Sister Pie's Lisa Ludwinski Shares Her Tip For Making More Flavorful Pie Crust
What's the secret to a perfect pumpkin pie recipe or any pie you're planning on making this holiday season, be it pumpkin, pecan, or even chicken pot pie? Is it the perfect streusel topping or how you decorate the top layer? Whether you're making an apple pie or a traditional mincemeat pie (probably not that one), one element unites all your recipes and can make or break the flavor of your pie.
We're talking about the crust, of course. While you might expect to make 1 or 2 pies this Thanksgiving, maybe three if you have a large family or really love to bake, the 15-person team over at Sister Pie bakery in Detroit, MI expects to make 1,000 pies this week alone (via The Wall Street Journal). So Sister Pie founder Lisa Ludwinski, one of those 15 people, knows a thing or two about pie crust. In fact, since 2016, the bakery has actually offered a class specifically on how to make a pie dough that won't sit uneaten on the plate (per Sister Pie). Ludwinski recently shared some of her secrets with podcast Radio Cherry Bombe for their new miniseries celebrating female bakers, "She's My Cherry Pie" (via Spotify).
Sister Pie's pie secrets
If the secret to a perfect pie is a standout crust, then what's the secret to a perfect pie crust? Don't worry, we've got your back. Or rather, Sister Pie founder Lisa Ludwinski does, and she's here with the secret to making an outstanding pie crust that'll help you upgrade your easy pecan pie recipe to a show-stopping bake. Here's what she shared with Radio Cherry Bombe. Cookbook author and host Jessie Sheehan asks Ludwinski to divulge the secrets of the Sister Pie go-to pie crust, and Ludwinski is more than happy to help her out (via Spotify).
She's "an all-purpose gal," when it comes to flour, but the most important thing you put in your pie crust is your butter. The podcast even refers to the official recipe as "All-Butter Pie Crust," so that tells you a lot. But not just any butter will do. Ludwinski stresses the importance of using European-style butter. "European style just means it has a higher butter fat percentage," Ludwinski explains, "which, for something like pie dough, is super important because the butter is really the only thing you're tasting. And so more fat equals more flavor and that's why we use European-style butter in all of our recipes."
Plugra is Sister Pie's go-to brand, but Ludwinski says the bakery has used Kerrygold in the past "and that has a really delicious taste, as well," according to Ludwinski. She adds that there are other European-style butters on the market, as well. Other brands include Challenge and Kite Hill offers a dairy-free version (per Whole Foods Market).