Pastry Dough (Madam Benoit's No Fail Lemon Tang Pastry)

(September 2010 update below) This recipe was passed to me as an easy to work with no fail pastry that has made doing pastry easy and fun. Originally from a segment on Madam Benoit's cooking show - a recipe that wowed and was quickly passed around. She is right - it is a wonderful no fail pastry that makes for great tasting pies, as well as being freezer friendly. Recipe POSTED April 2004 - UPDATE Sept. 26, 2010 - am very familiar with the no fail recipe using vinegar and egg which was one often made by my mom - and one of Madame Benoits. It is also found on the back of the Tenderflake box. Another of her pastry recipes is her LEMON TANG PASTRY- and yes it does call for three tablespoons of Lemon juice. I am a Madame Benoit fan and this Lemon Tang Pastry is not mine - it is hers - and in my books an absolute winner ( Madame Benoit was a great cooking show host from way back - a Canadian cooking Institution by herself. She attended the Cordon Bleu in Paris and went on to become the famous Madame Benoit) It's a big recipe and if you are only making one pie, taking a few extra minutes to roll out shells for the freezer makes for having those pastry shells on hand for those unexpected moments when needing a special dessert. Works for me! Easily halved as well as very freezer friendly.

• Ready In: 10 mins
• Yields: 3-4 pies

Ingredients

• 5  cups flour
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1  lb  lard, brand of your choice

• In a one-cup measuring cup

• 1  whole egg
• 3  tablespoons lemon juice, and add enough water to make for one cup of liquid (I use Realemon)

Directions

1. A LARGE MIXING BOWL: 5 cups flour 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon soda Use a whisk to mix.
2. Cut in one pound of lard.
3. Mix to resemble coarse crumbs.
4. IN A ONE CUP MEASURING CUP: Add 1 whole egg 3 tablespoons lemon juice Mix with a fork and add enough water to fill the one cup measuring cup.
5. Add the cup of liquid to the dry ingredients and mix until dough forms into a ball.
6. (at this point I form into balls using approximate amount for the size pie plate I'm using and place into a plastic bag until ready to roll.) NOTE: Rolling the dough between two sheets of wax paper makes for a nice even sheet of pastry.
7. This will make 3-4 double pies-- depending on what size pie pans you are using.