Easy Tart Crust Food

SWEET TART CRUST

Steps:

• Gather all the ingredients. If possible, keep all ingredients chilled in the refrigerator until ready to start.
• Cut the butter into small cubes. Crack the egg into a small bowl.
• In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, and salt.
• Add the butter to the flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter or 2 knives, cut the butter into flour mixture until the texture resembles coarse cornmeal, with butter pieces no larger than small peas.
• Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix with a fork just until the dough pulls together.
• Process all-purpose flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor for a few seconds until combined.
• Add the butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 15 pulses.
• Add the egg and vanilla extract and pulse until the dough forms clumps, about 15 seconds.
• Transfer the dough clumps to a lightly floured surface (I use this pastry mat) and form into a ball. If sticky, lightly sprinkle flour.
• Flatten the ball with your hands to form a thick disk. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or 30 mins in the freezer). The dough must be completely chilled before being used. To store: If you don't use the dough right away, you can store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze it for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then let sit at room temperature until easily rollable.
• Take the dough out from the refrigerator and let it sit on the counter for a few minutes to soften slightly for easy rolling. Meanwhile lightly butter a 9-inch (23 cm) fluted tart pan with a removable bottom.
• Lightly flour your working surface and place the dough on top. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough into an 11-inch circle, with 1/8-inch (3 mm) thick. If the dough is too soft, put back into the refrigerator.
• Flour the rolling pin and roll the dough loosely around it, then unroll it into the tart pan.
• Evenly pat the dough onto the bottom and sides of the greased tart pan. Seal any cracks in the dough.
• Trim off excess dough with a sharp knife, or with the rolling pin by rolling over the tart pan. A good tip I learned from a Japanese cookbook (optional): Using your index finger, gently press the dough onto the side so the dough will peak out 2 mm from the pan. The dough tends to shrink while baking, so this helps to keep the height of the crust.
• With a fork, gently prick the dough several times. Cover the tart pan with plastic wrap and place in the freezer until firm, about 30 minutes. Freezing the dough before baking prevents it from shrinking.
• To prevent the crust from becoming soggy, I always like to blind bake the crust. Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC) and place the rack in the center. For a convection oven, reduce cooking temperature by 25ºF (15ºC).
• When the oven is ready, tightly line the chilled crust with 2 layers of parchment paper, covering the edges to prevent them from burning. Fill the crust with pie weights (or dried beans, uncooked rice, pennies, etc). Make sure they are evenly distributed over the entire surface.
• Bake the crust for 20 minutes, until the foil no longer sticks to the dough. Transfer the crust to a wire rack and remove the pie weights and parchment paper.
• To partially bake the crust, continue to bake the crust for 5 minutes longer. Proceed with your tart recipe: add the filling and finish baking. Check your recipe to see if the crust should be used while warm or after it's been left to cool on a wire rack.
• To fully bake the crust, bake for 10 minutes longer or until it is dry and the bottom turns lightly golden. Remove the crust from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool.
• The baked crust can be stored at room temperature or refrigerator for 2 days or frozen for 2 months. When ready to serve, let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then let sit at room temperature before filling and decorating.

EASY CHOCOLATE TART

Steps:

• For the crust: Add the cookies to a food processor and pulse to fine crumbs. Pour in the melted butter and pulse together. Tip into an 11-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom and press the mixture in with a 1/4-cup measure to form an even crust on the bottom and sides. Put it in the freezer for 15 minutes to set.
• For the ganache: Put the cream and butter in a pan and heat until the mixture starts to bubble.
• Put the dark and milk chocolate in a bowl and pour the warmed cream and butter over it. Mix everything together until melted and fully combined, then pour it into the chilled tart base. Refrigerate the tart overnight until set.
• For the chocolate curl garnish: Put the white chocolate and coconut oil in a bowl and set over a pan of simmering water until the chocolate is melted; mix together. Pour the melted mixture onto the underside of a clean baking sheet and spread it in a very thin layer with an offset spatula or knife. Put it in the freezer until set, about 2 minutes. (To check if it is set, press it with your fingertip; it should leave the slightest mark but not a depression.)
• Using a sharp-edged spatula, scrape the chocolate from the bottom of the baking sheet into curls. Remove the tart from the pan and decorate with the curls.

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.)

EASY PIE CRUST

Steps:

• To make the dough for the pie crust, mix 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour and 1 teaspoon each salt and sugar in a medium-size bowl. Cut 2 sticks chilled unsalted butter into pieces. With a pastry blender, cut in butter, working until mixture resembles coarse meal.
• Add 4 tablespoons ice water; work with hands until dough comes together. If dough is still crumbly, add more ice water a tablespoon at a time (up to 4 more tablespoons). Do not overwork.
• Divide dough in half, and flatten halves into disks. Wrap disks separately in plastic; refrigerate at least 1 hour.
• To form the pie shell, roll the dough on a floured surface into a 14-inch round. Wrap around rolling pin and carefully unroll over a 9-inch pie plate.
• Fit gently into bottom and side of plate. Use kitchen shears to trim dough to a 1-inch overhang; fold under, and seal to form a rim.
• Crimp rim with fingertips and knuckle. Repeat with remaining dough; wrap each with plastic, stack, and freeze.

EASY PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Place all ingredients in 9 inch pie pan. Stir together with fork. Pat mixture into bottom and up the sides of the pan. Poke holes in bottom and side of crust.
• Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until light brown. Use as directed in favorite pie recipe.

EASY PIE CRUST

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the flour and salt; cut in shortening until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle with vinegar. Gradually add the milk, tossing with a fork until a ball is formed. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until easy to handle. , For a single crust, roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface to fit a 9-in. or 10-in. pie plate. Transfer pastry to pie plate. Trim pastry 1/2 in. beyond edge of plate; flute edges. Fill or bake shell according to recipe directions., For a double crust, divide pastry in two portions so that one ball is slightly larger than the other. Roll out larger ball on a lightly floured surface to fit a 9-in. or 10-in. pie plate. Transfer pastry to pie plate. Trim pastry even with edge of plate. Add filling. Roll out remaining pastry to fit top of pie; place over filling. Trim, seal and flute edges. Cut slits in top. Bake according to recipe directions.

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.

EASIEST PIE CRUST EVER!

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, mix flour and salt.
• Add oil and water all at once to flour.
• With a fork, stir until mixture holds together.
• Shape dough into a ball and flatten.
• Roll between two pieces of wax paper to a 12" diameter.
• Peel off one piece of wax paper and invert dough, paper side up, into a 9" pie plate.
• Peel off second piece of paper. Ease an fit pastry into plate. Trim and flute edges.
• NOTE: DO NOT pierce pie crust. Fill as desired and bake according to pie recipe.
• Can be doubled for a 2 crust pie.