Can you use bread flour for pie dough?

* Higher Protein Content: Bread flour has a higher protein content than all-purpose flour, which leads to a dough that is more chewy and elastic. This can make your pie crust tough and less flaky.

* Less Tenderness: The extra gluten development in bread flour will result in a less tender crust.

* Less Flaky Texture: The gluten in bread flour can trap moisture, making it harder for the fat to create those lovely flaky layers.

However, there are ways to make bread flour work for pie dough:

* Reduce the Amount: You can try using a mix of bread flour and all-purpose flour, reducing the amount of bread flour by 25-50%.

* Add More Fat: Adding more fat to the dough (like butter or shortening) can help counteract the toughness from the higher protein content.

* Chill Thoroughly: Chilling the dough for an extended period of time (at least 2 hours) can help relax the gluten and make the crust more tender.

The best flour for pie dough is all-purpose flour. It has a balanced protein content that allows for both structure and tenderness.

If you're set on using bread flour, be prepared to adjust the recipe and be patient with the process!