The Best Keto Pie and Quiche Crust Recipe - Just 4 ingredients (2024)

FAQs

What else could be used instead of butter in the pie crust? ›

SHORTENING

Like margarine, it can be used in a 1:1 substitution for butter. The solid fat form of shortening doesn't completely mix with dry ingredients when it's cut into them; this creates marbling in dough, resulting in light, flaky pie crusts and biscuits.

Rice Pie Crusts

I always have leftover rice, and now I know what I'm going to do with it. (Besides making fried rice.) Turns out, if you mix cooked rice with butter and bake it, it makes a great gluten-free crust for savory dishes like this Zucchini Quiche With Rice Crust at Live Lighter.

For some pastry chefs, butter is the obvious choice. “My preferred fat for pie crusts will always be butter. To me, it is all about flavor, and no other fat gives flavor to a crust like butter does. Other fats, even though they have great pros, lack flavor,” De Sa Martins said.

Shortening is better at crumbly crust, butter is better at flaky. But you can get either from both. There are obvious differences in flavor, and butter can give you a very nice chewiness in a crust while still being tender. Butter also tends to shrink and lose shape/detail more when it bakes.

You need a par-baked or fully baked crust if you're making quiche, no-bake pie, custard pie, cream pie, pudding pie, or simply want an extra-crisp pie crust. If you're making a pie that doesn't require a baked filling, you still need a baked crust.

WHAT IS A FRITTATA? Frittatas are Italian in origin and can be described as a cross between an omelet and a crustless quiche.

Depending on the type of oil, it can add complex flavor and welcome moisture to your baked goods. A good rule of thumb is to replace about 3/4 of the butter in a recipe with olive, canola, or vegetable oil. (If the recipe calls for 1 cup butter, use ¾ cup oil.)

We finally settle the debate on the pros and cons for pie crusts made with shortening, butter, lard, and oil. Pie crust is essentially fat + flour + water (plus a dash of salt), but how you combine those ingredients can make all the difference in the outcome of your pie.

Pie and tart doughs have so much butter in them that they almost self-grease as they bake. The butter melts and turns into steam and browns the bottoms making them crispy. If you add more grease into that situation, the texture of your pie crust may change in the oven. So you definitely don't want to overdo it.

What is the best fat to use for pie crust? ›

Butter is prized for its sweet, rich flavor and is our preferred fat for pie crust recipes, but its low melting point and overall makeup can make it difficult to work with. Unlike shortening or lard, butter is not 100% fat. It contains on average 80% butterfat, 10 to 16% water, and a small percentage of milk solids.