Someone recently asked me what my favorite thing is to make. That’s a no-brainer: pies. I absolutely love making pies for two reasons:
1) I love using my rolling pin
2) I love the millions of pie fillings you can create
The world of pie crust doughs can be broken down into three types (all with French names because, you know, translating anything into French automatically makes it good ma petite conasse), and when to use them is key to making an absolutely fabulous pie.
Pâte brisée
Blueberry pie with pâte brisée
How it tastes: Rich, buttery flavor with a crisp and layered texture
When to use it: Both sweet and savory pies, quiches etc. My favorite is using it to make blueberry pie, which I’ll be serving up in mini-proportions this Thursday at Taste!
Difficulty: 5/10 (this is your average pie crust dough, it’s not like making a cake, but it’s pretty foolproof.)
Pâte sucrée
Plum tart made with pâte sucrée
How it tastes: sweeter than a pâte brisée and with a lovely cookie crumbly texture
When to use: this crust is best with fruit and cream fillings, if you want to fill a pre-baked crust with a non-bake filling, this one is great. I made this pie with plums and a vanilla glaze, but honestly, it lacked moisture…would have been perfect with a dollop of whipped cream
Difficulty: 7/10, this dough is much softer than the pâte brisée and more difficult to roll out. Usually, I just get out the ol´hands and press the dough into the pan…forget the pin on this one!
Pâte sablée:
Lime coconut tart with pâte sablée
My absolute favorite pie crust ever.
How it tastes: divine, elegant and rustic a la vez. Flaky, sandy and buttery, complete indulgence.
When to use it: this is a great crust to make rustic free-form tarts, think plums scented with vanilla, apples with cinnamon and cloves….
Difficulty: 9/10… this dough is a pain to roll out, but that’s why they invented the word rustic. It’s the perfect cover-up for finicky dough. I used this flaky crust for the lime-coconut tart I made for NOLA chef’s Mexican pop-up this month.
Live, cook and eat abroad 