 percent water and 37.7 percent fat, so 3 ounces contains 1 .53 ounces (about 3 tablespoons) of water and 1.13 ounces of fat. That means that the pie crust with 6.5 ounces of flour contains the equivalent of about 4 1/2 tablespoons of water. Compared to the all-butter crust, this crust has about 1 tablespoon more water, 1.13 ounces more fat, and 0.34 ounce more milk solids. The extra fat in the cream cheese coats some of the proteins in the flour, limiting the development of gluten, which would make it tougher. The milk solids add both flavor and smoothness of texture.
		The baking powder lifts and aerates the dough slightly without weakening it, but is also makes it seem more tender.
		In developing this recipe, I found that if not using the vinegar and baking powder to tenderize the crust, it is advisable to add one quarter of the butter together with the cream cheese when using all-purpose flour. This helps to moisture-proof it but, of course, takes away a little from the flakiness, as there is less butter available to add in larger pieces to create the layers.