Pâte Brisée

Adapted by Martha Stewart

Pâte Brisée is a basic pie crust. This recipe makes two 8 to 10 inch pie crusts. I like using this recipe for savory tarts.

Photography by Heaven on Hearth

You will need:


Printable Recipe

2½ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

½ pound cold unsalted butter cut in quarters, then into ½ inch pieces (2 sticks)

¼ cup ice-cold water (4 tablespoons)

For this recipe, it is imperative that the butter is very cold. The water should be ice cold as well, so the best thing to do is to add ice cubes to the water before using.

Cold Butter in Small Pieces

I usually cut the butter into pieces then lay them on a tray and place in the freezer for about 20 minutes, just to make sure that the butter is cold.

In a bowl, add 2½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon granulated sugar mixing them well together. Add the butter pieces little by little and using a pastry mixer, crush the ingredients together until the mixture resembles a course meal.

Course Meal

Then add water, one tablespoon at a time. Test the dough, making sure it’s still crumbly. When you press it together it should stick together, then you know the dough is ready.

Meal with Water, Ready to be Formed in a Ball

Pour the crumbly mixture onto a flat surface, then press the dough together into the shape of a ball, do not over knead. Once finished, wrap in plastic food wrap and chill for at least an hour before using.

Pâte Brisée

For a crust that will be filled with a custard type filling, partially bake for 10–15 minutes at 400° Fahrenheit before adding the filling so that the bottom does not get soggy. This of course depends on your oven.

If you are partially baking your pie crust, spray or lightly butter the dish. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry, about 1/8 inch thick. Place the pastry in the baking dish, tart pan or pie dish. I like to have the edges of the dish covered with pastry. Then cover the pastry with aluminum foil and weight with beans, rice or with weights. When the edges of the pastry start getting a light golden color, remove the foil and continue to bake until the pastry dries out. Let the pastry cool completely on a wire rack before filling.

Voilà. Make your glorious pies, either savory or sweet. Enjoy!

Read more...

Compound Butter (Flavored Butters) - Zesty Rosemary, Garlic and Lemon Compound Butter and Basil, Oregano, Thyme and Garlic Compound Butter

Compound butters, or flavored butters are such an easy compliment to grilled meats, poultry, seafood, breads, pastas and so much more. I love doing a few different flavors all at once and they can be frozen and used whenever you need them.

Photography by Heaven On Hearth

Zesty Rosemary, Garlic and Lemon Compound Butter

4 ounces salted butter

2 teaspoons chopped rosemary

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 teaspoon minced garlic

Butter at Room Temperature with Chopped Rosemary, Lemon Zest and Garlic

Butter Blended with Spices

Make sure you have the butter at room temperature before you start. Mince the garlic and zest the lemon and lastly chop the rosemary and mix well into the butter.

Basil, Oregano, Thyme and Garlic Compound Butter

4 ounces salted butter

1 tablespoon chopped basil

1 teaspoon chopped oregano

1 teaspoon chopped thyme

1 teaspoon minced garlic

Basil, Oregano, Thyme and Garlic Compound Butter

Once again, make sure you have the butter at room temperature before you start. Mince garlic and chop the herbs and mix well into the butter.

Butter with Chopped Herbs and Garlic to be Mixed

Herbs and Garlic Beautifully Blended in Butter

Voilà! How easy is that!

I used my butters right away, by just smearing the butters on some French bread and popped it into the oven.

If you are making it in advance, just get a piece of parchment paper or plastic food wrap and place the butter in the form of a log, as thick or as thin as you wish, a 1 to 2 inch thick roll is quite fine. Roll together tightly and place in the fridge or freezer. Once ready, just cut into ¼ to ½ inch slices whenever you need some. You can also put the butter in a nice dish and keep wrapped in the fridge until ready to serve.

Remember, you can create so many flavors of your own.

Just a tip, it’s always good to use the chopped herbs immediately, don’t chop them in advance because they will get dark in color and won't look fresh anymore.

Read more...

Banana Bread

This is a light, moist bread that comes with a rich banana flavor and just the right amount of sweetness offered by the dark brown sugar. Dark brown sugar gives the bread a nice color and also that deep flavor which comes from the molasses.

Photography by Heaven on Hearth

For the banana mixture:

3 ripe bananas

¾ cup dark brown sugar

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

¾ cup melted butter
2 large eggs, room temperature

For the dry mixture:

½ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 cups flour

For the baking dish:

1 to 1½ tablespoons flour

Pam for baking to grease the baking dish

Pre-heat your oven to 350° Fahrenheit.

Blend 2 cups of flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder and ½ teaspoon salt together in a large bowl. Set aside until the banana mixture is ready.

Flour, Baking Powder and Salt

Bananas, Dark Brown Sugar and Nutmeg

I like bananas that are have a beautiful yellow color with some brown dots on the skin that tells me that they are nice and sweet and fully ripe. When peeling, please ensure that all the long thin strings that are sometimes attached to the banana are removed, as they have a bitter taste.  Once the 3 bananas are peeled, the strings removed, break into pieces placing them in a large bowl along with ¾ cup brown sugar and ¼ teaspoon nutmeg. Crush the bananas with the sugar and nutmeg with a fork until you have a nice smooth mixture with a few banana clumps. Then add 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and blend in with the banana, sugar and nutmeg mixture. In a small bowl, whisk the 2 large eggs, then pour into the banana, sugar nutmeg and vanilla mixture and blend well.

Banana Mixture with Eggs and Melted Butter

Melt butter in a pan or just zap quickly in the microwave. If you are using 4 ounce sticks, you will need 1½ sticks. I cut them into pieces, placed them in a bowl and zapped in the microwave for 30 seconds. The butter wasn’t bubbling, but nicely melted with a few small pieces, which I mixed in with a fork. 

All Ingredients Combined

After all the butter pieces were melted, pour into the banana, sugar, nutmeg, vanilla and egg mixture making sure that all the ingredients are well incorporated. Then pour the mixture into the dried ingredients and blend well.

Banana Bread going into the Oven

Spray some Pam in the bread loaf pan, then sprinkle 1 ½ tablespoons of flour in the pan and shake around the pan until all sides are covered with flour. This will ensure that once the banana bread is baked it won’t stick to the pan. I used a glass loaf dish and not metal.

Once the baking pan has been prepared, pour in the mixture and place in the oven.  Bake for 1 hour and 25 minutes. I know it may sound long, but the bread will be just right with a beautiful brown color once baked.  To make sure that it is properly baked, test it by sticking the loaf with a long, thin bamboo stick or toothpick. If it comes out dry, then you know the banana bread is done. If you don’t have either, a knife will do the trick.

Slice of Banana Bread

Once done, remove from the oven and place the baking pan on a rack and let it rest and cool down before removing the bread from the pan. After the bread has been removed from the pan, let it cool a bit longer further before cutting a slice for yourself. Voilà. How easy was that? 






Don’t be surprised if the crust has a sweet little crunch to it. That’s just how it should be. I know…it does catch you by surprise, but what a delightful surprise. 

Read more...