Pate Brisee For Double Crust Berry Free Form Pie Food

PATE BRISEE (PIE DOUGH)

Steps:

• In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, salt, and sugar. Add butter, and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, 8 to 10 seconds.
• With machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream through feed tube. Pulse until dough holds together without being wet or sticky; be careful not to process more than 30 seconds. To test, squeeze a small amount together: If it is crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time.
• Divide dough into two equal balls. Flatten each ball into a disc and wrap in plastic. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill at least 1 hour. Dough may be stored, frozen, up to 1 month.

DOUBLE-CRUST BERRY FREE-FORM PIE

Steps:

• On a lightly floured piece of parchment, roll out one disk of dough to an 18-inch round. Transfer parchment and dough to a baking sheet and refrigerate until just firm, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, on another lightly floured piece of parchment, roll out remaining disk of dough to a 15-inch round. Leaving a 1-inch border, punch out squares with a 1-inch square cutter in rows, spaced about 3/4 inch apart, to form a grid. Transfer parchment and dough to another baking sheet and refrigerate 10 minutes.
• In a bowl, toss berries with cornstarch, granulated sugar, and lemon juice. Spread mixture evenly over center of 18-inch dough round, leaving a 3 1/2-inch border. Center second dough round on top of berries; brush with egg wash. Fold bottom dough over top, pressing to seal and forming pleats as you go. Brush folded edges with egg wash and sprinkle entire surface with sanding sugar. Freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake pie, rotating once, until golden brown and juices are bubbling in center, about 1 hour, 10 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack at least 1 hour before serving.

STRAWBERRY SLAB PIE

Steps:

• Make the Double-Crust Pate Brisee and divide it in half. Place one half back in the fridge while you work with the other.
• Generously flick flour over the work surface and roll out the dough into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick and large enough to line the bottom and sides of a rimmed 9 x 13-inch quarter-sheet pan or baking pan. Line the bottom and sides of the pan with the dough, making sure to press the dough into the corners. You may need to patch it up if the dough tears. Dock it with a pastry docker (see Cook's Note) or by poking it all over with a fork. Refrigerate the pie shell for at least 30 minutes to allow the dough to relax.
• Meanwhile, line a baking sheet or large flat platter with parchment paper and set aside. Remove the other half of the dough from the fridge and roll it into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick and large enough to cover the whole top of the pie. Place the rolled-out dough on the prepared baking sheet or platter and refrigerate until you are ready to use it.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and place a rack in the center of the oven. Line the pie shell with parchment paper and fill it with pie weights, dried beans, or uncooked rice. Blind bake the pie shell (see Cook's Note) for 20 to 30 minutes, rotating the pan midway through the baking time, until the pie shell is matte and pale golden brown. Remove it from the oven and let cool on a wire rack. When the pie weights have cooled down, remove them carefully from the pie shell and discard the parchment. Set aside the pie shell.
• In a medium bowl, combine the strawberries, superfine sugar, cornstarch, orange zest, and salt and toss to combine well. Let macerate for about 15 minutes. Pour the fruit and any accumulated juices over the pie shell. Remove the rolled-out dough from the fridge and drape it over the pie. Press the dough gently along the rim of the pan to adhere it to the edges of the bottom crust. Trim any excess dough so that there is just a slight overhang (the dough will shrink during baking, so you want there to be a little extra along the edge). Whisk the egg for the egg wash in a small bowl with a fork. Use a pastry brush to lightly brush the top of the dough with the egg wash. Sprinkle the top evenly with the sanding sugar. Slit the dough decoratively in 6 to 8 places to allow steam to escape while baking. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, rotating the pan midway through the baking time, until the top is dark golden brown through and through--no pale soggy places!
• Remove the pie from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours, so the fruit has time to set up. Serve warm or at room temperature.
• The pie can be stored well covered, at room temperature for up to 1 day or in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you store it in the fridge, it's best served warmed; reheat the pie in a 300 degrees F oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until the top and bottom crisp up a little bit.
• In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, paddle together the flour, sugar, and salt for 10 to 15 seconds. Cut the butter into about 12 pieces and add it to the flour mixture. Paddle slowly until the flour is no longer bright white and the mixture holds together when you clump it, and there are still lumps of butter the size of pecans throughout, 60 to 90 seconds.
• Whisk together the egg yolks and milk in a small bowl and add them all at once to the flour-butter mixture. Paddle very briefly, just until it barely comes together, about 30 seconds. It will look really shaggy and more like a mess than a dough.
• Dump the dough out onto a clean work surface and gather it together into a tight mound. Using the heel of your hand, smear the dough, starting at the top of the mound and sliding your hand down the sides of the mound along the work surface, until most of the butter chunks are smeared into the dough and the whole thing comes together.
• Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and press it down to make a disk about 1 inch thick. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before using.
• The dough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 4 weeks. Wrap in another layer of plastic if storing for more than 1 day.

ESSENTIAL PATE BRISEE

Steps:

• Pulse flour and salt in a food processor to combine. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some larger pieces remaining. Evenly drizzle 1/4 cup ice water over mixture. Pulse until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed. If dough is too dry, add up to 1/4 cup more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse to combine.
• Turn out dough onto a floured surface and divide dough in half, then shape each half into a disk. Wrap each half in plastic and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour or up to 1 day. (Dough can be frozen up to 1 month; thaw overnight in refrigerator before using.)

PATE BRISEE FOR DOUBLE-CRUST BERRY FREE-FORM PIE

Steps:

• Pulse together flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some small pea-size pieces remaining. Add 1/3 cup ice water; pulse until mixture holds together when pinched. If too dry, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time.
• Transfer dough to a piece of plastic wrap and knead once. Pat into a disk; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 1 day, or freeze up to 3 months; thaw overnight in refrigerator before using.

PATE BRISEE

Steps:

• Combine the flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor and process a few seconds to mix. Quarter the 3/4 stick of butter lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch pieces. Scatter the cubes of butter evenly over the flour. Pulse the machine until the butter pieces are about the size of lentils.
• Place half the ice water in the bottom of a bowl. Turn the flour/butter mixture onto it and pour the remaining water evenly over the top. Using a large rubber spatula, fold the mixture until it is evenly moistened. Squeeze it; it should hold together. If not, sprinkle in a little more water and gently mix.
• Turn the mixture out on the table and quickly frisage: using the palm of your hand, push sections of the dough away from you against the table. Gather the dough together and frisage any portions that were missed. Form the mass into whatever shape you will be rolling out (ie, disk for round, cylinder for rectangle), and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for at least 30 minutes or up to 3 days. Dough can be frozen for up to 3 months.

PATE BRISEE FOR SOUR-CHERRY PIE

Steps:

• Pulse flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor to combine. Add butter, and process until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds. With machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream through the feed tube until dough just holds together (no longer than 30 seconds).
• Divide dough in half, and shape into disks. Wrap each in plastic. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or up to 2 days).

PATE BRISEE TO MAKE ONE DOUBLE-CRUST OR TWO SINGLE-CRUST PIES

Steps:

• Pulse flour and salt in a food processor to combine. Add butter, cut into small pieces, and pulse until mixture forms coarse crumbs with some larger pieces remaining, about 10 seconds.
• With machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream until dough just holds together without being wet or sticky, no longer than 30 seconds.
• Divide dough in half; flatten and shape into disks, and wrap each in plastic. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.

PATE BRISEE (FLAKY SWEET PASTRY DOUGH)

Steps:

• Place one cup of flour, the butter, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Process just until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, about 10 seconds. Add the water and slowly pulse just until the pastry begins to hold together, about six to eight times. Do not let it form a ball. Turn the pastry out onto waxed paper and flatten the dough into a circle. If the dough is excessively sticky, sprinkle it with several tablespoons of flour. Wrap in waxed paper and refrigerate for at least one hour.

MARTHA STEWART'S PATE BRISEE -- BASIC PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Secrets to a good pie crust: chilled ingredients and chilled dough. Margarine or shortening can be used instead of butter (but butter is my favorite!).
• Put flour, salt and sugar in a bowl, blender or food processor. Add the pieces of butter and process approximately 10 seconds or until it resembles "coarse meal.".
• Add ice water drop by drop while machine is running (or you are mixing)--- just until dough holds together without being wet or sticky. Do not mix longer than 30 seconds.
• Roll dough out on a piece of plastic wrap. Press down slightly. Chill for at least one hour.

PâTE BRISéE TART CRUST

Steps:

• Whisk flour, salt, and sugar in medium bowl. Add butter and shortening; rub in with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 4 tablespoons cold water. Work mixture with fingertips until dough comes together in moist clumps, adding more water by teaspoonfuls if dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic; chill until firm, at least 1 hour.
• Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 400°F. Roll out dough on floured work surface to 10-inch round. Carefully transfer dough to 8-inch springform pan. Press dough onto bottom and about 1 1/2 inches up sides of pan, pressing to adhere to sides. Fold down and roll 1/2 inch of dough sides inward, forming double-thick edge at top of crust sides. Using dull edge of small knife, make small indentations at 1/2-inch intervals on double-thick edge. Chill 20 minutes.
• Line crust with foil; fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake crust until sides of crust are set, about 18 minutes. Remove foil and beans. Pierce bottom of crust all over with fork. Continue to bake until bottom is set and pale golden, about 14 minutes longer. Remove from oven and cool in pan on rack.

PATE BRISEE TO MAKE ONE DOUBLE-CRUST 9-INCH PIE

Steps:

• Pulse flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor until combined. Add butter, and process until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds. With the machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream until mixture just begins to hold together.
• Shape dough into 2 disks. Wrap each in plastic, and refrigerate 1 hour to 2 days.