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Sweet Tart Pastry

Read Reviews (6)

"A low-salt tart recipe. Fill with your favorite filling." — JJOHN32

Ingredients Edit and Save

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Original recipe makes 1 - 9 or 11 inch tart shell Change Servings

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup unsalted butter, cubed
1 egg, beaten
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

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Directions

Sift together the flour, sugar, and salt into a bowl.
Toss butter through flour mixture to coat pieces. Using fingertips, rub fat into flour, working it until you have created a coarse meal with a few pea-size particles of fat.
Empty crumbs onto a cool surface. Form mixture into a mound. Make a 4 to 5 inch well in center of the mound. Combine egg and vanilla and pour mixture into the well. Using a fork, draw crumbs into egg mixture, about 1 - 2 tablespoons at a time. When all crumbs are added, toss mixture a few times with a pastry blender to form large clumps, then scrape into a mound.
Using the heel of your hand, push 2 - 3 tablespoons of the dough at a time, outward in 6 to 8 inch sweeps. This will blend fat and flour and give crust a delicate texture. If your hand becomes sticky, flour it as needed. Repeat process until all dough has been worked. Gather dough into a mound again. Repeat procedure 2 more times.
After third time, flour your hands. Gently knead the dough 5 or 6 times to make it smooth. Shape into a 5 inch disk. Dust disk lightly with flour, score with side of your hand, cover with plastic wrap, refrigerate for 20 minutes before shaping. DO NOT LET DOUGH BECOME TOO HARD or it will be difficult to roll. If this happens, let pastry soften at room temperature.
Roll out to 1/8 inch thickness. After dough has been rolled, position rolling pin 4 inches from top of the pastry. Lift dough over top of rolling pin and gently roll dough toward you. Lift pastry up. Make sure you keep a finger pressed against barrel of rolling pin to keep it from slipping. Position pastry, leaving about 1 1/2 inches of dough hanging over edge of pan on side closest to you. Then unroll pastry over an ungreased tart pan, moving pin away from you. Immediately lift overhang into pan to prevent sharp edge of the pan from cutting dough.
Working a small portion of the dough at a time, mold it into crease of the pan. Trim excess pastry from top edge of pan. Chill pastry in refrigerator or freezer for up to 30 minutes. Tear an 18 inch square of tin foil. Make a buttered circle in center of foil 2 inches larger than size of pan. Place foil buttered side down, centering it into the baking pan. Using your hand, press foil flush against the sides.
Heat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Position shelf in lower third of oven. Fill pan with enough dried beans or baking nuggets to just cover surface of pan. DO NOT OVERFILL. Bake pastry shell on a shallow pan with sides. Bake crust 15 to 18 minutes or until sides begin to brown. Remove pan from the oven. Let stand about 30 seconds. Gently remove foil and beans. Reduce oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Continue to bake crust for 3 to 5 minutes or until it is golden. If bottom of pastry shell puffs up, tap it gently with bottom of a fork to expel the air. Do this carefully so the pastry crust doesn't break. When crust is done, cool completely before filling.

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Reviews More Reviews

Most Helpful Positive Review

Jun 02, 2010

So super easy and delicious, so so good I can not say enough!

—jennifurla

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Most Helpful Critical Review

Jan 31, 2011

I was not overly impressed. It tasted a lot like a sugar cookie to me, and just using sugar cookie dough would be easier. No kneading. Just be sure to not over bake.

—whatarat

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7 Ratings

Jun 20, 2012

I added a little more sugar to the dough (my preference) and made it in my food processor---much easier that way. I blind baked it in a 9" removable bottom tart pan and once cooled, filled it with a key lime filling using sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks, lime juice and zest. Baked at 325 until just set (about 14 min.) and cooled completely on a rack before refrigerating for several hours. The crust was quite delicious and flaky.

—LYNNINMA

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Mar 26, 2010

Amazing ! light and fluffy!

—14theworld

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Apr 12, 2010

best crust ever!!!

—Sweet mommy

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Jan 10, 2013

Amazing ,,, this recipe was so easy to follow and a real hit with my family!!!!

—Claireguirvan

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Nutrition

Calories
249 kcal
12%

Carbohydrates
22.7 g
7%

Cholesterol
67 mg
22%

Fat
16.2 g
25%

Fiber
0.6 g
3%

Protein
3.4 g
7%

Sodium
84 mg
3%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Information

Sweet Tart Pastry

Serving Size: 1/8 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 8
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 249
Calories from Fat: 146

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 16.2g 25 %
Saturated Fat 9.9g 50 %
Cholesterol 67mg 22 %
Sodium 84mg 3 %
Potassium 39mg 1 %
Total Carbohydrates 22.7g 7 %
Dietary Fiber 0.6g 3 %
Protein 3.4g 7 %
Sugars 4.8g
Vitamin A 10 %
Vitamin C 0 %
Calcium 1 %
Iron 12 %
Thiamin 19 %
Niacin 16 %
Vitamin B6 1 %
Magnesium 2 %
Folate 26 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.