Never Fail Cream Cheese Piecrust

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 1 minute or till light and fluffy. Add 1 cup of the flour. Beat till combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. (Note: You can't overwork the dough. It's like making a cookie dough that is smooth and pliable.) Add the remaining 2 cups of flour, 1 cup at a time, beating after each cup till mixture is well combined. Using your hands, form dough into a ball.

Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces. On a floured surface, use your hands to flatten each piece into a 6- to 8-inch disk about 3/4-inch thick. Cover each disk with plastic wrap. For a one-crust pie, chill 1 of the disks in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or overnight. Freeze the other 2 disks for a use at another time.

Remove the disk from the refrigerator and allow to stand at room temperature about 15 minutes or till the dough is easy to handle. On a lightly floured surface, roll out evenly with a light pressure, placing the rolling pin in the center of the dough disk, rolling forward and back, taking care not to roll off the dough and thinning the edges. Rotate the dough with a one-quarter turn, turn it over and roll again. Repeat till dough is a circle about 12 inches in diameter. (Note: Keep a little flour on the counter to one side and if the dough tends to stick to rolling pin or to counter when rotating or rolling, lightly sprinkle dough with a little more flour.)

To transfer pastry to the 9-inch pie plate, wrap or drape it over the rolling pin or fold it into quarters. Ease pie pastry into pie plate without stretching it. When the pastry is in the pie plate, press it firmly into the bottom and sides. Trim the excess pastry to 1/2 inch beyond the edge of pie plate. Tuck or fold the extra pasty under itself around the edge of the pie plate, even with the plate's rim, to build up the edge. (Note: Need a rim to contain the filling.) For a fluted edge, place your thumb on the inside of the pastry and your other thumb and index finger on the outside, press together. For a rope edge, pinch the pastry, pushing forward on a slant with your bent index finger and pulling back with your thumb.

Do not prick the pastry. Bake as directed in Triple Lemon Pie or in individual recipe. Makes 3 piecrusts.