Dough is the foundation to almost every pastry or baked good out there. It’s a versatile carrier for anything savory or sweet. While I was working at Ladurée, every pastry I made had some sort of chocolate, cream, or fruit filling. Those dainty, delicate, and dreamy pastries were ready for those display cases because of a strong structure; in came the wondrous dough that made assembly possible.
Pâte sucrée is a French “sugar dough” that is widely used for sweet confections. I like using this dough for any tart, pie, or bar that requires a full bake. It’s excellent for pastries that need that bit of structure and some added sweetness.
It’s baking season after all, so I went ahead and made a full batch, knowing I’ll be baking more tasty treats later next week. I divided the Pâte Sucrée into three; I froze two packs and put the one in the refrigerator, prepped and ready for a pie.
Recipe for Pâte Sucrée - French Sweetened Shortcrust Pastry
- For One 9-inch Double-Crust/Lattice Pie, plus One 9-inch Open Pie; or Three 9-inch Tarts
- Preparation:
Ingredients
- 500g (4 cups) Pastry Flour
- 227g (1 cup) Unsalted Butter, softened
- 125g (about 1 cup, unsifted) Confectioners Sugar
- 1½g (¼t) Kosher Salt
- 3 large Eggs, room temperature
Procedure
- In a large bowl, measure and sift the pastry flour. Set aside.
- On a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the butter, sugar, and salt, and mix until pale yellow and fluffy.
- Add the eggs in one at a time, making sure each egg is well incorporated before adding the next.
- Pour in the flour and mix slowly until it is just combined. If you see some dry spots, finish mixing by hand.
- Divide into three, flatten into circles, and wrap with plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours before rolling.
*Bunny Wisdom*
- I sift large amounts of flour to help get rid of clumps or impurities; this also helps aerate the flour for easier mixing.
- If the eggs are too cold, they will solidify the butter and make it more difficult to incorporate. Allow the eggs to sit on the counter before using.
- Make sure that you don’t over-mix the dough; a tender crust is yummier than a tough crust.
- Store dough inside the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or the freezer for up to 3 months, well-wrapped in plastic wrap and in a zipper bag.
Nutrition Facts
- Total Fat 8.5g10.9%
- Saturated Fat 5g25%
- Trans Fat 0g
- Unsaturated Fat 3g
- Polyunsaturated Fat 0.5g
- Monounsaturated Fat 2.5g
- Cholesterol 43mg14.3%
- Sodium 27mg1.2%
- Total Carbohydrate 21.3g7.7%
- Dietary Fiber 0.5g1.8%
- Total Sugars 5.2g
- Includes 5.1g Added Sugars10.2%
- Protein 2.7g5.4%
- Vitamin A 74µg4.9%
- Vitamin C 0mg0%
- Vitamin D 0µg0%
- Calcium 10mg1%
- Iron 0mg0%
- Potassium 38mg1.1%
Remember that you aren’t limited to making this just for recipes that require a full bake; you can easily use this dough for a lemon meringue pie, fresh fruit tart, or a chocolate ganache tart (which require a pre-baked pie/tart shell instead). I find that fillings that are somewhat wetter hold better with this dough than something like Pâte Brisée.
No thoughts on "Pâte Sucrée – French Sweetened Shortcrust Pastry Recipe."