Gluten Free Pie or Tart Crust

Directions

Use Food Processor:

In a large bowl, add dry ingredients.

Use a large whisk to thoroughly blend ingredients.

Transfer the dry ingredients into a food processor bowl, fitted with a metal blade.

Add the cold butter cubes and pulse until the butter cubes are reduced to the size of peas and the mixture looks like coarse and dry crumbs.

Add the lightly beaten egg and pulse just until egg is incorporated into the flour butter mixture.

Add 1 tablespoon of ice water and pulse a few times.

Remove the processor lid and squeeze a small amount of the dough in your hand. If it holds together, no need to add more water.

If the dough is too crumbly and dry, add ¼ teaspoon additional ice water and pulse a few more times.

Check the consistency of the dough again. If the dough holds together and you can form a ball, no need to add more water.

Too much water will make the dough sticky and harder to roll out and shape.

Scrape the dough, which will look crumbly, on a clean, gluten free work surface covered with waxed paper.

Gather the crumbly dough into a ball.

Flatten to a large disk.

Wrap in waxed paper or plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour or overnight before rolling out the dough.

And the dough can be frozen. Place wax paper or plastic wrap wrapped dough in a freezer bag, label and freeze for future use.

For Rolling Dough:

Remove dough from refrigerator to a working surface and arrange dough between two sheets of waxed paper.

Let dough sit just until it's soft enough to roll.

When workable, roll lighlty from the center outward, working to make a circle about 10-inches in diameter and about ⅛ inch thick.

If the dough gets warm and sticky, put it in the freezer for several minutes and then continue working on it.

Peel top sheet of wax paper from the dough and carefully flip the dough, on the remaining sheet of waxed paper, over pie plate.

Gently peel the waxed paper from the dough.

Gently press the dough into the pie plate.

Trim edges with knife and crimp edge with a fork or shape it into any your favorite shape with fingers or any other tool.

Pie crust is ready to fill or partially bake as desired.

For partially baking the crust:

Preheat oven to 350℉ (180℃).

Use a fork to pierce the crust, which keeps the crust from bubbling up while baking.

Or, line the dough with parchment paper and fill the plate with dry beans or pie weights.

Bake the crust for about 15 minutes, or until lightly golden.

Notes:

Superfine brown rice flour is powdery, it is different from some brown rice flours which are more coarsely ground and gritty. If you can't find superfine brown rice flour, try to grind normal brown rice flour in a coffee grinder until it is a finer consistency.

Roll out leftover dough scraps, butter and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar for an old-fashioned treat.

Yield: 1 10-inch pie crust with leftover dough for cinnamon sugar strips or 2 8-inch pie crusts.