Pocono Pabulum for Mind & Body: Coconut Oil Pie Crust

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Coconut Oil Pie Crust

I do not often make pastry. I am not a huge fan of pies as I would rather have a dense fudge brownie or a cookie, but I know my husband and my son like pies and so on occasion I attempt to make them one. I hate to use vegetable shortening because I feel it has no flavor or health benefits so in the past I have always just used organic butter. But I have gotten so used to using coconut oil in a lot of recipes and know that it has the perfect consistency at room temperature to use in pastry so I wanted to try to make a pie crust with it. I looked online first to make sure that it wasn't a terrible idea and to get the basic measurements for a double pie crust. I really wasn't sure that I was going to be able to blend it together well enough just using a fork and my fingers, but it really worked perfectly. In less than ten minutes I had a beautiful ball of pastry dough that I knew would make an amazing pie. I used it this first time to make a cherry pie for Valentine's Day, but I plan to make it again in the future for a chocolate version or maybe even a coconut cream! If you use the organic virgin coconut oil like I did you will definitely taste the coconut flavor, which I really enjoyed. And the whole wheat pastry flour adds a nice hearty touch that helps to fill you up and leave you feeling satisfied without having eaten half of the pie. Although it tastes so good you still may want to try!

Coconut Oil Pie Crust

ingredients

3 C. organic whole wheat pastry flour

1 T. organic sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1 C. organic virgin coconut oil

about 18 T. ice water

Whisk together the flour, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Add in the coconut oil with your fingertips or a pastry blender, pressing it into the flour mixture and breaking it up, until the mixture resembles very coarse sand and no pieces larger than a pea remain. Add ice water a couple of tablespoons at a time, and using a fork, stir just until dough begins to come together. Turn dough out onto a cutting board or a smooth surface and form into a flattened disc. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least an hour or overnight. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface when ready to use. Makes enough for two 9 inch pie crusts.