re: #182 The Vicious Babushka

The secret to these complicated braided pie toppings is: Crisco!

Pie dough made with butter is too delicate to withstand too much handling and will fall apart if you try to get fancy with it.

Crisco shortening will keep its shape. The problem is that if you handle the dough too much it will get tough and not flaky.

I have not tried coconut oil in a braided pie topping.

I’ve seen recipes with various proportions of Crisco and butter, probably from J. Kenji Lopez Alt. I think he’s still my piecrust god. I don’t know much about kosher, but I understand Crisco is.