Perfect Tart Crust Recipe
This Perfect Tart Crust recipe delivers a tender, buttery base ideal for both sweet and savory tart fillings. Made with simple pantry staples like flour, powdered sugar, cold butter, egg yolk, and vanilla, the crust boasts a delicate crumb and subtle sweetness that complements a variety of fillings. The dough is easy to prepare using a food processor or mixer, chilled for enhanced texture, then rolled out and shaped to fit your tart pan. Whether you’re baking fruit tarts, custard tarts, or savory quiches, this versatile crust forms a delicious foundation.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes (for blind baking, varies with filling)
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes (including chilling time)
- Yield: One 9-inch tart crust 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Place the all-purpose flour, powdered sugar, and kosher salt into the bowl of a food processor, stand mixer, or a medium mixing bowl to prepare the base mixture for the tart crust.
- Cut in the Butter: Pulse in the cold unsalted butter using the food processor, or cut it in with a pastry blender if mixing by hand, until the mixture resembles coarse meal with pea-sized pieces of butter dispersed throughout.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Add the egg yolk, heavy cream, and vanilla extract to the mixture. Process or mix until the dough starts to come together, forming a ball that pulls cleanly away from the sides of the bowl.
- Chill the Dough: Tightly wrap the dough ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to firm up the butter and relax the gluten for easier rolling.
- Roll Out the Dough: On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a circle slightly larger than your tart pan by about 1 to 2 inches to allow for lining the edges and trimming excess.
- Fit Dough into Tart Pan: Gently press the rolled dough into the bottom and sides of the tart pan, smoothing it evenly. Trim off any excess dough from the edges with a knife or rolling pin.
- Ready for Baking: Depending on the tart filling you choose, follow the specific baking instructions for blind baking or filling the crust before baking to achieve a perfectly cooked tart.
Notes
- Use cold unsalted butter to achieve a flaky texture.
- Chilling the dough is essential to prevent shrinking during baking.
- The crust can be blind baked if the filling does not require baking or if you want a crispier base.
- Adjust baking time and temperature based on the type of tart filling used.
- For added flavor, you can substitute vanilla extract with almond extract or citrus zest.
Keywords: tart crust, pie crust, homemade tart dough, sweet pastry crust, butter pastry, baking base
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