En croûte is a French culinary technique that involves encasing food, typically meat, fish, vegetables, or cheese, in a pastry crust before baking. The technique dates to at least the 18th century and is most famously exemplified by dishes such as beef Wellington and pâté en croûte. The pastry acts as a barrier that retains moisture and infuses the enclosed ingredient with flavor during the baking process. Traditionally, puff pastry or brioche dough is used, although variations may utilize shortcrust or other types of dough. En croûte preparations are often served as impressive centerpieces for banquets or formal meals in French cuisine.
The en croûte technique has roots in earlier European methods of encasing food in pastry, notably the medieval "coffyn" or "coffyn of paste." This term referred to a sturdy, often inedible pastry shell used primarily as a cooking vessel and container for pies or meat fillings. Unlike the tender, buttery pastry of 18th-century and later recipes, the medieval coffyn consisted of a thick, dense dough made from flour and water, designed to withstand long baking times and protect the contents from exposure to fire. After baking, the crust was sometimes discarded rather than consumed, as it was valued more for its utilitarian function than its flavor or texture.
The evolution toward the modern en croûte began as pastry techniques improved, particularly in France during the 17th and 18th centuries. Chefs began utilizing richer doughs, incorporating butter or lard to produce short, flaky pastries that were both protective and palatable. This transition paralleled broader developments in European baking and the rise of specialized pâtissiers. By the 18th century, pastry crusts served not only as functional barriers against moisture loss and contamination but also as desirable, integral components of the finished dish, offering both texture and flavor.
Culinary en croûte preparations became associated with high-status dining, where visual presentation and elaborate decoration indicated wealth and refinement.