What type of fat is commonly used to make flaky pie crusts?

• A. Vegetable shortening
• B. Butter
• C. Lard
• D. Oil

Answer: (A)

Flaky pie crusts rely on fat that stays solid in the dough to create distinct, layered pockets as it melts in the oven. Vegetable shortening is a fully solid fat with little to no water, so it coats flour grains well and forms many small fat pockets. As the dough bakes, these pockets melt and steam separates the layers, producing a crisp, flaky texture. Butter adds great flavor but contains water, which can reduce flakiness if the dough is overworked. Oil is liquid and won’t form those solid fat pockets, and lard can be flavorful but isn’t as neutral as shortening. So the commonly used fat for reliably flaky crusts is vegetable shortening.