pumpkin pie Sometimes, you just need to kick things up a notch, and pie crust is no exception!

I have a few basic pastry recipes that work great for everyday pies, turnovers and pot pies – you know, the ones that follow the basic formula of 3 parts flour: 2 parts fat: 1 part liquid, and they are tasty, and certainly get the job done.  BUT! sometimes, you just need to take things up a notch – either because you are celebrating something special, or because the filling requires nothing less!

This gluten-free pastry is one I make often.  Its rich, satisfying, has the consistency of a flaky shortbread cookie, and makes a perfect base for fruit pies (if I do say so!).  Its also shines as a foil for any rich meaty filling, such as tourtiere, and is also easy to add a bit of extra sugar to, for a sweet shortcrust.

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For those of you who have attempted gluten-free pastry and felt frustrated at how difficult it can be to handle, this one might just  be for you!  The additional dairy in it definitely helps create a nice structure that rolls out easily and is relatively easy to handle.  Making the pastry the night before and allowing all the flours to fully hydrate makes for a very nice dough to work with.  I have not tried a dairy-free version of this, so if anyone does, please let me know what substitutions you make)

Rich Gluten-free Pie Crust

Yield: pastry for 1 9\\\" double-crust pie

Rich Gluten-free Pie Crust

Ingredients

  • 2/3 cup finely ground brown rice flour (I use El Peto, I find Bob's Red Mill and Lundberg too coarse)
  • 2/3 cup sweet rice flour
  • 2/3 cup cornstarch or arrowroot powder
  • 2/3 cup tapioca starch
  • 1 T granulated sugar
  • 1 T xanthan gum
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking powder (I use Bob's - its double-acting and GF)
  • 8 oz. cream cheese
  • 8 oz. (2 sticks) unsalted butter
  • 1 egg, beaten or enough to moisten the dough (approx 1/4 cup).

Instructions

  1. Place all the dry ingredients in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse several times to thoroughly mix everything together.
  2. Cut the cream cheese and butter into small (1/2" cubes). Add the cream cheese and pulse 30-45 seconds until it is well mixed in,
  3. Add the butter, and pulse 15-20 seconds leaving a few pea-sized pieces.
  4. Add the egg, pulsing until the mixture just comes together. Turn out onto a mat dusted with a bit of brown rice flour, and knead it lightly until it forms a ball.
  5. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill until needed.
  6. To roll out, remove from the fridge and let it come up to room temperature
http://realfoodmadeeasy.ca/2013/12/rich-pie-crust/

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Janice Mansfield is a personal chef who specializes in creating customized catering and baking for people with food sensitivities. A recipe developer and baker by day, by night, she enjoys delving into the history of classic cocktails and created a line of cocktail bitters for no other reason than she wanted chocolate bitters in her Manhattans! In her spare time, she documents the antics and unbearable cuteness her two Shiba Inus over at Life in the Shiba Shack.

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