Pie crust

Flakiness comes from small pieces of cold butter or shortening left in the dough; in the oven they melt and release steam, pushing the layers apart. Handling the dough lightly and keeping it cold limits gluten, so the crust stays tender rather than tough.

A typical all-butter crust uses about 1 part water to 3 parts flour by weight, added a little at a time. Resting the dough for at least an hour before rolling helps stop it from shrinking. Crusts for cream or custard pies are often blind-baked first.