Good Ideas from Our Test Kitchens

Home economists in Farm Journal’s Test Kitchens prefer to use ice water instead of cold water in pastry making. They recommend that beginners put the water in a salt shaker to sprinkle over the flour-shortening mixture. This helps to add the water evenly.

They like to cut two thirds of the shortening or lard into the flour until it resembles cornmeal, then to cut in the remaining third until the particles are the size of small peas.