My homemade shortcrust pastry

Pâte brisée : instructions

• Handmade
  • 1
    In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, and butter (cut into pieces and softened slightly—either in a saucepan or in the microwave for a few seconds).
    Rub the mixture together quickly with your fingertips until it resembles coarse crumbs.
  • 2
    Make a well in the mixture and gradually stir in the water.
  • 3
    Keep kneading the dough just long enough to form a compact ball. Don't knead it for too long, or your dough will become too crumbly.
• Quick preparation in a food processor
  • 4
    In the bowl of your food processor, combine the flour, butter (cut into pieces), salt, and water.
    Pulse until the ingredients come together and form a ball.
    
    Don't process for too long, or the dough will be too crumbly when baked.
    
• Letting the dough rest
  • 5
    Place the ball of dough in a mixing bowl, cover with a kitchen towel, and let it rest for at least 20 minutes at room temperature.
    
    The Chef's Tip

    You can also prepare this shortcrust pastry the day before; in that case, you’ll need to let it rest in the refrigerator.
    
• Preparation and cooking
  • 6
    Once your dough has rested, place it on a work surface lined with a floured baking mat.
    
    A baking mat is an inexpensive accessory that will come in handy time and again when cooking and baking.
  • 7
    Flatten the dough with your hands. Fold it into quarters and reshape it into a ball.
    
    This intermediate step helps "wake up" the dough after it has rested (especially if it has been resting in the fridge). In particular, this helps the butter soften and distribute evenly. It also creates a slight flaky texture that will make the dough crispier when baked 😋.
  • 8
    Lightly flour your rolling pin, then roll out the dough until it matches the shape and size of your pan (place the pan upside down on top to check).
  • 9
    Grease your pie pan and place the dough inside. There are three methods you can use:
     
    • Baking mat method: Roll up the baking mat on which you’ve rolled out the dough, then unroll it upside down over your pan. The dough will settle into the pan!
    • Roll method: Roll the dough around the rolling pin, then unroll it into the pan.
    • Folding method: Gently fold the dough into quarters, place it in the pan, then unfold it.
  • 10
    Finish lining the pan with the dough. To do this, position the dough so that it touches all sides of the pan.
    Fold the edges up just above the pan, as the shortcrust pastry will tend to shrink during baking.
    Even out the edges of the tart by pinching them to create a nice "hem" all around the dish.
    Finally, prick the pastry with a fork to prevent it from puffing up during baking.
  • 11
    As for baking, it depends on your recipe.
    Some recipes call for "blind baking" the crust, while others allow you to bake the crust and filling together right away.