The All Butter French Tart Dough You Never Knew You Needed!
A buttery, golden crust is the foundation of any show-stopping deep dish quiche, and pâte brisée is the gold standard. This classic French shortcrust pastry is tender yet sturdy enough to hold rich fillings without becoming soggy. When baked, the layers turn delicately crisp with a light, shattering bite. In other words—it’s everything you want in a deep dish pie crust and about to become the star of your restaurant-worthy brunch at home.
It’s the same homemade tart crust I use for my French bistro-style quiche lorraine, but it’s just as perfect for a savory caramelized onion soufflé. Did I mention the flaky quiche dough comes together in a food processor? 🙌🏻 Oui, chef!
A note on sugar (spoiler: it’s optional!): In savory recipes like quiche or vegetable tarts, skip it for a neutral flavor. For sweet pies and dessert tarts, adding 1–2 tablespoons will lightly enhance flavor and help with browning.
How Recipe Testing Went Down
Look, nobody gets it right on the first try. I severely underestimated the total bake time required for a crust this deep, and my first test yielded crispy edges, but an underbaked, soggy crust.
Learn from my mistakes! I re-tested this quiche dough numerous times to ensure the bottom layer is fully cooked through, while the sides remain tender, yet golden brown. Be sure to follow the directions below — and do not forget extra pie weights! You need to fill the deep dish pie dough all the way to the top when blind baking.
The result? Flaky layers that won’t shrink in the oven.
Step-by Step Overview
Full instructions and quantities can be found in the recipe card below.
Pâte Brisée Is Not The Same As Puff Pastry
Unlike puff pastry, pâte brisée is not overly airy or laminated. Instead, it strikes a perfect balance between structure and tenderness, making it equally suitable for savory pies, tarts, and quiches.
A well-made pâte brisée will hold its shape beautifully, allowing for tall, straight sides that make your finished dish look professional and polished. So basically, you’re now a French pastry chef. 👩🏻🍳
Filling Suggestions (Endless Possibilities!)
This pâte brisée crust is tailor-made for deep dish quiche lorraine, but it’s equally at home with:
- Spinach and gruyère quiche
- Roasted vegetable and goat cheese tart
- Savory mushroom and caramelized onion pie
- Even sweet pies with sturdier fillings like apple or pecan (just omit or reduce the salt slightly)
Once you’ve nailed this pâte brisée, the possibilities are endless! If you give it a try — and you really should — let us know how it turned out (and what type of filling you used!) in the comments below. Seriously cannot wait to see your creations!
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Deep Dish Pâte Brisée (Flaky French Pastry Dough)
Equipment
Ingredients
For the pâte brisée
- 2 cups (260g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¾ cup (168g; 12 Tbsp) unsalted butter very cold, cubed
- 5 Tbsp ice water
Instructions
- Make the pâte brisée. Combine 2 cups (260g) all-purpose flour, ¾ cup (168g) cold, cubed butter, and ½ tsp kosher salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with blade attachment. Pulse until the butter is broken into small pea-size pieces, about 10x. Add 5 Tbsp ice water, then pulse until the mixture just holds together, about 15-20 short pulses. If needed, add 1 more tablespoon of water, then pulse again. Do not let the mixture form into a ball.
- Chill the dough. Turn the dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap, then bring the dough together, forming into a disc, and wrap tightly. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 2 days before using.
- Prepare the crust. Roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface (roughly 14 inches round), then transfer to the quiche pan. Use your hands to gently press the dough into and up the sides of the mold, then use the rolling pin to help trim any excess dough off the top by pressing down over the edges. Use a fork to prick holes all along the bottom of the dough. Transfer to the fridge to chill for about 15 minutes after rolling out. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Blind bake the crust. Place the pan on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet, cover the dough with heavy duty aluminum foil, then fill with pie weights (or dried beans) right up to the top–this prevents the sides from shrinking. Bake for 40 minutes, then check on the progress. It will likely need an additional 30 minutes (so 1 hour 10 minutes total), but check every 15 minutes from here, or until the edges are golden brown and the center of the dough is dry. Allow to cool slightly, then carefully remove the foil and weights or beans.
- Add filling, then bake. At this point, the crust is ready to be filled with the custard base of your choosing and whichever ingredients you intend to add. You can check out my deep dish quiche lorraine recipe for bake times once the custard is added or experiment with your own recipe and filling. Enjoy!
Notes
- Nutrition facts assume the crust is 10 servings.
- Make-ahead: Prepare the dough up to 2 days in advance. Keep tightly wrapped in a fridge. Alternatively, freeze unbaked dough for up to 2 months—thaw overnight in the fridge before rolling.
- Blind-baked crust: Once fully baked, the crust can be cooled completely, wrapped well, and stored at room temperature for 1 day or refrigerated for up to 3 days before filling.
- Leftovers: If you have baked pie or quiche in this crust, store it in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for up to 3 days. Reheat slices in a 350°F (177°C) oven until warmed through to re-crisp the crust.
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