Savory Brisée Dough
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
A versatile savory pastry dough reworked with a twist on classic pâte brisée. Uses cake flour instead of all-purpose for a lighter texture, replaces butter partially with cold rendered pork fat for added richness and flakiness. Baking powder swapped for baking soda to react with buttermilk, creating subtle tang and lift. The dough preps quickly in a food processor. Chilled for manageable rolling, yields two 24 cm rounds perfect for quiches or tart bases. Adjust liquids based on feel. The dough is flaky yet tender, with a faint savory depth from the lard and buttermilk combo.
Prep:
15 min
Cook:
12 min
Total:
45 min
Servings:
2 tart bases 23-25 cm
#pastry
#savory
#baking
#French-inspired
#tart crust
#brisée
Flaky dough isn’t magic. It’s about drama between fat and flour. Tried the usual route, all butter, all-purpose flour—turns out meh, tough edges or dry crumbs. Switching cake flour lightens crumb, but structure drops, solved by colder hands and extra chill. Pork fat—some swear off it, but the scent in oven and that merciful snap at edges changes the game. Substituting buttermilk instead of plain milk adds tang, something subtle but felt, raising dough like a small, secret rebellion. Rolled dough—too warm, it sticks and tears; too stiff, it cracks like a bad joke. It’s alive between flour and warmth, needing calm and respect. The clatter of pulses in processor, the sigh when dough just forms—these moments teach you timing beyond clock. A pie base that stays crisp after wet fillings, that’s the art I chase.
Ingredients
- 170 g (1 ¼ cups) cake flour *sub for all-purpose*
- 2.5 ml (½ tsp) baking soda *instead of baking powder*
- 2.5 ml (½ tsp) fine sea salt
- 85 g (6 tbsp) unsalted cold butter, diced
- 30 g (2 tbsp) cold rendered pork fat or lard *partial butter replacement*
- 45 ml (3 tbsp) cold buttermilk *instead of milk*
- 1 large egg
About the ingredients
Cake flour’s lower protein means less gluten, hence a tender, crumbly crust rather than tough and chewy. If you can only grab all-purpose, pack extra chill time before rolling. Baking soda swapped for baking powder because buttermilk is acidic; the reaction creates slight lift and delicate texture, unlike neutral milk. Butter still dominates for flavor, but incorporating pork fat adds depth, a subtle meaty note and flakiness that pure butter lacks. Unsalted butter lets you control salt precisely — important to balance the salty crust with savory fillings. Egg adds richness and binds without water dilution. Buttermilk’s acid also helps tenderize flour proteins, improving bite. Removing baking powder removes bitterness and chemical taste sometimes left behind. Some avoid lard—sub with more butter or coconut oil, but expect different flake and aroma. Cold ingredients key here; they retard gluten and stop fats melting too soon, making those flaky layers possible. Finally, salt should be fine and fresh, coarse salt risks uneven seasoning.
Method
- Pulse flour, baking soda, and salt in food processor few seconds. Crumbs like sand. No overmixing — no glue.
- Add butter and pork fat cubes. Pulse short bursts until pea-size lumps. Watch texture; if too big, a few more pulses. Too fine? You lost the flake.
- Beat egg with buttermilk, toss gently in. Pulse just till dough clumps. Sticky enough to hold, dry enough to handle. Add drop more buttermilk if needed.
- Dump dough on floured board. Quick hands—split into 2 thick discs. Pat flat, wrap tight with plastic.
- Chill minimum 35 minutes. Dough firms, flavors marry. Rushing results in tough crust or tears when rolling.
- Roll out chilled discs between floured parchment for 23 to 25 cm diameters. Thin but not paper. Edges slightly thicker—resist thinning to prevent sogginess.
- Dock base lightly with fork or small holes. Avoid overworking dough here. Perforations stop bubbles, keep base even.
- Blind bake if recipe calls for wet fillings—line with foil, fill beans or weights, bake at 190C till edges get pale golden and dough looks matte, about 10-12 minutes.
- Cool slightly before filling. If filling chilled, dough temp matters—too warm makes slipshod edges; too cold cracking. Balance is experience.
- Notes: Cake flour reduces gluten, helps flakiness but less structure—you might add a touch more flour or chill dough longer if it feels slack. Pork fat adds that heritage savor, worth the hunt in freezer section or butcher shop. If no buttermilk, sour milk (milk + acid) is acceptable, but watch for curdling.
- Common mistakes: Overworking dough destroys the flaky mystery. Too warm, dough turns sticky nightmare. Undercold, cracks open like old paint.
- Efficiency: Use food processor but pause often. Dough tells you when ready—listen to texture, not clock.
Cooking tips
No smooth, no over-knead. Overprocessing liquefies fats; underblend and dough falls apart. Pulse, watch texture, toss, repeat. Dough must hold together but still show distinct fat chunks. If too dry when pressed together, add a teaspoon more buttermilk, never dump liquid blindly or dough goes gummy. Hands quick and cold—warm palms melt fats before you’re ready. Two discs make handling easier — no fighting giant dough disc, less risk breaking during roll. Wrap tight to avoid dehydration—shiny plastic or repeated folding plastic wrap. Rest time trades elasticity for calm; cold dough is easier to roll without springback, and fat stays solid — the secret of flaky layers. Roll between parchment to avoid added flour, which toughens. Docking before blind bake, especially for wet filling, avoids air bubbles. Blind bake until edge shows gentle golden blush, base matte dull; too pale means dough not cooked through, too brown means dryness. Cool before filling avoids steam that sogs crust. Experience teaches judging thickness by eye—no ruler needed. If cracks appear, pinch and patch swiftly, dust flour to avoid sticking.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Pulse flour, soda, salt till crumbly. No grind mush. Fat bits gotta stay chunky. Overprocessing kills flake fast. Watch dough texture closely; pea-sized bits hold layers. Use cold fats — butter, pork fat firm — keep processor cold too. Add buttermilk gradually, sticky but firm dough is right spot. If it’s dry, small drops not floods. This dough's forgiving but tweak carefully.
- 💡 Chill dough minimum 35 minutes in tight wrap. Do not rush. Cold stiff dough means less springback, easier rolling. Warmer dough sticks, tears, cracks like brittle leaves. Two discs help with handling, no giant sheet wrestling. Wrap well, plastic that doesn’t dry out — shiny wrap or multiple folds keep moisture locked. Rest tones gluten; result is tender not tough crust.
- 💡 Roll between parchment, skip extra flour; dry flour toughens crust, kills tenderness. Roll thin but not paper—edges thicker but avoid dough pile. Dock with fork holes or light pricks to stop bubbles when blind baking wet fillings. Bubbles scorch crust, crack moldy base. Blind bake at 190 C; dough looks matte, edges faintly gold, 10-12 minutes. See crust visuals not time only.
- 💡 Substitute cake flour with all-purpose flour if needed but add chill time. If no pork fat, extra cold butter or coconut oil works—expect different flake, aroma changed. Baking soda requires acid; use buttermilk or sour milk substitute. Watch curdling with sour milk; mild acid reacts but too much acid ruins texture. Salt precise — fine fresh sea salt avoids gritty patches. Coarse salt sneaks through unevenly.
- 💡 Handle dough quickly, cold hands best but not frozen frost. Warm palms melt fats early, dough loses structure. Pulse, watch texture, toss, pulse again—not continuous blending. Dough sound changes; faint thuds slow down, fat firms up again. Dough cracks slightly at edges when rolled, signals readiness, no crumbly disintegration allowed. Crack patched with dusted flour, quick hands save fragile work.
Common questions
Why cake flour instead all-purpose?
Lower protein less gluten, crumb tender, not tough. Structure lighter but handle with chill or dough slackens. If AP used, prolong chill time or add bit flour to absorb moisture. Cake flour means softer but careful with overmixing, else gluey.
Can I use regular milk instead buttermilk?
Not quite. Buttermilk acid reacts with baking soda, adds tang, subtle lift. Regular milk neutral, no reaction, dough denser. Alternate sour milk works—add lemon or vinegar to milk, wait slight curd. Avoid store-bought vanilla yogurts; too thick changes hydration.
Dough cracks or tears rolling out, what then?
Dough too cold or dry. Let rest few minutes room temperature but not melted. Patch cracks with flour dust and bit of dough pressed. Overkneading breaks fat chunks, losing flakiness. Temperature key: cold but not frozen, firm but pliable.
How store leftover dough?
Wrap tight in plastic, refrigerate max 24 hours or freeze up to month. Thaw in fridge overnight, re-chill before rolling. Freezing stretches gluten, slight differences in texture appear, dough handles well with chill. If fridge-stored dough feels slack, fold in little flour, roll quickly.
