Pâte Brisée
My grandmother taught me how to make this basic pastry when I was young. The one thing I learned simply by eating her endless variations on delicious tarts for dinner every night is that this dough can be used for just about anything—sweet or savory.
Recipe information
Yield
Makes enough for two 8-inch tarts
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the flour, salt, butter, and shortening on low speed until crumbly. With the machine running, add 2 tablespoons cold water and the egg. Beat just until the dough comes together in large clumps.
Step 2
Divide the dough in half and press each half into a 1-inch-thick round disk. Wrap each tightly in plastic and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or up to 3 days; let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before rolling. Alternatively, the dough can be frozen for up to 1 month; thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Step 3
For each crust, on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin, roll 1 piece of dough into a 10-inch round. Carefully transfer the dough to an 8-inch round fluted tart pan with a removable bottom, pressing the dough gently against the bottom and up the sides. If necessary, trim the edges against the rim.
Step 4
Line the dough with foil, then fill with dried beans or pie weights. Freeze overnight, or until very hard.
Step 5
To blind bake a tart shell, preheat the oven to 375°F.
Step 6
Bake the frozen crust until the edges are set, about 20 minutes. Remove the foil and beans. Poke holes all over the bottom of the crust with a fork, then return to the oven. Bake until the bottom is set and the crust is blonde, about 8 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a rack.
