Perfect Quiche Crust

Published Updated
4.3 from 8 votes
4 Comments

This super flaky perfect quiche crust (also known as Paté Brisée) is an all-around delicious vessel that holds fillings only limited by your imagination. It can be used for a broad range of sweet or savory tarts like quiches or dessert tarts that are overly sweet. It stays crispy, even when you need to bake it with wet fillings.

Close up of filled Quiche Crust Smoked Salmon Quiche Recipe

Nick’s favorite thing…

Ok, well, this is literally the best tart shell recipe ever. It’s so buttery and flay and holds pretty much any filling you like! I love the little specks of butter as you roll it out. It’s so satisfying to see them before you bake, and it gets me excited knowing they’re going to make my quiche crust flaky.

Extreme close up of Quiche Crust

What does perfect quiche crust taste like?

Buttery! Using good quality ingredients will make a difference to the overall flavor and integrity of the tart shell. Even though this tart shell is savory and has salt in it, you can still use sweet fillings like chocolate ganache, and it will still be delicious!

Why does the dough need to be chilled?

Chilling the dough gives the flour time to soak in the wet ingredients in the recipe. It also makes it easier to roll out once it’s been chilled and drape over the tart tin.

My tart cracked! Now what?

Don’t worry! Use some of your left-over dough to create a plug over the crack and bake with the tart shell for the final 10 minutes of baking time.

Why use cold butter?Ingredients image for Quiche Crust

When you pulse the butter into the butter it breaks up into little lentil-sized pieces. When pressed into the dough and put in the fridge those little butter pieces harden up and you’ll be able to see them as you roll the dough out. As the tart shell bakes, the butter melts and creates little pockets which result in a light and flaky tart shell.

What are the ingredients I need for the perfect quiche crust?

The best basic recipes are made with a few simple ingredients. And that’s the reason why you need to use really good quality ingredients. It makes all the difference. Specifically, the butter!

Ingredients image for Quiche Crust

All-purpose flour – also known as plain flour.

Salt – I used fine salt.

Unsalted butter – I used a really good quality New Zealand butter. I chilled it in the fridge for an hour before using and then cut it into cubes using a knife. Using cold butter is the best way to end up with a light and flaky tart shell.

Egg yolk – I used an egg yolk from a large egg.

Iced water – this will help make your dough easier to roll. It’s important to use chilled water so that the butter stays cold and doesn’t blend too much into the dough. You’re looking for those little butter flecks.

I want to use wet fillings that need to be baked. What do I do?

If you’re using a wet filling like a quiche egg filling that needs further baking, bake the tart shell for the first 15 minutes with baking paper and baking beads, then take those out and bake a further 10 minutes without. At this point the filling can be added and be baked together with the tart shell for as long as it needs, just keep an eye on the shell so it doesn’t darken or burn otherwise it will taste bitter. Usually, another 30 minutes in the oven on 170C is ok.

I want to fill this with a no-bake filling.

You can totally do that! Bake as described above. 15 minutes with baking beads, then bake for 20 minutes instead of 10 without the baking beads.

Let’s go through each step.

Tart Shell

Instructional image for Quiche Crust 01
  1. Add the flour salt and cold butter to the bowl of a food processor and pulse
  2. Until you reach lentil sized pieces with the butter.
Instructional image for Quiche Crust 02
  1. Add the egg yolk and pulse for 20 seconds.
  2. While the mixer is on high speed add the 3 tbsp of iced water.
Instructional image for Quiche Crust 03
  1. Continue mixing on high speed until dough pieces begin to form. Stop the mixer.
  2. Pour onto your workbench and bunch the dough together (don’t knead it) to form a disc.
Instructional image for Quiche Crust 04
  1. Wrap up in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 1 hour.
  2. Preheat your oven to 180C / 350F. Dust your work bench with flour.
Instructional image for Quiche Crust 05
  1. Unwrap the dough and begin rolling with a rolling pin.
  2. The dough will be cold and will form cracks on the edges. Pinch them together as you roll.
Instructional image for Quiche Crust 06
  1. Roll to 12-inches in diameter.
  2. Drape the dough over the rolling pin
Instructional image for Quiche Crust 07
  1. And then drape over a 9-inch tart tin.
  2. Lift the sides of the dough to help encourage the dough to fall into the bottom of the tart tin.
Instructional image for Quiche Crust 08
  1. Do not stretch it or it will shrink as it bakes. Use the rolling pin to roll over the excess dough to help cut it away.
  2. Use a fork to prick holes into the bottom of the tart shell. This will help stop it from puffing up as it bakes.
Instructional image for Quiche Crust 09
  1. Place a large piece of crinkled up and flattened out baking paper into the bottom and sides of the tart shell.
  2. Fill with baking beads or dried beans or chickpeas (the cheaper option). Bake for 15 minutes.
Instructional image for Quiche Crust 10
  1. Take out of the oven and carefully remove the beads by lifting the four corners of the baking paper.
  2. Bake for a further 15 minutes. Your tart shell is now ready to use for wet filling that needs baking. For no-bake fillings, bake for 20-30 minutes or until golden.

My Top Tips for perfect quiche crust!

  • Drape the dough over the rolling pin and then drape over a 9-inch tart tin. Lift the sides of the dough to help encourage the dough to fall into the bottom of the tart tin. Do not stretch it or it will shrink as it bakes.
  • Use the rolling pin to roll over the excess dough to help cut it away.
  • Use a fork to prick holes into the bottom of the tart shell. This will help stop it from puffing up as it bakes for the first 15 minutes.
  • Using chickpeas instead of expensive baking beads works just as well and, in my opinion, much better.
  • For a flaky tart shell, use cold butter that’s been in the fridge for 1 hour. Cut it into cubes before adding to the flour.

Gave this a go? Don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! Hungry for more? Join me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and TikTok for more great recipes!

Other Recipes You Might Like!

  • Smoked Salmon Quiche – a delicious smoky egg quiche hat’s a crowd pleaser!
Slice of Smoked Salmon Quiche Recipe

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @thescranline on Facebook and Instagram!

Quiche Tart Shell - Thumbnail 24

Perfect Quiche Crust (Paté Brisée)

The perfect Quiche Tart is here! A super flaky tart shell recipe that can be used for both savory dishes like quiche or desserts that are overly sweet.

Serves 1

4.3 from 8 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Total: 1 hour 40 minutes
Course: Basics
Cuisine: American
Calories: 1441kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cups / 190 g all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup / 110 g unsalted butter, cold and cubed
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2 tbsp / 30 ml iced water

Learn How To Make it! [VIDEO]


Instructions

Tart Shell

  • Add the flour salt and cold butter to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until you reach lentil sized pieces with the butter.
  • Add the egg yolk and pulse for 20 seconds. While themixer is on high speed add the 2 tbsp of iced water. Continue mixing on highspeed until dough pieces begin to form. Stop the mixer. Pour onto yourworkbench and bunch the dough together (don’t knead it) to form a disc. Wrap upin plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 1 hour.
  • Preheat your oven to 180C / 350F.
  • Dust your work bench with flour. Unwrap the dough andbegin rolling with a rolling pin. The dough will be cold and will form crackson the edges. Pinch them together as you roll. Roll to 12-inches in diameter.
  • Drape the dough over the rolling pin and then drapeover a 9-inch tart tin. Lift the sides of the dough to help encourage the doughto fall into the bottom of the tart tin. Do not stretch it or it will shrink asit bakes. Use the rolling pin to roll over the excess dough to help cut itaway.
  • Use a fork to prick holes into the bottom of the tartshell. This will help stop it from puffing up as it bakes.
  • Place a large piece of crinkled up and flattened outbaking paper into the bottom and sides of the tart shell. Fill with bakingbeads or dried beans or chickpeas (the cheaper option). Bake for 15 minutes.
  • Take out of the oven and carefully remove the beads bylifting the four corners of the baking paper. Bake for a further 15 minutes. Yourtart shell is now ready to use for wet filling that need baking. For no-bake fillings, bake for 20-30 minutes or until golden.

Nutrition

Calories : 1441kcal
Carbonhydrates: 120g
Protein: 20g
Fat: 98g
Saturated Fat: 60g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g
Monounsaturated Fat : 26g
Trans Fat : 4g
Cholesterol: 439mg
Sodium: 1189mg
Potassium : 214mg
Fiber: 4g
Sugar : 1g
Vitamin A: 3096IU
Calcium: 76mg
Iron: 8mg
Nutrition Disclosure
Gave this recipe a go?Mention @thescranline or tag #thescranline!

4 comments

Linda January 24, 2022 - 5:15 pm

Sorry but your printed recipe says TWO tablespoons of water.
Above it says THREE tablespoons, that’s a very big difference.
So which is it?

Reply
Nick Makrides January 27, 2022 - 8:37 am

Sorry about that Linda! It’s 2 tbsp 🙂

Reply
Stephanie Jones August 15, 2022 - 7:35 pm

Hi Nick, thank you for the recipe. Quick question… I see a lot of people using half butter and half lard, would you recommend this??

Reply
Nick Makrides August 30, 2022 - 10:53 am

Hi Steph! I’ve seen people do this, but I can’t say for sure because I’ve never tried it. If you give it a go, let me know! N x

Reply
4.25 from 8 votes (8 ratings without comment)

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