Basic Tart Dough Recipes

Steps:

• To make the dough in a food processor: Put the flour, sugar and salt in the processor and whir a few times to blend. Scatter the bits of butter over the flour and pulse several times, until the butter is coarsely mixed into the flour. Beat the egg with the ice water and pour it into the bowl in 3 small additions, whirring after each one. (Don't overdo it - the dough shouldn't form a ball or ride on the blade.) You'll have a moist, malleable dough that will hold together when pinched. Turn the dough out onto a work surface, gather it into a ball (if the dough doesn't come together easily, push it, a few spoonfuls at a time, under the heel of your hand or knead it lightly), and flatten it into a disk.
• To make the dough by hand: Put the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Drop in the bits of butter and, using your hands or a pastry blender, work the butter into the flour until it is evenly distributed. You'll have large and small butter bits, and that's fine - uniformity isn't a virtue here. Beat the egg and water together, drizzle over the dough, and, using a fork, toss the dough until it is evenly moistened. Reach into the bowl and, using your fingertips, mix and knead the dough until it comes together. Turn it out onto a work surface, gather it into a ball (if the dough doesn't come together easily, push it, a few spoonfuls at a time, under the heel of your hand or knead it some more), and flatten it into a disk.
• Chill the dough for at least 3 hours. (The dough can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.)
• When you're ready to make the tart shell, butter a 9- to 9 1/2-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom (butter it even if it's nonstick).
• To roll out the dough: I like to roll out the dough between sheets of wax paper or plastic wrap or in a lightly floured rolling cover, but you can roll it out on a lightly floured work surface. If you're working between sheets of paper or plastic wrap, lift the paper or plastic often so that it doesn't roll into the dough, and turn the dough over frequently. If you're just rolling on the counter, make sure to lift and turn the dough and reflour the counter often. The rolled-out dough should be about ¼ inch thick and at least 12 inches in diameter.
• Transfer the dough to the tart pan, easing it into the pan without stretching it. (What you stretch now will shrink in the oven later.) Press the dough against the bottom and up the sides of the pan. If you'd like to reinforce the sides of the crust, you can fold some of the excess dough over, so that you have a double thickness around the sides. Using the back of a table knife, trim the dough even with the top of the pan. Prick the base of the crust in several places with a fork.
• Chill - or freeze - the dough for at least 1 hour before baking.
• Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Press a piece of buttered foil (or use nonstick foil) against the crust's surface. If you'd like, you can fill the covered crust with rice or dried beans (which will be inedible after this but can be used for baking for months to come) to keep the dough flat, but this isn't really necessary if the crust is well chilled. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper and put the tart pan on the sheet.
• To partially bake the crust: Bake for 20 minutes, then very carefully remove the foil (with the rice or beans). Return the crust to the oven and bake for another 3 to 5 minutes, or until it is lightly golden. Transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack and allow the crust to cool before you fill it.
• To fully bake the crust: Bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until it is an even golden brown. Transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack and allow the crust to cool before you fill it.

Steps:

• In a small bowl, stir together the egg yolk, water and vanilla; set aside.
• To make the dough by hand, in a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar and salt. Using a pastry cutter or 2 knives, cut the butter into the flour mixture until the texture resembles coarse cornmeal, with butter pieces no larger than small peas. Add the egg mixture and mix with a fork just until the dough pulls together.
• To make the dough in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, stir together the flour, sugar and salt in the mixer bowl. Add the butter and beat on medium-low speed until the texture resembles coarse cornmeal, with butter pieces no larger than small peas. Add the egg mixture and beat just until the dough pulls together.
• Transfer the dough to a work surface, pat into a ball and flatten into a disk. Use the dough immediately, or wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled, about 30 minutes.
• To roll out the dough, on a lightly floured board, flatten the disk with 6 to 8 gentle taps of the rolling pin. Lift the dough and give it a quarter turn. Lightly dust the top of the dough or the rolling pin with flour as needed, then roll out until the dough is about 1/8 inch thick. Use a small, sharp knife to cut out a round or rounds 2 inches greater in diameter than your tart or larger tartlet pans. Use a small, sharp knife or a cookie cutter to cut out rounds 1/2 to 1 inch greater in diameter than your miniature tartlet pans. If using a rectangular tart pan, cut out a rectangle 2 inches larger on all sides than the pan. Makes enough dough for one 9 1/2-inch tart, six 4-inch tartlets, twelve 2-inch miniature tartlets or one 13 3/4-by-4 1/4-inch rectangular tart.

Steps:

• In a food processor combine the flour with the salt. Process the butter and shortening until they are cut into tiny pieces. Add 8 tablespoons of the water and process until it comes into a ball. If it is dry, add water by tablespoonfuls.
• Turn the dough onto a board and press it into a round slab about 1-inch thick. If it is not too hot, roll the dough out immediately. (easier to handle) But if the fat is oozing out, then refrigerate for 2 hours at least or overnight to relax the dough.
• Gently flour your board and rolling pin. Roll dough out from the center until it forms a circle about 1/2-inch thick; turn over and roll until a little thicker than 1/8th-inch thick and 14-inches in diameter.
• Roll the dough over a lightly buttered 12inch false bottomed tart shell. Press the dough into the pan and trim the edges pressing up a border 1/2-inch wide. Fold that border back into the pan (it should not overlap the bottom) and press it back into the sides of the tart shell so that you are building up a double thickness of shell wall. Roll the rolling pin over the top to trim off excess pastry and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Set the pan on a baking sheet. Line the dough with foil or parchment and fill it with dried beans. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove beans and bake 10 minutes longer. Paint the bottom of the shell with egg and sprinkle on grated cheese and return to oven for 3 to 4 minutes to really seal the bottom. Remove from oven and cool tart shell on a rack for 30 minutes before filling and finishing baking.

Steps:

• Whisk sugar, salt, and 1 cup flour in a medium bowl. Add butter and rub in with your fingers until mixture resembles coarse meal with a few pea-size pieces remaining. Drizzle egg over butter mixture and mix gently with a fork until dough just comes together.
• Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth (a few dry spots are okay). Form dough into a disk. Wrap in plastic and chill until firm, at least 2 hours.
• Do ahead: Dough can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled, or freeze up to 1 month.

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mix together the egg and cream. Set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and butter. Using the paddle attachment on low speed, mix in the butter until is the size of small peas. With the mixer on low speed, add the egg mixture. Mix the dough just until it is no longer dry-looking. It will still be loose and crumbly at this point.
• Place the dough on the work surface. With your hands, combine and form the dough into a single ball. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm but still malleable.
• Rolling and forming the shells: On a lightly floured work surface roll the dough out to 1/8-inch thick. Yield: 6 4-inch tartlets
• When lining tart, be sure to press the dough carefully around the bottom edges of the pans.
• Prebaking shells: To prebake a frozen or chilled shell line it with parchment paper. Fill the shell with uncooked rice, beans, or pie weights. (This helps the shell retain its shape.) Bake the shell in a preheated 350 degree oven until the edges are golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove the parchment paper and the rice, beans, or weights and continue to bake the shell until it is golden brown all over.
• Unbaked shells can be stored for a day in the refrigerator or for several weeks in the freezer. Once a shell is baked, it should be eaten that day for maximum freshness and flakiness of the crust.

Steps:

• Combine the flour, sugar, salt and lemon zest in a food processor. Add the butter and pulse until only pea-size pieces remain.
• Whisk together the egg yolk, water and vanilla. Use the pulse button on the processor to incorporate the liquid ingredients quickly into the dry ingredients, until the dough begins to come together. Using your hands or a rubberized spatula, gather the dough into a ball, flatten, wrap in plastic and chill for one hour before use.

Steps:

• In a food processor combine flour and salt. Add butter and pulse until butter is the size of peas. Whisk together the yolk and 1/2 cup cold water. Drizzle the liquid into the food processor while pulsing to combine. Pulse until dough holds together when you pinch it, adding liquid as needed.
• Turn dough onto a shet of plastic wrap and from into a ball. Divide in half and wrap each half in plastic wrap, flattening into a disk. Chill until cold or ready to use, about 30 minutes.
• On a floured surface roll dough until it's 3/16 inch thick and large enough to fit in the tart pan. (Pinch edges of dough as you roll to prevent cracks and tears.) Place dough into tart pan; gently lift into place without stretching and press into pan. Use the heel of you hand or a rolling pin to trim the edges flush with the pan. If blind baking, freeze crust about 20 minutes.
• For blind baking, heat oven to 375 degrees F. Line the chilled crust with aluminum foil, pressing foil into the corners. Fill with pie weights or dried beans and place on a baking sheet. Bake until crust is set and just starting to brown, about 30 minutes. Remove foil lining and weights and return crust to oven to brown evenly, 5 to 10 minutes more. Cool completely, then remove from tart pan. Makes 2 Single Crusts.
• CHEESE AND HERB CRUST VARIATION FOR TOMATO TART: Add 1/2 cup grated Gruyere or Jarlsberg cheese and 2 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano or thyme to the food processor with the flour and salt. Proceed with recipe as directed.

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mix together salt and water. Keep very cold until ready to use.
• Place flour and butter in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse briefly until mixture forms large crumbs. Add the salt water mixture and continue pulsing until a dough has just formed but is not smooth.
• On a lightly floured work surface, evenly divide dough. Form each piece of dough into a disk about 1 inch thick. Wrap each disk with plastic wrap and chill at least 2 hours and up to overnight.

Steps:

• In a food processor, pulse flour and salt to combine. Add cold butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few pea-size pieces of butter remaining. Sprinkle with ice water. Pulse until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed (if necessary, add up to 3 tablespoons more water, 1 tablespoon at a time). Do not overmix. Form dough into a 1-inch-thick disk, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour (or up to 3 days).

Steps:

• Blend flour and salt in processor. Add butter; using on/off turns, cut in until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 3 tablespoons ice water and cream. Process just until moist clumps form, adding more ice water by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic; chill 1 hour. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled. Soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.)