A French butter crust (or pâte brisée) is the secret to a pie that tastes as good as it looks. Made with plenty of cold butter, this dough bakes up tender, flaky, and full of rich flavor. Unlike some pie doughs, it’s easy to roll out and forgiving to handle, making it ideal for fruit pies, tarts, and rustic galettes. With just a few simple ingredients and a food processor, you’ll have a crust that elevates any filling to something truly special.
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) very cold unsalted butter*, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 cup very cold water
*For the best flavor, use a high-quality butter such as Kerrygold or Plugrá.
METHOD:
In a food processor, combine the flour, salt, and sugar. Pulse a few seconds to blend.
Add the cold butter cubes and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized bits of butter remaining, about 4–5 short pulses.
prinkle the cold water evenly over the mixture. Pulse again just until the dough is moistened and crumbly, about 4–5 short pulses. Do not over-process.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured, cool work surface. Gently knead a few times until it comes together into a ball. Flatten into a disk.
Lightly flour the work surface and the top of the dough. Roll the dough into a circle large enough to fit your pie tin, turning it as you roll and adding flour as needed to prevent sticking.
Place the rolled-out crust in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling, unless making it ahead.
Fill and bake according to your pie or galette recipe.
