French for “broken pastry,” *pâte brisée* is a flaky, buttery, crispy pie crust. The shortcut pastry which is made using only a handful of ingredients—flour, butter, salt, and water—is a commonly used dough in French baking. 


How to Make Pâte Brisée: Classic Pâte Brisée Recipe

*Pâte brisée* is a type of shortcrust pastry, [similar to *pâte sablée*](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-pate-sablee) (the classic crust with a “sandy” texture used in delicate fruit tarts), and *pâte sucrée* (a sweetened dough with added structure from the addition of egg). 

*Pâte brisée* has a higher ratio of butter to flour [than the average pie crust](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/perfect-homemade-pie-crust-recipe) and no added sugar, making it an ideal base for savory creations like quiche or vegetable tarts. Pâte brisée dough is made by combining sugar, flour, salt, and cubes of butter with ice-cold water.

1. __Pies__: As a pie dough, *pâte brisée* functions as a blank slate, taking its flavor cues from the filling. Use it with fruit pies like apple pie, or spiced, savory pies like pumpkin pie or mincemeat. The dough is also suited for hand-pies—just fold and crimp quickly, to avoid heating the dough too much with your hands. 
2. __Quiche__: *Pâte brisée* is the perfect base for a [creamy baked egg dish like quiche](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-easy-quiche): It has enough structure to stand up to wet ingredients and a crispy texture when baked to balance the soft, custardy filling. 
3. __Tarts__: Using *pâte brisée* as a tart crust allows a bit more leeway than delicate, crumbly *sablée*. It’s less likely to fall apart or burn and still allows for a neat, elegant finish. 
4. __Galettes__: *Pâte brisée* works great in freeform, [open-faced pies like galettes](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/classic-apple-galette-recipe), too: Use a filling with lots of jammy natural sugars, like stone fruit or berries, or go savory and pair it with wild mushrooms, spring onions, and aged Parmesan. 

French for “broken pastry,” *pâte brisée* is a flaky, buttery, crispy pie crust. The shortcut pastry which is made using only a handful of ingredients—flour, butter, salt, and water—is a commonly used dough in French baking. 


Pâte brisée is a type of shortcrust pastry, <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-pate-sablee' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-pate-sablee","linkCopy":"similar to \u003cem class=\"mc-text--italic\"\u003epâte sablée\u003c/em\u003e","category":null}'>similar to pâte sablée</a> (the classic crust with a “sandy” texture used in delicate fruit tarts), and pâte sucrée (a sweetened dough with added structure from the addition of egg). Pâte brisée has a higher ratio of butter to flour <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/perfect-homemade-pie-crust-recipe' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/perfect-homemade-pie-crust-recipe","linkCopy":"than the average pie crust","category":null}'>than the average pie crust</a> and no added sugar, making it an ideal base for savory creations like quiche or vegetable tarts. Pâte brisée dough is made by combining sugar, flour, salt, and cubes of butter with ice-cold water.

What Is Pâte Brisée?

<ol class="mc-m-4"><li class="mc-my-4"> 1. Pies: As a pie dough, pâte brisée functions as a blank slate, taking its flavor cues from the filling. Use it with fruit pies like apple pie, or spiced, savory pies like pumpkin pie or mincemeat. The dough is also suited for hand-pies—just fold and crimp quickly, to avoid heating the dough too much with your hands. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 2. Quiche: Pâte brisée is the perfect base for a <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-easy-quiche' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-easy-quiche","linkCopy":"creamy baked egg dish like quiche","category":null}'>creamy baked egg dish like quiche</a>: It has enough structure to stand up to wet ingredients and a crispy texture when baked to balance the soft, custardy filling. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 3. Tarts: Using pâte brisée as a tart crust allows a bit more leeway than delicate, crumbly sablée. It’s less likely to fall apart or burn and still allows for a neat, elegant finish. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 4. Galettes: Pâte brisée works great in freeform, <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/classic-apple-galette-recipe' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/classic-apple-galette-recipe","linkCopy":"open-faced pies like galettes","category":null}'>open-faced pies like galettes</a>, too: Use a filling with lots of jammy natural sugars, like stone fruit or berries, or go savory and pair it with wild mushrooms, spring onions, and aged Parmesan. </li></ol>

4 Ways to Use Pâte Brisée

Pâte Brisée Recipe

French for “broken pastry,” pâte brisée is a flaky, buttery, crispy pie crust. The shortcut pastry which is made using only a handful of ingredients—flour, butter, salt, and water—is a commonly used dough in French baking.

French for “broken pastry,” pâte brisée is a flaky, buttery, crispy pie crust. The shortcut pastry which is made using only a handful of ingredients—flour, butter, salt, and water—is a commonly used dough in French baking. 
