To make tender pastry Why Blend soft fat into the flour before adding any liquid. Fat coats the proteins and prevents them from forming gluten. Instead of water, use an ingredient that is part fat, like sour cream, cream, or egg yolks. Gluten can't form without water, and the additional fat contributes to tenderness. Add acid to the dough in the form of lemon juice, vinegar, or sour cream.
Acid breaks long gluten strands.
A little acid helps keep crusts tender. Adding acidic ingredients to the dough will break apart long gluten strands, making the crust more tender. For this reason, many pie crust recipes call for a few drops of lemon juice or vinegar. Flaky pastry has many thin, crisp layers. This pastry was made with cold butter cut into small pieces and then quickly rolled out with flour and ice water.