Best-Ever All-Butter Pie Pastry

Put a few ice cubes in a 1-cup liquid measuring cup. Add cider vinegar and enough cold water to fill. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar and kosher salt.

Chop butter into half-inch cubes. Add to flour mixture and toss to coat. Using a pastry blender or your fingers, cut or rub butter into flour. Turn the bowl and toss the mixture occasionally so you don't miss any butter. The blender will clog occasionally; clean it out with your fingers or a butter knife. Stop when the largest chunks are pea-size and the rest of the mixture looks like canned Parmesan cheese.

Fish out ice, then evenly drizzle 1/2 cup vinegar-water mixture over flour mixture. (You probably won't need the remainder, but save it in case your pastry is very dry.) Toss with a fork until you can't see pools of liquid. Switch to hands: Scoop up as much of the mixture as you can, then smoosh it back into the bowl. It's OK to be a bit aggressive. Pressure will bring the mixture into a cohesive mass more effectively than water. Rotate the bowl a quarter-turn and repeat, as if kneading. When the dry bits at the bottom are gone, stop.

Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and, if needed, knead a couple more times. Cut in half. Gently pat each portion into a 2-inch-thick disc and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or, ideally, overnight before rolling. (You can freeze discs up to 1 year; thaw 1 full day in the refrigerator before using.)