The Perfect Pastry Crust

There is nothing better than a perfectly baked pastry crust.  With a flaky, tender and crispy texture and a buttery flavor, the pastry crust is the essential base for tarts, pies and quiches.  While the ingredients are usually the same; butter, salt, sugar, flour and water; it's the technique that makes a great crust. 

While there are many different types of pastry crust to choose from, we will focus on the classic French pastry crust - pate brisee.  This classic recipe can be used for savory or sweet applications and usually only has a little sugar.

In this week's blog I will share the tricks and tips to making a perfect pastry crust:

1. Cold Butter - Those flaky layers in a pastry crust come from alternating layers of butter and flour. To create those layers, the butter is cut into the dry ingredients using your fingers, a pastry cutter or a food processor. Starting with cold butter helps keep the butter from completely incorporating into the flour. I prefer to freeze my butter for a few minutes before starting to make the dough.
2. Cutting the Butter - Cutting the butter into the dry ingredients is the most important step to creating a flaky crust.  I start with 1/2 inch cubes of butter and cut them in until the butter resembles the size of fat peas.  Larger pieces of butter creates a flakier crust and smaller pieces of butter create a mealier crust.
3. Adding the Water - It is very important to only add enough water to get the dough to come together.  Adding to much water creates a tacky dough that will need additional flour during the rolling process.  I add the water in small batches, testing before adding more water.  Test the dough by picking up a small amount and squeezing it.  If it sticks together, no more water is needed.  If it crumbles apart then more water is needed.
4. Forming the Dough - Once the water is incorporated the next step is to form the dough into a disk to later be rolled out.  Be careful not to knead the dough, but rather push it together.  Don't let the heat from your hand melt the butter.
5. Rest - The dough that is.  Whenever you work with dough, glutens start to form.  Glutens are also known as the muscle of flour.  Because a good pastry crust is tender, it is very important to let the dough rest after each step of prep process.  As soon as the dough is made it should be allowed to rest in the refrigerator for at least 45 minutes.  This allows the glutens to relax and the butter to get cold.  Once the dough is rolled out and formed into the pie or tart pan it should be chilled again for 45 minutes before baking. 
6. Baking - The classic pastry crust does not have a leavener, such as baking soda or baking powder and relies on the steam produced during the baking process to create those flaky layers.  I start my pastry crust at 375 or 400 degrees Fahrenheit.  The high heat causes the water to quickly become a vapor, which expands creating pockets in the crust. 
7. Blind Baking - This important step is necessary to get a golden brown and crispy crust.  Blind baking involves baking the crust without the filling.  The crust is first lined with foil or parchment paper and then dry beans are added.  The beans create weight and keep the crust from over rising.  They also help keep the crust from shrinking.  Blind baking is usually a 2 part process.  During the first part the crust is baked with the beans or pie weights until the edges start to brown.  Next the beans or pie weights are removed and the crust is returned to the oven to continue to bake until the bottom is dry and slightly browned.  The second part of the process creates a shell on the crust, which will keep the filling from absorbing in and making the crust soggy.

Next time you need a pastry crust for a pie or tart, try this pate brisee recipe.  It's perfect for most pies, tarts or quiches.

Perfect Pastry Crust