I am a cake person, obviously, but I love love LOVE pies and tarts too! More and more the older I get. I have always made just two styles of crusts, graham cracker or American Flaky. I never thought much past that. BUT then I was approached about being on Food Network… and in doing that I started to bake even more than normal, trying everything I could get my hands on that I could quickly bake and turn into a dessert
So I discovered the three Pate crusts. Pate Brisee, Pate Sucree and Pate Sablee! So in addition to a classic American Flaky crust I now have a VERY well rounded crust collection! From Savory to Sweet, soft to crunchy, there is a pie crust for EVERY occasion, never again will I just one one crust for them all! Trust me you NEED these crusts in your life, AND they are all super easy to make, I’d say the American is actually the trickiest since you have to be careful not to over mix it!
AND rather than just write long paragraphs about each crust (which can get hard to read and your eyes just skim over the words… oh wait, is that just me?) I made a video for you. Just in time for the Holidays!
To sum it up:
Flaky – cut the fat (butter and shortening) into the crust, to create a beautifully crunchy and flaky crust. Better baked with a filling over blind if you can
Pate Brisee – no sugar, perfect for savory dishes, very flaky, but softer than the American style. Also better baked with a filling, than blind baking
Pate Sucree – sweet, full of sugar, butter and cream, softer than the others, similar to a thin crunchy baked scone (best I can describe), beautiful blind bake
Pate Sablee – A cross between a Sugree and a shortbread cookie, a great crunch, sweet and a beautiful blind bake.
I’ll eventually create a different post for each recipe, the traditional Flaky is here.
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 10 Tbsp cold butter cubed
- 2 Tbsp vegetable shortening
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp white vinegar
- 6 Tbsp ice water
- In a food processor, combine flour, butter, shortening, and salt. Process to a coarse meal.
- Add in vinegar and water and process again until dough is moistened and pulls together in a mass.
- Turn dough out and pat into two discs. Wrap and chill dough 15-30 mins (freezer 10 mins)
- Roll out or pat the pastry evenly in the bottom and up the sides of an 8-9 inch tart pan, cover with plastic wrap and chill 30 mins or freeze 10
- If your filling the pie follow those directions
- preheat oven to 400
- lightly prick the bottom of the pastry crust and press aluminum foil into the crust, fill with pie weights
- bake for 5 mins
- reduce heat to 350 and continue to bake for 10 mins, take out foil and weights
- bake another 10+ mins
- If your going to fill the crust brush with beaten egg white and put back in the oven for 2 mins to seal.
Recipe Video
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup cold butter cubed
- 1 Tbsp vegetable shortening
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
- In a food processor, combine flour, butter, shortening, and sugar. Process to a coarse meal.
- Add cream and process again until dough is moistened and hold together when squeezed.
- Turn dough out and push a few times with the palm of your hand until it comes together. Form into two discs. Wrap and chill dough 15-30 mins (freezer 10 mins)
- spray a pan
- pat the pastry evenly in the bottom and up the sides of an 8-9 inch tart pan, cover with plastic wrap and chill 30 mins or freeze 10
- If baking filled follow the pie directions
- preheat oven to 400
- lightly prick the bottom of the pastry crust and press aluminum foil into the crust, fill with pie weights
- bake for 5 mins
- reduce heat to 350 and continue to bake for 10 mins, take out foil and weights
- bake another 5-10 mins
Recipe Video
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tsp salt
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- In a stand mixer, or with a hand mixer, cream butter, sugar, yolk, and salt until smooth.
- Add flour and slowly mix until dough is uniform.
- Turn dough out and using your hands, form into two discs. Wrap and chill dough 15-30 mins (freezer 10 mins)
- Roll or pat the pastry evenly in the bottom and up the sides of an 8-9 inch tart pan, cover with plastic wrap and chill 30 mins or freeze 10
- if baking filled follow pie directions
- preheat oven to 400
- lightly prick the bottom of the pastry crust and press aluminum foil into the crust, fill with pie weights
- bake for 5 mins
- reduce heat to 350 and continue to bake for 10 mins, take out foil and weights
- bake another 5-10 mins
I hope you enjoy pies as much as me, AND love these crusts as much as I do! I have more than one of each style of dough in my freezer right now so whenever I want I can thaw a round and make fresh pie or pot pie or quiche! In fact I’m craving my favorite quiche right now… of to thaw some pie dough!
thank you Ashlee for the recipes and I love the video.
thank you so much! I’m glad you like the video, they are fun to make!
Thanks, great video
I appreciate that! glad you like it
This was helpful and the video was great just please stop saying patuh! It’s pronounced ‘pat’
I am so sorry! I always heard it that way and said it that way like a pate a choux – obviously I can’t fix the video, but i’m sorry it bothers you.
love, love, love. everything i have been searching online in one video. can’t wait to try! Thanks 🙂
YAY! glad to hear you like it and it’s helpful! have fun!
Pie dough is always so intimidating to me! Great video! I pinned it!
Hi Ashlee, My name is Sherreen and I’m from Sri Lanka. Can I just use butter instead of vegetable shortening.
you can go with all butter – but it will change the strength and smoothness, also keep and eye on it since it will burn more easily and get crisper.
Love the videos and the tips and tricks. Also very much like the easy printable recipes. I can see why you are so successful. Thanks so much, I am now a follower and look forward to more from you.
thank you so much! your so sweet, and I hope you enjoy the recipes
Oh my gosh! This is so great! Thank you very much for these recipes and your video it’s great! 🙂
you are so welcome! I’m so glad you enjoyed it
another question can I do the pat sablee and keep the dough in the fridge two days in advance of baking or in freezer or bake it and freeze it what’s the best to save time thank u
i’d leave the dough in the fridge for a few days – I wouldn’t freeze after baking if you could help it. If it’s going to be more than a few days i’d freeze the dough, and the day before put it back in the fridge
Hello! I’ve been wondering about the differences so I am glad I found this post! Question: could I use whole milk instead of cream in the pate sucree?
Thanks!
there is a huge difference in cream and whole milk so I would def say stick with the cream
I have to ask a stupid question. It seems clear that Tbs is tablespoons, but I can only assume that T is a teaspoon? Otherwise, why the difference. Just want to confirm the measurements before I attempt to make a pot pie with the Pate Brisee this weekend. Great video and recipes, love knowing the differences!
Tablespoon, Tablespoons are always capitalized, teaspoons are always lowercase. Some people just to T. and t. but I try to do Tbsp and tsp – must have missed one
You have no idea how helpful this has been!! Living in France for 3 years now and had such a hard time figuring out which pâte to use for different types of fillings! There are too many pre-made ones in the markets (with no descriptions & the photos don’t help) and I get too confused!
Thank you thank you!! Going to bake up a storm now♥️
Ps. Love your videos!
you are so very welcome! ignore my butchering the names of course 😉
Is it possible to replace the shortening with lard? I’m allergic to palm and cottonseed oils which is what all shortening here are made with.p
I’m sure that would work, but you might need to tweak the amounts.
hi ashley , i’ve tried pate sablee this evening. wow it turned out so so nice. love it. i make banana crispy tart with it. qroquantin , then banana caramel, on top is mousse whip cream. so so good! tq ashlee for the recipe😚😚
that sounds amazing!!!