Description
A classic sweet tart crust recipe featuring a tender, buttery shortcrust pastry perfect for fruit tarts, lemon curd, or pastry cream fillings. This easy-to-make crust uses simple ingredients and is chilled before baking to achieve a crisp, golden finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust Ingredients
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1–2 tablespoons cold water
Instructions
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a food processor, add the all-purpose flour, powdered sugar, and salt. Pulse briefly to mix the dry ingredients evenly.
- Add Butter: Add the cold, cubed unsalted butter to the dry mixture. Pulse repeatedly until the texture resembles coarse crumbs, ensuring the butter is well distributed without melting.
- Add Egg Yolk: Add the large egg yolk and pulse again until fully incorporated into the flour mixture, starting to bring the dough together.
- Add Cold Water: Slowly add cold water one tablespoon at a time while pulsing just until the dough begins to form clumps and come together. Be careful not to overwork the dough.
- Shape Dough: Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently shape it into a flat disc. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to let it firm up, which helps with easier rolling and better texture.
- Preheat Oven and Roll Dough: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). On a floured surface, roll the chilled dough into an approximately 11-inch diameter circle to accommodate the tart pan.
- Transfer to Tart Pan: Carefully place the rolled dough into a 9-inch tart pan. Press the dough evenly into the bottom and sides, ensuring no air pockets. Trim any excess dough hanging over the edges with a knife.
- Chill and Prepare for Baking: Prick the bottom of the crust several times with a fork to prevent puffing. Return the tart crust to the refrigerator to chill for 15 minutes. Then, line the crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans to weigh down the crust during blind baking.
- Blind Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove the parchment paper and weights carefully, then bake the crust for an additional 10 to 12 minutes until it turns lightly golden around the edges.
- Cool Completely: Allow the baked tart crust to cool fully on a wire rack before filling with your choice of tart fillings.
Notes
- This crust pairs beautifully with fruit tarts, lemon curd, or pastry cream fillings.
- For a chocolate variation, substitute ¼ cup of the flour with unsweetened cocoa powder for a rich flavor.
- The crust dough can be made ahead and stored wrapped in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month.
