Pâte Brisée

This is a classic french pie and tart dough with a crumbly texture and buttery flavor. It can be made by hand or in a cuisinart or kitchen aid. You can also freeze it for later use which is a helpful time-saver.

Ingredients

* 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
* 2 tablespoons cold vegetable shortening (if you don't have this on hand, you can also just use an entire stick of butter, instead of mixing the two types of fat)
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* pinch of sugar
* ice water

Directions

1. In a large bowl, blend the flour, the butter, the vegetable shortening, and the salt until the mixture resembles meal. You can do this with a pastry cutter or two knives or you can do this whole process in a food processor.

2. Add 3 tablespoons ice water, toss the mixture until the water is incorporated (or pulse if you're using a food processor), and form the dough into a ball.

3. Knead the dough lightly with the heel of your hand against a smooth surface for a few seconds to distribute the fat evenly and re-form it into a ball. Dust the dough with flour and chill it, wrapped in wax paper, for 1 hour or longer.

4. Once it's chilled, roll out and bake however the recipe you're using directs. Alternatively, you can freeze the dough in crust-sized portions so that you have it on hand for future baking projects. 

You might also like:

• Good Old Fashioned Apple Pie
• Pumpkin Spice Pie
• Chocolate Raspberry Tart
• Galette Dough
• Rustic Plum Tart