Active Time

　　15 min

　　Total Time

　　1 1/4 hr

　　

Ingredients

Makes enough pastry dough for one 9-inch double-crust pie or one 10-inch lattice tart

　　2 2/3 cups cake flour (not self-rising)

　　4 1/2 tablespoons sugar

　　3/4 teaspoon salt

　　2 1/4 sticks (1 cup plus 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, frozen

　　9 to 12 tablespoons ice water

　　

Step 1

Sift together flour, sugar, and salt into a chilled large metal bowl. Set a grater in flour mixture and coarsely grate in frozen butter, gently lifting flour and tossing to coat butter.

　　

Step 2

Drizzle 9 tablespoons ice water evenly over flour mixture and gently stir with a fork until incorporated.

　　

Step 3

Test mixture by gently squeezing a small handful: When it has proper texture, it should hold together without crumbling apart. If necessary, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring until just incorporated and testing again. (If you overwork mixture or add too much water, pastry will be tough.)

　　

Step 4

Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and with floured heel of your hand smear dough twice with a forward motion to help distribute fat.

　　

Step 5

Gather mixture together to form a dough. (Dough will not be smooth.) Form one third of dough into a disk, then form remaining dough into a larger disk.

　　

Step 6

Chill dough, disks wrapped separately in plastic wrap, 1 hour.

　　Cooks' note:

　　Dough may be chilled up to 1 day.