Basic Components of Pâte Brisée and Pâte Sucrée

Appears in
The Fundamental Techniques of Classic Cuisine

By French Culinary Institute

Published 2021

  • About
The fat used when making pastry dough coats and softens the gluten particles and creates the flakiness in the finished pastry. Although lard and vegetable shortening can be used, butter is almost always the fat of choice in the preparation of classic French pastry doughs. The exception to this is in regional French specialties, where lard or poultry fat or game fat is used to make pastry dough. Whatever fat is used, it must always be well chilled. If it is too soft, it will break down too early and melt into the flour; if it is frozen, it will be too hard to combine easily with the flour.