Baking School Comprehensive: Mastering the All-Butter Crust - Bake from Scratch

      This master class on all-butter piecrust covers both handmade and food processor techniques, leading to an exceptional savory quiche. Our test kitchen prepared numerous variations of this pie dough using both methods. While the food processor was indeed efficient, the handmade approach consistently resulted in a dough with a more prominent flake, richer flavor, and better structure. Understanding the rationale behind this method makes it more intuitive each time you create it.

      Although the food processor is a convenient modern tool, the handmade method remains the benchmark for texture and technique, and it is the approach we endorse here. It provides a deeper insight into how flour absorbs fat, the impact of hydration, and how temperature influences the final result. Most importantly, it gives you greater control.

      Join us for Baking School with Williams Sonoma on Monday, August 25, 2025, at 5 p.m. PT, where Laura Crandall will guide you through the art of mastering piecrust with warmth and accuracy. This is baking in its most fundamental and elegant form. Sign up here.

      Click here to download a printable PDF of this lesson!

      INGREDIENT BREAKDOWN

      The allure of this quiche lies in the harmony between its crisp, golden crust and the smooth custard filling. Grasping the function of each ingredient—from rich cream to chilled butter—ensures a flaky shell, a creamy interior, and a slice that maintains its shape nicely.

      ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR: This is the foundation of the all-butter crust; it provides the structure that binds everything while allowing for a tender, flaky texture. When treated gently and kept cold, it forms layers that crisp delightfully in the oven.

      UNSALTED BUTTER: The star of the crust, cold butter cut into visible chunks creates steam pockets during baking, resulting in a flaky, golden shell. Its fat content enhances richness and delivers that signature melt-in-your-mouth feel.

      ICE WATER: A small yet crucial addition that helps bind the dough without activating excessive gluten; ice water maintains the butter's chill and aids in forming a cohesive, rollable dough that still remains tender.

      KOSHER SALT: Used in both the crust and custard, salt balances richness and enhances flavors. In the crust, it subtly seasons the dough; in the custard, it amplifies the flavors of the eggs and cream, sharpening the savory elements.

      HEAVY WHIPPING CREAM: This imparts a luxurious texture to the custard. With a high-fat content, it bakes into a smooth, rich filling that is silky without being overly dense.

      EGGS: Eggs are the essential building blocks of the custard. Upon baking, their proteins coagulate to create a filling that's both sliceable and soft. They also contribute a delicate golden color and natural richness.

      DESIRED FILLINGS (CHEESE, MEATS, VEGETABLES, HERBS, ETC.): These elements make the quiche infinitely versatile. Cheese melts into the custard for creaminess and flavor; vegetables add sweetness or earthiness; fresh herbs brighten the overall taste; while bacon, sausage, or ham adds savory depth and richness. Precooking meats and partially cooking vegetables prevents them from releasing excess moisture into the custard during baking.

      TOOLS OF THE TRADE

      From creating a flaky all-butter crust to gently setting a creamy custard, these essential tools help you work with precision and ease, allowing you to focus on flavor, structure, and technique.

      FOOD PROCESSOR: This appliance quickly and evenly cuts cold butter into the flour, achieving a crumbly, pea-sized consistency while keeping everything chilled—key for a flaky crust. (Pictured: Cuisinart 14-Cup 50th Anniversary Edition Food Processor.)

      PASTRY BLENDER: For the handmade piecrust method, this tool gives you control over cutting cold butter into the flour without warming it with your hands, producing the same flaky layers as the processor. (Pictured: Williams Sonoma Olivewood Pastry Blender.)

      GLASS MIXING BOWLS: Essential for organizing and compartmentalizing your steps, use large bowls for whisking the custard, medium ones for preparing fillings, and small bowls for measuring salt and pepper. Glass is nonreactive and allows for clear visibility of mixing progress. (Pictured: Glass Mixing Bowl 10-Piece Set.)

      ROLLING PIN: A handled rolling pin provides leverage and control, facilitating uniform thickness and minimizing tears in the dough. (Pictured: Patisserie Rolling Pin.)

      RIMMED BAKING SHEET: This helps catch any spills or butter runoff from the parbaking and final baking. It also stabilizes the pie pan when moving it to and from the oven, especially useful when the custard is liquid. (Pictured: Williams Sonoma Goldtouch® Pro Nonstick Half Sheet.)

      DEEP-DISH PIE PAN: The appropriate depth allows the custard and fillings to bake properly without overflowing.