Pate Brise            

Makes about 4 9-to 10-inch pies

• 1 pound cake flour 

• 1 pound bread flour                           

• 1/4 ounce salt                                     

• 1/4 ounce sugar          

• 1 pound butter                                                                       

• 8 ounces water                                               

• 4 egg yolks                                  

In a large bowl, combine flours, salt and sugar.  Cut in butter and mix until a crumbly/sandy texture is achieved. Add water and eggs and mix until just combined. Remove dough from bowl, form into a ball, cover with plastic wrap and chill for one hour before using. 

To blind bake shells, roll out dough to just under ¼- inch thick and let rest, covered with plastic, at least 1 hour, preferably overnight.  To bake, dock the pastry. This can be done by piercing all over with a fork.  Cut a piece large enough so when pressed it into the pie tin, you have a 1-inch overhang to allow for shrinkage. Preheat oven to 325 degrees for a  convection oven (350 degrees for a  standard oven). Tip: Place the cut pastry in the tin, place another tin inside and bake upside down, with a little weight like a sheet tray on the tins.  This keeps the sides from shrinking.  Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes to allow pastry to set.  Remove sheet tray, remove top tin, then place sheet tray back on and bake 5 minutes more until golden.  Flip shell so it is right side up and place into the first tin to continue baking the inside, for about 5 minutes.  When nice and golden all around, place on a rack to cool before filling.

Copyright 2003 MingTsai