Pate Brisee For Double Crust Berry Free Form Pie Recipes

ESSENTIAL PATE BRISEE

Steps:

• Pulse flour and salt in a food processor to combine. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some larger pieces remaining. Evenly drizzle 1/4 cup ice water over mixture. Pulse until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed. If dough is too dry, add up to 1/4 cup more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse to combine.
• Turn out dough onto a floured surface and divide dough in half, then shape each half into a disk. Wrap each half in plastic and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour or up to 1 day. (Dough can be frozen up to 1 month; thaw overnight in refrigerator before using.)

DOUBLE-CRUST BERRY FREE-FORM PIE

Steps:

• On a lightly floured piece of parchment, roll out one disk of dough to an 18-inch round. Transfer parchment and dough to a baking sheet and refrigerate until just firm, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, on another lightly floured piece of parchment, roll out remaining disk of dough to a 15-inch round. Leaving a 1-inch border, punch out squares with a 1-inch square cutter in rows, spaced about 3/4 inch apart, to form a grid. Transfer parchment and dough to another baking sheet and refrigerate 10 minutes.
• In a bowl, toss berries with cornstarch, granulated sugar, and lemon juice. Spread mixture evenly over center of 18-inch dough round, leaving a 3 1/2-inch border. Center second dough round on top of berries; brush with egg wash. Fold bottom dough over top, pressing to seal and forming pleats as you go. Brush folded edges with egg wash and sprinkle entire surface with sanding sugar. Freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake pie, rotating once, until golden brown and juices are bubbling in center, about 1 hour, 10 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack at least 1 hour before serving.

ALL BUTTER PIE CRUST FOR PIES AND TARTS (PâTE BRISéE)

Steps:

• Remove from refrigerator and let sit for a few minutes: When you are ready to roll out the dough, remove the disk from the refrigerator and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes to take enough of a chill off of it so that it becomes easier to roll out. While the dough disk is still wrapped in plastic, warm the edges with your hands. If there are any cracks in the dough, massage them to close them.

PATE BRISEE (FRENCH SHORTCRUST)

Steps:

• Place flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor and pulse 3 or 4 times to mix. Add cubed butter; pulse until crumbly.
• Pour slow stream of ice water through feed tube while the processor is on low speed until dough holds together when pinched, making sure not to add too much.
• Divide dough evenly into 2 pieces. Form dough into discs on a lightly floured work surface. Wrap discs with wax paper or parchment paper before wrapping with plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or until use.
• Roll dough out on a lightly floured work surface using a lightly floured rolling pin between 2 pieces of parchment paper to desired thickness when ready to use.
• Butter two 9-inch tart pans. Roll crusts 1 at a time onto the rolling pin and unroll over tart pans. Gently push dough into the prepared pans, molding to the sides. Trim edges with fingers or a knife. Fill and bake according to filling recipe instructions.

DECORATIVE PATE BRISEE

Steps:

• Process flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor until combined. Sprinkle butter evenly over top. Pulse until mixture resembles fine meal. Drizzle 5 tablespoons water over mixture. Pulse several times to combine. Add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse until mixture holds together when pinched.
• Shape dough into two disks, and wrap each in plastic. Refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 1 day, or freeze up to 3 months (thaw overnight in refrigerator before using).

PATE BRISEE (PIE DOUGH)

Steps:

• In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, salt, and sugar. Add butter, and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, 8 to 10 seconds.
• With machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream through feed tube. Pulse until dough holds together without being wet or sticky; be careful not to process more than 30 seconds. To test, squeeze a small amount together: If it is crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time.
• Divide dough into two equal balls. Flatten each ball into a disc and wrap in plastic. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill at least 1 hour. Dough may be stored, frozen, up to 1 month.

PATE BRISEE FOR DOUBLE-CRUST BERRY FREE-FORM PIE

Steps:

• Pulse together flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some small pea-size pieces remaining. Add 1/3 cup ice water; pulse until mixture holds together when pinched. If too dry, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time.
• Transfer dough to a piece of plastic wrap and knead once. Pat into a disk; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 1 day, or freeze up to 3 months; thaw overnight in refrigerator before using.

PATE BRISEE FOR SOUR-CHERRY PIE

Steps:

• Pulse flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor to combine. Add butter, and process until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds. With machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream through the feed tube until dough just holds together (no longer than 30 seconds).
• Divide dough in half, and shape into disks. Wrap each in plastic. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or up to 2 days).

PATE BRISEE TO MAKE ONE DOUBLE-CRUST OR TWO SINGLE-CRUST PIES

Steps:

• Pulse flour and salt in a food processor to combine. Add butter, cut into small pieces, and pulse until mixture forms coarse crumbs with some larger pieces remaining, about 10 seconds.
• With machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream until dough just holds together without being wet or sticky, no longer than 30 seconds.
• Divide dough in half; flatten and shape into disks, and wrap each in plastic. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.

PATE BRISEE TO MAKE ONE DOUBLE-CRUST 9-INCH PIE

Steps:

• Pulse flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor until combined. Add butter, and process until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds. With the machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream until mixture just begins to hold together.
• Shape dough into 2 disks. Wrap each in plastic, and refrigerate 1 hour to 2 days.

PâTE BRISéE

Steps:

• Pulse flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor (or whisk together by hand in a bowl). Add butter, and pulse (or quickly cut in with a pastry blender or your fingertips) until mixture resembles coarse meal, with some larger pieces remaining. Drizzle 1/4 cup water over mixture. Pulse (or mix with a fork) until mixture just begins to hold together. If dough is too dry, add 1/4 cup more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse (or mix with a fork).
• Divide dough in half onto two pieces of plastic wrap. Gather into two balls, wrap loosely in plastic, and press each into a disk using a rolling pin. Refrigerate until firm, well wrapped in plastic, 1 hour or up to 1 day. (Dough can be frozen up to 3 months; thaw in refrigerator before using.)
• Shortening Variation
• Replace 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter with 1/2 cup cold vegetable shortening, cut into small pieces.
• Lard Variation
• Replace 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter with 1/2 cup cold lard. For the best quality, it's worth seeking out leaf lard. You can buy rendered leaf lard from online vendors, or from artisanal butcher shops.
• Cornmeal Variation
• Replace 1/2 cup flour with 1/2 cup coarse cornmeal.
• Cheddar Variation
• Reduce butter to 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) and add 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar to the flour mixture along with the butter. Increase sugar to 1 tablespoon.

BUTTERY PATE BRISEE

Steps:

• Pulse flour, sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt in a food processor until combined. Add butter, and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds. Drizzle 1/4 cup ice water evenly over mixture. Pulse until mixture holds together when pressed between 2 fingers (dough should not be wet or sticky). If dough is too dry, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse.
• Shape dough into 2 disks, and wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.

PATE BRISEE TO MAKE ONE DOUBLE-CRUST 10-INCH PIE OR 12 HAND PIES

Steps:

• In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, sugar, and salt; pulse to combine. Add butter, and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some larger pieces remaining, about 10 seconds. (To mix by hand, combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl, then cut in butter with a pastry blender.)
• With the machine running, add ice water through the feed tube in a slow, steady stream, just until dough holds together without being wet or sticky. Do not process more than 30 seconds. Test by squeezing a small amount of the dough together; if it is still too crumbly, add a bit more water, 1 tablespoon at a time.
• Turn out dough onto a clean work surface. Divide in half, and place each half on a piece of plastic wrap. Shape into flattened rectangles. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.