Basic Tart Crust Food

EASY TART CRUST

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.)

BASIC TART CRUST - TORTENBODEN

Steps:

• Beat the egg yolks and gradually add 1/2 cup sugar, and beat to a froth.
• Mix the hot milk with the remaining sugar, lemon juice, lemon peel, and butter.
• Sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder.
• Combine all mixtures.
• Beat the egg whites until fluffy, then fold them into the mixture.
• Grease a pan and dust with flour, pour mixture into pan and bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.
• Remove from oven and let cool; when cool, slice twice horizontally, spread layers with cream filling of your choice, and set back together.

BASIC PIE DOUGH

Steps:

• In a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar and salt. Add the butter and shortening and pulse until a course crumbly texture forms. Add the apple cider vinegar/cold water mixture 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency. Pinch the dough between your fingers and if it doesn't stick together, add 1 tablespoon of ice water at a time, pulsing between additions until the dough comes together. Do not overmix or the dough will become tough.
• Divide the dough between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pat each into a disk. Wrap tightly and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or preferably overnight, or freeze for up to 2 months. Roll out the dough and use as desired.

BASIC CRUST

Steps:

• Pulse the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a food processor. Add the shortening and one-third of the butter; pulse until the mixture looks like coarse meal. Add the remaining butter and pulse until it is the size of peas. Add 1/4 cup ice water and pulse a few more times. If the dough doesn't hold together when squeezed, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing.
• Divide between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Pat into disks; wrap and chill at least 1 hour.

BASIC TART CRUST

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.

BASIC PIE CRUST

Steps:

• In a food processor, briefly pulse flour, salt, and sugar. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few pea-size pieces of butter remaining. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons ice water. Pulse until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed (if necessary, add up to 2 tablespoons water, 1 tablespoon at a time). Dont overmix.
• Turn dough out onto a large piece of plastic wrap. Fold plastic over dough; press to shape into a 1-inch-thick disk. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour (or up to 3 days).
• On a floured piece of parchment paper, roll dough to a 14-inch round with a floured rolling pin. Wrap dough around rolling pin, discarding paper; unroll over a 9-inch pie plate (opposite). Gently fit into bottom and up sides of plate (do not stretch dough).
• Using kitchen shears, trim dough to a 1-inch overhang. Fold under itself to form a rim, and press to seal. Using thumb and forefinger, crimp rim of crust. Refrigerate until ready to use, up to 1 day.

BASIC TART DOUGH

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.

BASIC PIE CRUST I

Steps:

• Process the flour and salt in a food processor for 20 seconds.
• Distribute the butter evenly over the flour and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, 15-20 seconds.
• With the food processor running, pour the ice water in a steady stream through the feed tube and process just until the dough comes together.
• Knead the dough for several turns on a lightly floured surface to bring it together.
• Shape the dough into a thick disks (or 2 for a double crust), wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least an hour.
• To roll out the dough, place the chilled dough between 2 pieces of waxed paper (helps tremendously in rolling out!) and roll it out to a circle 2 inches bigger than the size of the pie pan.
• Fit the dough into a 9-inch (greased) pie plate and trim the edges.
• Keep the crust in the refrigerator until ready to fill.
• If prebaking the crust, refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes or stick in the freezer before baking (I always freeze it).

BASIC FRENCH TART DOUGH/PATE BRISEE (DORIE GREENSPAN)

Steps:

• FOOD PROCESSOR METHOD: Put the flour, sugar, and salt in the processor and whir a few 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.
• HAND METHOD: 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 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 at least 3 hours or up to 5 days.
• When you're ready to bake the tart shell, butter a 9 - 91/2inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom (butter it even if it's nonstick).
• To roll out the dough: Roll out the dough between sheets of wax paper or plastic wrap or in a lightly floured rolling cover; or you can roll it out on a lightly floured work surface. If you're working between sheets of paper or plastic wrap, lift it 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 1/4 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.) 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 - freeze - the dough for at least 1 hour before baking.
• Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F 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 - 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.

BASIC SHORT-CRUST PASTRY

Steps:

• Put flour and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer or food processor. Add butter and quickly cut it into flour until mixture resembles coarse meal.
• Add ice water and mix briefly, about 30 seconds, to form a soft dough. Remove dough, shape into a thick disk, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. Bring to cool room temperature before rolling.
• To roll, lightly flour dough and counter. Roll out gradually, periodically letting dough rest for a moment before continuing. This makes rolling easier and will keep dough from shrinking back during baking.
• Roll dough to a thin round approximately 13 inches in diameter, then trim to make a 12-inch circle (refrigerate and save trimmings for patching). Lay dough loosely into a 9 1/2-inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom, letting it relax a bit. Fold overlap back inside to make a double thickness, then press firmly against the pan so the finished edge is slightly higher than the pan. Refrigerate or freeze for an hour before pre-baking.

MICHEL'S BASIC TART CRUST

Steps:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter. Beat in salt and sugar. Stir in half-and-half and 1/4 cup flour. Add the remaining flour, mixing with your fingertips or a fork until the ingredients are combined. Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap, and shape into a flat disk. Wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. (This can be prepared a day ahead.)
• Butter a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Roll the dough out between two large sheets of plastic wrap into an 11-inch circle. Remove the top sheet of plastic. Invert dough into the prepared pan, and remove the remaining plastic. Trim and finish the edges. Cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line the tart with parchment paper or aluminum foil, and fill with beans or pie weights. Bake until the crust is firm and set, about 20 minutes. Remove the beans and paper. Prick the bottom of the crust so it does not puff. Continue baking until well browned, 10 to 15 minutes.

EASY SHORTBREAD TART CRUST (NO ROLL)

Steps:

• Blend ingredients to make a soft dough.
• Pat into a 9 or 10 inch tart or pie pan.
• Prick crust well with fork.
• Bake in 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes.

FLAKY FOOD PROCESSOR PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Measure the flour into the processor with the regular blade attached. Add the unsalted butter, cut into cubes, and shortening, cut into cubes. (Your fat should be frozen or very cold. You may vary the proportions, or use some lard, but the total should be 9 tablespoons.) Add salt. Pulse three times with three counts per pulse to lightly mix the ingredients.
• With the motor running, pour ice water into the workbowl just until the dough just starts to get noticeably crumbly. Don't wait until it is a big clump or it will be way too wet and will turn out tough.
• Stop the machine, dump the crumbly dough into a bowl, and gather the dough into a ball with your hand. you can squeeze it a bit to make it stick together. If it just won't form a ball, add a tiny bit more water. (Note that if you are making crust in the food processor, you will use less water than most recipes call for.)
• Wrap your dough ball in wax paper or plastic wrap and chill it about 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Roll it out on a cool surface if you can. Then follow your pie recipe for baking.