How to Make Pâte Brisée: Classic Pâte Brisée Recipe

• 2 ¼ cups of all-purpose flour
• 2 sticks of chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1–inch pieces
• ½ teaspoon of salt
• ¼ cup of ice water, plus more as needed

1. 1

   In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, salt, and chilled butter. (If you don’t have a food processor, a mixing bowl and a pastry cutter will work just fine.) Using the pulse setting, process until the butter is reduced to small pieces and the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Add the cold water in a steady stream and pulse once or twice more to incorporate.

2. 2

   Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead a few times, just until it begins to come together. (The key to this dough is keeping things as cold as possible by not overhandling it.)

3. 3

   Separate into two halves and form into discs; seal tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours. (You can also store one disc in the freezer for future use.)

4. 4

   When ready to use, roll out the dough to a thickness of ½ inch with a rolling pin, and fit it into a pie or tart pan. Line with parchment paper and fill with pie weights for a quick blind bake before adding the filling.

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