Watercolor Painted Pie Crust

Watercolor Painted Pie Crust

Total cook time: 2 hours

Ingredients

Pie Crust

  • Flour: 2 1/2 cups (325g)

  • Granulated Sugar: 1 tablespoon 

  • Kosher Salt: 1 teaspoon

  • Unsalted Butter (Chilled): 1 cup (2 sticks, 16 tablespoons)

  • Ice Water: 1/2 cup

  • Apple Cider Vinegar: 1 teaspoon

  • Egg (Large, beaten): 1 (for egg wash)

Watercolor

  • Gel Food Coloring: A mix of colors

  • Water: For dipping

A Few Notes:

  • This is an art, not a science. Experiment with how much gel to use to get the color and look you want!

  • I'd err on the side of using as little water as possible to preserve the flakiness of the pie crust. 

  • It's much easier to paint on chilled pie crust - make sure to put the crusts in the freezer before painting.

  • The darker colors (purple, green, blue) tend to hold their color after baking better than lighter colors (yellow, orange, pink)

  • I use Wilton Brand icing colors

 

*Special equipment: Gel icing colors, fine tip watercolor paint brushes, baking sheet.

The How To (Pie Crust):

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. Cut in the butter using your fingertips or a pastry blender. Drizzle in ice water and vinegar. Knead until it comes together in a shaggy dough. Separate the dough into two disks and refrigerate for an hour and a half. 

Roll out the dough disks and cut them into ~ three inch circles (I use a biscuit cutter for this). Pop the circles into the freezer to firm up a bit before painting (about 10 minutes). 

The How To (Painting):

Using gel food coloring, dip a fine tip watercolor brush into the color (you only need a tiny bit!) Dip the brush into a bit of water, and paint! Rinse the brush between colors, and remember that a little bit of color goes a long way. 

The How To (Filling & Baking):

Fill with any filling you’d like (I like to use fresh peaches with brown sugar and cinnamon!) Brush the rim of the circles with filling with a bit of water. Top filled circles with the painted circles. Seal the edge of the pies with the tines of a fork. Brush with egg wash, cut small vents in each hand pie, and bake for 18-20 minutes at 375 degrees F. 

Pairs Well With:

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