Holiday season is basically pie season, and you know we love nothing more than a flaky, homemade pie crust. So, as you roll up your sleeves and tie your apron, we also propose, for maximum pie success, that you consider using a marble rolling pin for your pies this year.
Before we get on a roll about why we love marble, we'll say that it's not for every baking project. Some noted drawbacks are the weight and unwieldiness. You may not want to give it a spin on your bread dough, but for pies and laminated confections, go right on ahead—this is exactly what a marble rolling pin should be used for.
Marble one-ups wood in the case of buttery, flaky doughs because it has the ability to absorb heat—this is key for those beautiful layers, according to Rose Levy Beranbaum, acclaimed baker and inventor of the reverse creaming method.
"In pastry making, it's important not to let the dough heat up because the butter can start to melt, which hinders flakiness and makes the dough hard to roll," she wrote in Fine Cooking. "Marble can do this because it has a high thermal mass, which means it holds its temperature better than other materials. So, even as a marble surface absorbs head from the dough, it still stays relatively cool."
Beranbaum does write, however, that while the marble rolling pin is a good idea, rolling the dough out on a marble surface is not. She recommends rolling on a lightly-floured canvas pastry cloth instead, and wrapping the pin itself in floured cotton sleeve.
Because a chilled dough is essential to a successful pie or laminated pastry, marble gives you another advantage: You can refrigerate it to lower its temperature before you get to work. However, as a great thermal conductor, it not only chills, but it can also warm. Be sure to keep your hands off of it and stick to the dowels.
While it's not completely versatile, we can't deny that a marble rolling pin is incredibly useful in the pie department, especially during the holiday crush. This marble rolling pin with its little wooden stand are up for the task.
With over 4,500 five-star reviews, you know this rolling pin is on to something.