Martha Stewart's Pate Brisee (Pastry)

I don't know about you but I have struggled to find a pastry recipe that I like to make and eat.  I have tried many different pastry recipes over the years and have had varied results. 

Late one evening I was watching Martha Bakes while Scott snored beside me (I watch it when he's asleep as he doesn't like Martha) and it was a show on pastry.  Martha made this pastry and made it look so easy.  It was similar to one that I already make however had lovely chunks of butter still running through it when rolled!

Well I have, as you can imagine been wanting to try this pastry ever since.  I did find that the pastry was easy to make and rolls out beautifully.  But the proof is in the eating and Oh My!  The pastry remained crisp and buttery even when filled and a couple of days later.

Martha Stewart Pastry Video

2 1/2 cups plain flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon castor sugar
230g butter cut into approx. 1 cm cubes.  (chilled)
1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

Now for this I have found that I get the best result with the butter cut into cubes then frozen.

Place flour, salt and sugar into bowl of food processor, process for a few seconds to combine.  Add the butter and process until the mix resembles course meal, some large chunks of butter is good.  With the machine running pour the water down the feed tube in a steady stream, until the dough just holds together.  Do not process for more than 30 seconds.

Have 2 sheets of plastic wrap on your bench.  Divide the mixture in 2 onto the wrap, use the edges of the wrap to bring the dough together and flatten into a disk.  Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.  This mix makes enough for either a base and top or 2 bases.  If just making a base you can freeze the other disk for up to a month.

On a floured service gently roll pastry to desired thickness,  place in pie dish,  crimp pie edge as desired and refrigerate pastry again for 30 minutes.

In a pre heated oven 180C blind bake your pastry case.  Remember to dock (poke your pastry with a fork) your pastry and put baking paper and either pie weights or baking beans/rice in your case.  Bake for 15 mins then remove paper and baking beans and bake for a further 15 mins until golden.

At this stage fill as desired.....

Tomorrow the recipe for the Key Lime Pie filling I used in my test pastry.  Oh YUM is all I can say!