TIL that old bakers trick with adding vinegar to pie dough actually works

I was at a bake off in Portland last spring and this 70 year old guy named Bob walked over while I was struggling with my crust. He said "ditch the ice water and splash in a teaspoon of white vinegar next time." I tried it the next day at 4am before the farmers market and my dough came out flaky as heck. Has anyone else had luck with this or am I just imagining things?

2 comments

2 Comments

skylerg171mo ago

Yeah, that trick worked for me too. I started using it after a friend who used to bake at a restaurant swore by it for savory pies. My crust definitely came out lighter and way less tough than before.

faith_thomas1mo ago

Yeah, "way less tough" is exactly what I noticed too. That vinegar is doing something to the gluten, I've read it stops it from getting all stretchy and chewy. @skylerg17 mentioned there friend from the restaurant swore by it, and I bet that's because restaurant pies need to sit out for hours and stay flaky, you know? The vinegar keeps the dough tender even after it's been resting or reheated. I started adding a splash of apple cider vinegar instead of white, which gives it a tiny bit of tang, but same result really. It's one of those tricks that sounds weird but actually makes total sense once you try it.