Classic Pies with Flaky Crusts

I have always loved a good classic pie with fruit fillings!

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This summer, with plenty of fresh blueberries around, making fresh fruit pies are the perfect solutions to preserving fruits and making new friends in our neighbourhood!

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So how did my first trial go?.... I really thought it was EASY!....

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My first Blueberry Pie was made for a housewarming party with good friends! ...Good thing is that my Blueberry Pie was fortunately well-received by my friends, although it was not in a "perfect" shape!.... Rustic and homemade were the words!....

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Anyway, making pie is not that easy after all... But with practice, anyone can master it!

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For those who are keen, I have listed some "Easy Tips to Make the Best Pies"
Level up your pie game with top tips and techniques every pie maker should know.

1. Keep ingredients cold.
Butter should be kept refrigerated until using; solid vegetable shortening can be stored in the freezer without freezing hard as a rock.
Add ice cubes to a measuring cup and fill it with more water than you'll need; add ice-cold water to the pastry mixture a tablespoon at a time.
Great pie starts with a great crust. 

2. Refrigerate the dough after every step.
Wrap and chill dough immediately after mixing so that the flour can absorb all the liquid.
Chill it after rolling it out and lining the pie pan, to relax the dough and prevent it from shrinking in the oven.
For double-crust pies, roll out the top crust and refrigerate it on a flat plate or parchment-lined sheet pan while you prepare the pie filling.

3. Handle the dough as little as possible.
Try to patch cracks in your dough rather than re-rolling the crust. Over-handling makes the pastry tough.

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4. Use as little flour as possible when rolling out the dough.
The pastry can absorb extra flour, which will also make it tough. After rolling out the dough, brush off loose flour with a pastry brush or gently brush it with the edge of a clean kitchen towel.

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