How to properly roll out a pie crust?


How to properly roll out a pie crust?
Very often in pastry making, you have to roll out a pastry before using it for a pie or another dessert.
At home, of course, you get out your rolling pin and simply roll it out.

Is there a way to get an evenly rolled out dough? That's what we will see in this article.
6,751 4.9/5 (16 reviews)
Grade this page:
Keywords for this post:PastryDoughRollWedgesThicknessRegularThin
Last modified on: May 10th 2023
For this post: Comment Follow Send to a friend
How to properly roll out a pie crust?

abaisse de 3 mm d'épaisseur


To make a good pie, you need to have a pastry (shortcrust, shortbread, sweet or other...) that is rolled out thinly, i.e. about 3 mm thick.
It must be rolled out thinly, but also regularly, in other words the thickness must be the same on the whole surface of the dough.

It's not that easy to roll out a dough evenly, and the professionals who do it often work with a rather extraordinary machine called a rolling mill: The dough is pushed by an automatic belt between 2 metal cylinders of adjustable thickness.

laminoir



At home, there is no secret, you have to work with a roller and therefore spread your dough a little by eye to determine the right thickness, and be as regular as possible.

Can we improve this?

Yes, and with a very simple and inexpensive tool, the pastry wedges.
As their name indicates, they are very simple blocks, in different materials, metal, silicone, wood... and of fixed thickness, often 3, 5 and 10 mm.



To use them, you just have to start rolling out as usual, then when you are close to the chosen thickness, put the wedges around the dough, and pass the rolling pin by leaning on the wedges.

abaisse de 3 mm d'épaisseur



This way, the roller can't go lower than the wedges, and your dough can't go lower in thickness than the wedges.
It's both very simple and very effective, so don't hesitate to try it.

To sum up: To roll out a dough evenly, nothing is more practical than pastry blocks of the chosen thickness.

Lasts posts
The thermometer is your friend
The thermometer is your friend
There are many recipes or foods that require a (very) precise cooking temperature: foie gras, sugar for caramel, meats and fish, and not forgetting pastries. For these few examples, getting the cooking temperature wrong can spoil the whole recipe or dish: undercooked, it's no good or misses the...
April 10th 20251,0455
Travel cakes
Travel cakes
You may have come across the term "travel cakes" ("gateaux de voyage" in french) for certain pastries, so let's take a look at what they're all about.
January 27th 20252,805
The aromatic power of sugar
The aromatic power of sugar
In the kitchen, sugar doesn't just sweeten, it also has an exceptional ability to capture flavors. Combined with aromatic ingredients, such as citrus zest, it acts as a veritable sponge for aromas. By taking the time to let the sugar soak up the flavors, you can transform your desserts, making...
December 25th 20243,2105
The little trap of thick cream
The little trap of thick cream
When you need to add cream to a recipe, you might be wondering: thick (heavy) cream or liquid cream? In most cases, there's no big difference: you can use either. But there is one exception, and that's when the cream needs to be cooked, for a sauce for example, and here the difference between...
December 13th 20243,4225
Sauce and salad: When and how to mix them?
Sauce and salad: When and how to mix them?
When dressing a salad, there's a kind of golden rule: add the dressing very shortly before serving, especially if your salad contains crunchy elements such as croutons or fresh vegetables, which will retain their crunchiness or crispiness. But, as is often the case in the kitchen, there are...
November 29th 20243,5525
Other pages you may also like
How to avoid lumps
How to avoid lumps
You've probably come across this unpleasant phenomenon where, when you try to incorporate an ingredient (usually a solid or powder) into a preparation (usually a liquid), the mixture doesn't mix properly and you end up with little "balls" or little lumps of the solid part that refuse to mix with the...
October 9th 202017 K4.8
The thermometer is your friend
The thermometer is your friend
There are many recipes or foods that require a (very) precise cooking temperature: foie gras, sugar for caramel, meats and fish, and not forgetting pastries. For these few examples, getting the cooking temperature wrong can spoil the whole recipe or dish: undercooked, it's no good or misses the...
April 10th 20251,0455
In praise of slow cooking
In praise of slow cooking
You will no doubt have noticed that in cookery, it's often the actual cooking process that gets neglected. This is understandable; it comes at the end of the recipe and getting the dish in the oven is something of a relief (ah, that's done!), which frees us to cope with what's left: tidying the...
February 9th 201138 K4.2
How to zest a fruit?
How to zest a fruit?
You will have no doubt noticed that many recipes call for the zest of citrus fruit. The zest is that outer layer of the skin which adds so much flavour to a dish. There are many different ways to peel off the zest and various tools are available. Here is a summary of the “dos and don'ts” of...
November 5th 201343 K3.8
Small, regular pieces
Small, regular pieces
When we cook, bake or pastry, we often have to cut food into small pieces, often cubes, to incorporate them into a recipe or preparation. How do you get regular pieces fairly quickly?
November 28th 20206,9144.5
Post a comment or question
Posted by:
I am not a leaving thing
Follow this page
If you are interested in this page, you can "follow" it, by entering your email address here. You will then receive a notification immediately each time the page is modified or a new comment is added. Please note that you will need to confirm this following.
I am not a leaving thing
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Alternatively: you can subscribe to the mailing list of cooling-ez.com , you will receive a e-mail for each new recipe published on the site.

Back to top of page