All-butter pie crust

Put one and a half cups of the flour in the food processor with the sugar and salt and whiz to combine. By hand, whisk them in a big bowl.

Cut the cold butter into cubes and keep it in the fridge until needed.

Add half the cubed butter to the flour and run the processor about 30 seconds, until the butter is in tiny pieces throughout. By hand, work all the butter in, aiming for pieces from tiny up to pea size and almond size, because the big pieces are what make it flaky.

The mixture now looks like flour because the butter has completely coated it, preventing the gluten from forming, which gives a tender crust.

Add the remaining half cup of butter and the remaining one and a half cups of flour, entombing the butter in flour, and pulse twice to distribute. The two batches stop the food processor working the butter in too much.

Drizzle in a quarter cup of ice water over the top, holding a little back, and pulse a few times. Add one more tablespoon and test.

It will look like powder; the test is that a handful squeezed together holds its shape. If it falls apart too fast, add one to two more tablespoons of ice water. Leave some big pieces of butter.

Tip it onto a pastry mat and press it together with the heel of the hand, flattening the butter pieces into pages, almost kneading. Do not add too much water or it loses the crisp short crust quality.

It stays a little crumbly; the water finishes hydrating the flour in the fridge. Do not overwork it, just bring it into a ball.

Divide into two equal pieces, wrap tightly and chill at least 45 minutes, or 30 at a push, up to overnight. The wrapped discs can be frozen and thawed overnight.

By hand, drizzle the ice water in the same way and press it together in the bowl with the palm, then flip the mass over and press again, repeatedly, which cheats in layers and lamination for a flaky crust.

Let the chilled dough sit out about 10 minutes so it does not crack, then flour the surface and the rolling pin well and roll to about a 12 inch circle, keeping it moving, changing direction and reflouring the pin.

Roll it onto the pin and lay it over the pie dish. Do not press down and stretch it; push it towards the bottom, unpleat any pleats, and trim long excess, using the trimmings to patch thin spots.

Fold the crust under itself to build a stronger, thicker wall, which also helps prevent shrinkage, and finish the edge with a thumb press or a fork.

Freeze at least one hour, until rock hard, or it melts into a puddle in the oven. It can be made and frozen a week or two ahead, covered, and the longer the better.

Towards the end of the freezing time, set the oven to 425F.

Fold parchment paper into a circle with frilled edges like a paper snowflake and lay it into the frozen crust as a barrier.

Fold foil three times, shape it into a pie form and set it inside on the parchment, always after freezing so it cannot mash holes into raw dough. Add the pie weights, or dried beans.

Blind bake at 425F for 15 minutes.

Carefully remove the paper, foil and weights. The outside should be taking colour and the inside starting to dry out.

Whip one egg with a tablespoon of cream, milk or water and brush it all over the crust. It waterproofs the crust against the filling and leaves the outside golden and shiny instead of pale and dusty.

Dock the bottom with a fork, piercing all the way through so steam escapes and the crust does not puff and distort. Do this after the egg wash, or the wash fills the holes.

Return to the oven at 425F for another 15 minutes, then reduce to 375F and bake 12 to 20 minutes or more, depending on whether the crust needs to be fully cooked.

If the crust is taking too much colour, fold a length of foil in half, wrap it round the rim as a tent and fold it gently over, protecting the edge while the centre cooks through.

It is done when it does not stick and is crisp throughout.