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My aunt's 'secret' apple pie recipe cost me $40 in wasted ingredients
She gave me the recipe but left out that she uses a specific type of flour for the crust. I used regular all-purpose, and the whole thing fell apart when I cut it. I had to throw out the whole pie, plus the apples, sugar, and butter. Has anyone else had a family recipe fail because of a missing detail like that?
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brown.reese3mo ago
My aunt's biscuit recipe fails with regular flour too. The protein content in specific flours changes the texture completely. That missing detail is the whole point of a secret recipe.
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mia_park3mo ago
That's frustrating, but regular all-purpose flour should work fine for a pie crust. The issue might have been with the amount of water or how the butter was worked in, not the flour type. Crusts can fall apart if the dough is overworked or too dry. Maybe try chilling the dough longer before rolling it out next time. It's a shame about the wasted pie, but I bet the recipe itself is still good.
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johnh822mo ago
Mia's right about the flour. I read a whole article on pie crusts last year. The type of fat and how cold it is matters way more than the brand of flour. Over-mixing makes the gluten tough, and that's usually why it gets crumbly. Letting the dough rest in the fridge for at least an hour is key. It lets the flour absorb the water so it doesn't shrink or crack. The recipe is probably solid, just needs a gentle touch.
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