Pastry Dough Too Crumbly or Wet? Cooking Teacher Explains Why (and how to fix)

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Making your own pie or pastry from scratch can really bring your baked desserts to the next level. But getting the dough right is key—so what do you do if it turns out too crumbly or too soggy? 

We called chef and cooking teacher Rosemary Shrager to answer common kitchen questions like this (plus the correct way to cook scrambled eggs and the right way to thicken vinaigrette so it won’t turn out too watery). 

So...  what are you doing wrong when it comes to your dough? Here’s why it may be turning out too dry or wet—and how to fix it. 

If Your Dough Is Too Crumbly, Rosemary Says... 

“Sometimes people do not put enough water or egg in the pastry. This can make it dry and crack during cooking.” 

If Your Dough Is Too Wet, Rosemary Says... 

“Other times it’s too much water. It [also] depends on how much butter is in the pastry. It can be solved by putting it into the fridge for a few hours!” 

Also, Don’t Overwork Your Dough! 

“You do not want to overwork the pastry [as] the gluten tightens then it’s a bad texture. You do not treat pastry like bread; it’s more delicate [and] you can overwork it.” 

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