Pate Brisee For Pumpkin Pie Recipes

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.

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 PUMPKIN PIE

Steps:

• Place flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor, and process for a few seconds to combine. Add butter, and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds.
• With the machine running, add 5 tablespoons ice water in a slow, steady stream through the feed tube just until the dough holds together, 30 seconds.
• Divide dough in half, and wrap each half in plastic wrap.

PATE BRISEE FOR TRADITIONAL PUMPKIN PIE

Steps:

• Pulse flour and salt in a food processor until combined. Add butter, and process until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds. With machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream until mixture just begins to hold together.
• Shape dough into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days (or freeze for up to 1 month; thaw in refrigerator before using).

PATE BRISEE FOR PERFECT PUMPKIN PIE

Steps:

• Pulse flour, sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt in a food processor to combine. Add butter, and pulse until pea-size clumps form. Drizzle 1/4 cup ice water over flour mixture; pulse until mixture just begins to hold together when pinched. (If too dry, drizzle with more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse a few more times.)
• Divide dough in half and transfer each to a piece of plastic wrap; cover, and press each into a disk. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.

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.

PATE BRISEE FOR PUMPKIN-PECAN TART

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.

PATE BRISEE FOR SAVORY AND SWEET PIES

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.)

PATE BRISEE FOR SPICED APPLE PIE

Steps:

• Pulse flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor. Add butter, and pulse until coarse crumbs form, about 10 seconds.
• With machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream just until dough holds together and is not wet or sticky, no longer than 30 seconds.
• Divide dough into two portions, and shape each into a disk. Wrap in plastic; refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.

PLAIN PASTRY (PATE BRISEE)

Steps:

• Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Add the butter and shortening and cut them into the flour with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
• Add the ice water quickly while tossing the flour-shortening mixture to distribute the moisture. Continue tossing until it begins to gather itself together. Form into a ball, divide in two and flatten each half into a thick round. Wrap in wax paper and chill thoroughly before rolling out.

PATE BRISEE FOR OLD-FASHIONED BLUEBERRY PIE

Steps:

• Place flour, salt, and sugar in work bowl of a food processor. Add butter pieces and process for approximately 10 seconds, or just until mixture resembles a coarse meal.
• With machine running, add ice water, drop by drop, through food-processor feed tube. When dough holds together but is not wet or sticky, stop adding water; do not process more than 30 seconds. Test dough at this point by squeezing a small amount together. If it is still crumbly, add a bit more water.
• Divide dough in half and turn out onto two large pieces of plastic wrap. Press dough into flat circles; this makes rolling easier than if the pastry is chilled as a ball. Wrap dough in plastic and chill for at least an hour.