• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Pudge Factor

A food blog with everyday recipes, step-by-step directions and photos, and detailed recipes.

  • Disclaimer
  • everyday recipes from simple to sophisticated
  • Just Recipes
  • Meet Chula and Pudge Factor®!
  • Privacy Policy
  • Recipe Index
  • Recipe Removed
  • Subscribe
  • Web Story Carousel
  • Web Story Explorer
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Halloween Treats
  • Holiday Side Dishes
  • Recipe Index
  • Just Recipes
  • Meet Chula and Pudge Factor®!
  • Subscribe
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Savory Pastry and Pies

    Foolproof Pâte Brisée Tart Crust

    By Chula King · September 7, 2016 · Updated August 16, 2023 Leave a Comment

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Yummly
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Buttery and flaky, with the secret ingredient - Vodka!

    Foolproof Pâte Brisée Tart Crust is an easy, versatile, buttery, and flaky French pastry dough. It is the ultimate secret weapon for delicious savory quiches, sumptuous pies, or heavenly tarts, producing melt-in-your-mouth delicious every time.

    Pate Brisee Crust out of the oven.
    Jump to:
    • Easy and Foolproof
    • Ingredients: Here’s What You’ll Need 
    • Steps: Making Foolproof Pâte Brisée Tart Crust 
    • Finishing the Pate Brisée Crust
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Recipe Tips and Tricks
    • Different Uses for the Páte Brisée
    • Recipe

    Easy and Foolproof

    The “easy” in this recipe is two-fold: (1) using the food processor to make the dough, and (2) foregoing the rolling of the pastry and instead dumping the dough into the tart pan and pressing it into shape.

    The foregoing of the rolling of the pastry might sound like more trouble than it’s worth, but believe me, it isn’t!

    The “foolproof” is substituting Vodka for half of the water that is otherwise added to the dough.

    What – Vodka? The use of Vodka actually appeared in Cooks Illustrated sometime back. Also, Scientific American detailed the “science” behind the use of vodka.

    Basically, 80-proof Vodka is only 60% water. Although the Vodka helps to form the dough, it doesn’t contribute to gluten formation. Thus, the flakier crust!

    Actually, you could use any liquor such as Bourbon or Rum (for pecan pie), Calvados (for apple tart), Gin (for lemon or lime tart), etc. However, the benefit of using Vodka is that it doesn’t add any taste.

    Ingredients: Here’s What You’ll Need 

    The ingredients for this Foolproof Pâte Brisée Tart Crust include all-purpose flour, salt, sugar, unsalted butter, vegetable shortening, water, and Vodka.

    Ingredients for Pate Brisee crust.

    Steps: Making Foolproof Pâte Brisée Tart Crust 

    1. For starters, I added the flour, salt, and sugar to my food processor, fitted with a steel blade, and pulsed it 4 or 5 times to combine everything.
    1. Then I added the butter and shortening, which were cold and cut into small pieces, and pulsed it 8 or 9 times until the mixture resembled a coarse meal.
    All-purpose flour combined with salt, sugar, butter and shortening in a food processor.
    1. Then I added a Tablespoon of cold water and a tablespoon of cold Vodka to the food processor and pulsed it 3 or 4 times.
    Adding liquid to the food processor.
    1. I added the remaining water and Vodka to the food processor and pulsed it 3 or 4 additional times until the dough came together in my hand.
    Pate Brisee ingredients in the food processor.

    Finishing the Pate Brisée Crust

    I emptied the dough into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom and gently pressed the dough up the sides and over the bottom to create the crust.

    Then I covered the crust with plastic wrap and used a straight-sided measuring cup to smooth out the crust.

    Forming the crust with a small metal measuring cup.

    I popped the unbaked crust into the freezer for at least 20 minutes.

    Then before baking it, I docked the crust with a fork. I put it on a baking sheet, placed a crumpled piece of parchment paper over the crust, and filled it with dried beans. You could also use rice or pie weights here.

    Crust with parchment paper and filled with dried beans.

    I baked the crust in a preheated 400°F oven for 25 minutes until it was light gold in color.

    I carefully removed the parchment paper and dried beans from the crust and returned it to the oven for another 10 minutes or so until it was golden brown.

    The filling of choice tonight was an Onion and Mushroom Tart, a favorite of the Master Taste Tester.

    The crust was perfectly cooked and so flaky that it melted in your mouth. Yum!

    Onion and mushroom tart baked in pate brisee crust.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Why should the tart crust be pre-baked?

    I consistently pre-bake my crust to ensure it is crispy and flaky all through.

    What is the purpose of pre-baking the crust with dried beans?

    I use dried beans for pie weights. The reason for pre-baking the crust with the dried beans is to minimize any shrinkage in the crust.

    How is Pâte Brisée different from other pastry dough?

    Unlike puff pastry, which is layered with butter and folded multiple times to create thin, flaky layers, Pâté Brisée is mixed until it comes together, creating a sturdy yet tender dough.

    Why is chilling Pâte Brisée dough important?

    Chilling allows the dough’s gluten to relax, preventing shrinkage during baking. It also ensures the butter is cold, leading to a flakier crust when baked.

    Can Pâte Brisée be made in advance?

    Pâte Brisée can be made in advance. You can wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze it for up to a month. Remember to thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before using it.

    Recipe Tips and Tricks

    • Use cold ingredients: Start with cold butter and shortening, and ice-cold water and vodka. This ensures that the butter doesn’t melt before baking, which is what creates those delicious, flaky layers in the crust.
    • Don’t overwork the dough: The dough should just come together. Overworking the dough will develop too much gluten and make your crust tough instead of tender and flaky.
    • Chill the dough: After making the dough and forming the crust, let it rest in the refrigerator for at least an hour or the freezer for at least 20 minutes. This allows the gluten to relax and the butter to firm up, helping the crust hold its shape during baking.
    • Patch cracks or holes: If any cracks or holes develop during pre-baking, brush with the custard filling to seal them before adding the filling.

    Different Uses for the Páte Brisée

    This Pâte Brisée crust is delicious in quiches. Here are some examples of quiches.

    • Classic Quiche Lorraine
      Classic Quiche Lorraine
    • Ham and cheese quiche recipe.
      Ham and Cheese Quiche – Simple and Delicious
    • Vidalia Onion and Mushroom Quiche
      Vidalia Onion and Mushroom Quiche
    • Tomato Florentine Quiche
      Tomato Florentine Quiche (With Video)

    I hope you liked this Foolproof Pâte Brisée Tart Crust recipe as much as I do. If so, please consider rating it and leaving a comment. Also, if you’d like to receive notifications of new posts by email, enter your email address in the Subscribe box.

    Thank you so much for visiting Pudge Factor. I hope you’ll come back!

    Recipe

    Buttery, flaky pie crust - perfectly delicious!

    Foolproof Pâte Brisée Tart Crust

    Chula King
    Foolproof Pâte Brisée Tart Crust – The name says it all. This produces perfect crust every time!
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 35 minutes mins
    Total Time 45 minutes mins
    Course Pastry
    Cuisine French
    Servings 8 servings
    Calories 228 kcal

    Equipment

    • Food Processor fitted with steel blade

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 ½ cups (7.5 ounces, 213 grams) all-purpose flour
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon sugar
    • 5 Tablespoons (2.5 ounces, 71 grams) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small pieces
    • 5 Tablespoons (2.5 ounces, 71 grams) vegetable shortening, cold and cut into small pieces
    • 2 Tablespoons (1 ounce, 28 grams) ice water
    • 2 Tablespoons (1 ounce, 28 grams) Vodka, cold

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 400°F.
    • Add flour, salt, and sugar to the food processor. Pulse 4 or 5 times to combine. Add butter and vegetable shortening; pulse to combine until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 8 or 9 pulses.
    • Add 1 Tablespoon ice water and 1 Tablespoon Vodka to the flour mixture, pulsing after each addition. Add remaining ice water and Vodka; pulse several times. Test the mixture to see if it comes together in your hand.
    • Empty the crust mixture into a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Gently press the dough into the tart pan and up the sides to create, then press it back out into the tart pan and up the sides to create the crust. Cover with plastic wrap; smooth out using a metal measuring cup.
    • Place in the freezer for at least 20 minutes.
    • Place on a baking sheet; dock with a fork. Place a piece of crumpled parchment paper over the crust, and fill it with pie weights, dried beans, lentils, or rice.
    • Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until light gold in color. Remove parchment paper and weights. Bake an additional 10 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool.
    • Fill with your favorite filling and bake according to the filling recipe.
    • 1 9-inch tart crust.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 228kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 2gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 18mgSodium: 147mgPotassium: 25mgVitamin A: 220IUCalcium: 6mgIron: 1.1mg
    Keyword Pate Brisee
    Tried this recipe? Tag me today!Mention @PudgeFactor or tag #pudgefactor

    More Savory Pastry and Pies

    • Easy Impossible Taco Pie
      Easy Impossible Taco Pie
    • Pizza Roses.
      Pizza Roses
    • Spinach Artichoke Tartlets
      Make Ahead Spinach Artichoke Tartlets
    • Fresh Tomato Tart
      Fresh Tomato Ricotta Tart in Puff Pastry (with Video)

    Filed Under: Savory Pastry and Pies, Sweet Pastry and Pies

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Buttery and flaky, with the secret ingredient - Vodka!
    Photo of Chula - PudgeFactor Blogger

    Chula King is an award-winning photographer and videographer behind Pudge Factor. She’s a professor by day and foodie by night, showcasing her favorite tried and true recipes.

    More about me →

    • YouTube
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Mail

    Celebrate Halloween with These Treats

    • Spooky 8-Layer Taco Dip
      Spooky 8-Layer Taco Dip
    • Pumpkin-Shaped Dinner Rolls.
      Pumpkin-Shaped Dinner Rolls
    • Creepy Southern Cornbread Skulls.
      Creepy Southern Cornbread Skulls
    • Halloween Spider Cookies
      Easy Peanut Butter Spider Cookies
    • Easy Babybel Cheese Monsters
      Easy Babybel Cheese Monsters
    • Bourbon Pecan Praline Popcorn
      Bourbon Pecan Praline Popcorn
    • Pumpkin patch cookie cups
      Pumpkin Patch Cookie Cups
    • Yummy Mummy Lemon Curd Bread
      Yummy Mummy Lemon Curd Bread

    See more Halloween Treats→

    Sites Featured In

    Popular Recipes

    • Easy Peasy British Sausage Rolls
      Easy Peasy British Sausage Rolls
    • Chicken Schnitzel with Mustard Cream Sauce
      Chicken Schnitzel with Mustard Cream Sauce
    • Homemade Waffle Cones
      Homemade Waffle Cones
    • Twice Baked Potato Casserole
      Twice Baked Potato Casserole

    See more Recipes→

    Footer

    Buttery and flaky, with the secret ingredient - Vodka!

    © 2012–2023 · Pudge Factor®, LLC · Privacy Policy · Disclaimer