Pro tip: I was overmixing my pie dough for a decade until a customer pointed it out

I run a small pie shop in Asheville, and for years my crusts were just a bit tough. Last week, a regular told me, 'I love your fillings, but the crust is always so sturdy.' It hit me that I was mixing the butter in until it was almost fully combined, which develops too much gluten. I started stopping when the dough still had visible pea-sized butter bits, and the difference is night and day. Has anyone else had a simple comment completely change a basic technique for them?

2 comments

2 Comments

keithpalmer3d ago

Isn't it wild how a small change like that can fix something you've been doing wrong for years?

finleybutler3d ago

But @keithpalmer, doesn't it feel like you were just doing it a different way, not a wrong one?