The final piece of the tart is the pastry. Different types of pastry dough can be used: pate sucree, shortbread, pate sable. The terms are unique and specific but somehow they all get muddled together – there is enough overlap in each of these recipes that one baker’s sucree is another pastry chef’s sable. Fair enough, these pastries are all similar; all contain a high fat content in the form of butter and sometimes nuts, yet slight variations in ingredients and how they are mixed produce different results in sweetness and texture.
Pie pastry can be difficult: The butter has to be at just the right temperature – cold enough so it doesn’t melt; warm enough that it can be rolled out. Tart dough isn’t so needy. It relies on the fat to tenderize the flour, creating a cookie-like texture. Making the dough is like making cookies – an activity far more familiar to the casual baker than piecrust.
This is the easiest crust in the world; it can be mixed and laid in a tart pan in 20 minutes. Another 45 minutes to freeze and 30 minutes to bake times the whole operation a little under 2 hours from start to finish. But it isn’t like you need to watch the pastry in the freezer or oven, so it is pretty much hands off after the initial burst of energy. Because the pastry crust is frozen before it is baked, those pesky pie weights/dried beans do not have to be used.
This dough can be made, shaped into the pan and frozen up to 2 months in advance. I think it is easier to make the tart dough/pastry/crust as the last component of this dessert but forward thinking individuals might keep an unbaked tart pastry in the freezer for giggles.
There will be pictures by Monday.
Almond Crust
1 ¼ cups All-purpose or pastry flour
½ powdered sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 stick + 1 Tablespoon butter, cut into small pieces
¼ cup ground almonds
1 egg yolk
Combine flour, sugar, salt, butter and almonds with a mixer. If using a Kitchen Aid, mix together by pulsing the power on and off about 10 times. If using a food processor – pulse together 10 times.
Add the egg yolk and mix for about 10 seconds. The dough will still be sticky and granular, but that is okay, turn the dough out on to a work surface finish mixing together with your hands. Mix until all the loose pockets of flour have been worked into the dough.
Butter a 9 in tart pan *and begin working the dough into the pan. This dough won’t take kindly to a rolling pin; it will crumble, so it needs to be Patted in and even it out with your fingers. Double thickness up the side and there still should be enough left over to reserve 2 tablespoons of dough to patch any cracks or fissures. Place in freezer for at least 45 minutes, longer is better; overnight(s) are great.
Preheat oven to 375°, remove tart shell from freezer, butter a piece of aluminum foil and place the foil buttered side down on the tart dough. Bake for 25 minutes – remove the foil. If the dough has puffed, push it down with a spoon, if there are noticeable cracks – patch with extra dough. Close oven door, turn heat off and leave in the oven for 15 minutes or until the crust browns to desired amount.
Let cool, fill with pastry cream, top with poached pears and you have a dessert.
*I like the metal ones with the removable bottoms. If using ceramic, serve from pan, crust will dissolve if you try to remove it.
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