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Pâte Brisée (Flaky Pastry)

Source of Recipe


Sherry Yard



List of Ingredients



• 8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter
  
• 2½ cups all-purpose flour
  
• 2 Tbsp sugar
  
• 1 tsp salt
  
• About ½ cup ice water
  
• ½ tsp champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
  






Instructions



1. Cut the butter into 1-inch pieces and place it in the freezer to chill for 15 minutes.
   
   
2. To mix with a stand mixer:
   Sift together the flour, sugar and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the partially frozen butter. Turn the machine on low and beat for 2 minutes, or until the butter is broken down to the size of walnuts. Stop the machine and, by hand, pinch flat any large pieces of butter that remain. In a small bowl, combine the ice water and vinegar. Turn the mixer on low speed and add the liquid all at once. Beat just until the dough comes together, about 15 seconds. The dough should be tacky but not sticky.
   
   
3. To mix by hand:
   Sift the dry ingredients into a large bowl. Add the partially frozen butter and, using a wire pastry cutter, incorporate it into the flour until the butter is broken down to the size of walnuts. Or use your fingers, rubbing and pressing the butter and flour between your thumbs and first two fingers to create flattened broken walnut-sized pieces. Combine the ice water and vinegar and add the liquid all at once; mix lightly with a fork until the dough just comes together.
   
   
4. Remove the dough from the bowl, divide into two equal pieces, and wrap each piece in plastic wrap. Do not squeeze the dough together or overwork. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before rolling it out. (The well-wrapped dough can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 weeks. If I am going to freeze the dough, however, I prefer to roll the two pieces of dough out into circles, place them between pieces of parchment paper, wrap them airtight in plastic, and freeze.)
   
   
5. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured work surface and line two lightly sprayed 9- or 10-inch pie or tart pans or a 9-inch springform pan.
   
   Makes two 9- or 10-inch pie crusts.