Rich Tart Crust Recipes

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.)

Steps:

• Combine the flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor. Pluse once or twice.
• Add the butter and process about 10 seconds until the mixture looks like cornmeal.
• Add the egg yolks and process another few seconds.
• Place the mixture in a bowl and sprinkle 3 T of water over it. Gradually gather the mixture into a ball. Add more water if the mixture is dry.
• Flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic, and freeze the dough for 10 minutes (or refrigerate for at least 30 minutes).
• Roll the dough between two sheets of plastic wrap - both sides sprinkled with flour.
• Roll from the center out. Add a little flour if it seems very sticky at first. But if it becomes sticky while you're rolling, put it back in the refrigerator for a few minutes.
• When the diameter of the dough is about 2 inches greater than that of your tart pan, move the dough into the pan.
• Before filling, freeze the dough for 20 minute or refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Bake as directed in the recipe.
• Or if not so directed, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Prick the crust all over with a fork. Line it with tin foil and weight the bottom with beans, rice (I used quinoa). Bake 12 minutes. Remove from the oven, reduced heat to 350 degrees and remove weights and foil. Bake another 10-15 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Remove and cool on a rack.

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl combine 1 1/2 cups of flour 1/2 tsp salt,1 tbs powdered sugar and mix well. Add 1/2 cup of butter and mix well until fully incorporated and you have a coarse, cornmeal like texture. Add 3 tablespoons of ice water , mix well, then knead into a soft ball. Cover and place in fridge for 20 minutes. When dough is chilled roll out , place in tart pan, pierce bottom well with a fork and bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until golden brown. When tart shell is ready set on a wire rack to cool.
• In a sauce pan combine 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, 3 tbs sugar, 4 ounces bakers chocolate, 4 tbs butter. Turn heat on to medium while stirring with a wire whisk to prevent chocolate from sticking to bottom of pan. When all ingredients are melted and mixture begins to bubble remove from heat and pour into tart shell. Tap pan on counter to remove any air bubbles then place in fridge to chill and set.
• Prepare a small amount of heavy syrup in a small saucepan by boiling together 3 tablespoons of sugar with 6 tablespoons of water. When syrup has thickened and is bubbling pour into a bowl.
• In a double boiler melt together 3 ounces bakers chocolate and 2 tbs butter stirring well. When melted add 1 tsp to 1 tablespoon of the syrup mixture to give the tart glaze a nice shine. When all ingredients are thoroughly mixed let sit for just a few moments then pour over tart. Shake pan lightly so glaze spreads evenly to the edges of the tart. Set in fridge for several hours to chill and set.
• When tart is chilled garnish with chocolate ganache or whipped cream and serve.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. On lightly flouredplastic wrap, roll chocolate dough into a6-by-16-inch rectangle 1/8-inch thick. Liftplastic wrap; flip dough over 4-by-14-inchtart tin. Press dough intopan, pressing into corners of tin andagainst fluted edge, and trimming flush with edge. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
• Prick bottom of crust in several places with fork. Blind-bake crust: Line crust with foil that hangs over edges; fill with dried beans. Bake 20 minutes; let stand 5 minutes. Lift foil and beans from crust.
• In a medium pan over medium-high heat, cook cream, milk, and sugar until cream and milk are scalded, stirring to dissolve sugar. Place chocolate in medium metal bowl. Pour scalded mixture over chocolate; whisk gently. Add eggs; whisk gently. Add extracts; whisk gently.
• Pour chocolate filling into crust. Bake until filling has set, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool in pan on wire rack.
• Using small sifter, sift 2 tablespoons cocoa over tarts. Combine remaining 2 tablespoons cocoa with confectioners' sugar. Set stencils over tart. Sift sugar mixture over tart and remove stencils.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• TO MAKE THE FILLING: Peel the apples and cut them in half.
• Remove the cores with a paring knife.
• Cutting from blossom end to stem end, slice each half into 1/4 inch thick slices.
• Combine the apple slices with the lemon juice, 1/4 cup of the sugar, and the cinnamon in a large mixing bowl.
• Stir to combine.
• Let the apples stand until the sugar is dissolved, about 15 minutes, stirring once or twice.
• Place a shaped large dough round on a baking sheet.
• Arrange the apples slices in 2 concentric circles on the large dough round or in one circle on the small rounds, overlapping the apple slices slightly.
• Brush the rim of the crust with the egg yolk.
• Sprinkle the apples with the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar.
• Bake until golden, 30 to 35 minutes.
• Serve warm or at room temperature with Vanilla Whipped Cream or ice cream on the side.
• Rustic Apple Tart is best served on the day it is made.
• TO MAKE THE CHEESE TART DOUGH: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Place the cream cheese, butter, 1 cup flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor.
• Process until the dough just comes together.
• It will be sticky.
• Sprinkle the parchment paper with flour.
• Turn the dough out onto the sheet and, with floured hands, press the dough into a rough 10-inch circle or four 5-inch circles.
• Roll about 1/2 inch of the edge of the circle inward to create a lip to catch the juices.
• Refrigerate the crust for 1 hour or wrap the baking sheet in plastic and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours until you are ready to use it.
• Shaped Rich Cream Cheese Tart Dough, wrapped in plastic, may be frozen for up to 2 months and used directly from the freezer.
• TO MAKE VANILLA WIHPPED CREAM: Combine the cream, sugar, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl.
• With an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip on high speed until the cream just holds stiff peaks.
• Do not over whip.
• Use immediately, or refrigerate it, wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 6 hours.
• Whisk it again for a couple of seconds before using.
• NOTE: If you are having eight or fewer people for Thanksgiving, double this recipe and make eight individual tarts.
• The dough can be made and shaped weeks ahead of time, and the rest of the prep is minimal, leaving lots of time to prepare the rest of the meal.

Steps:

• Mix flour and salt together in a large bowl. Cut butter into the flour mixture until it is the consistency of breadcrumbs.
• Lightly beat eggs together in a separate bowl; stir into butter-flour mixture. Add water and mix just until incorporated, using your hands to bring dough together.
• Turn dough onto a floured work surface and cut into 4 portions. Refrigerate dough for 15 to 30 minutes before using.