sweet TART pastry

This pastry is such an easy and forgiving pastry to work with. It has all the qualities of a good pastry with its buttery flavour and flaky texture.

I first learnt to bake a tart at 15 years old. At this time there was no fancy mixer to pulse the pastry together. It was elbow grease, using two forks to crumb like the mixture together. A step that 15 year old me thought took hours!  30 ‘somethin year old me now loves making tart pastry thanks to the help of some kitchen accessories.

I love making tarts because I love playing with flavours and textures. I really do enjoy expressing my creative side when I set out to bake a tart. I eat with my eyes, so to no surprise I have to make it look visually pretty.   

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WHAT YOU’LL NEED

This recipe makes use of basic pantry ingredients like flour and sugar, along with eggs, nuts and fruit.

This recipe is generally for a tart size 24cm x 3.5cm and if you can get one with a removable base you will be lovely yourself even more.

The same pasty amount can also make 2 smaller tarts with a tart pan size 18cm x 3.5cm

The more that you use this recipe the more you will develop a feel in how you can work with your pastry making bigger or smaller tart shells.

HOW TO MAKE SWEET TART PASTRY

• Add the flour, butter and icing sugar in a food processor and process until the mix resembles fine breadcrumbs. While the motor is running, add the egg yolks and process until combined. 
• On a lightly floured surface turn out mixture and gently bring together to form a ball. Flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. 
• Preheat oven to 180°C. Roll the pastry out between 2 sheets of non-stick baking paper to 3mm thick.
• Line a lightly greased loose-bottomed, fluted tart tin with the pastry. Trim the edges and prick the base with a fork. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. 
• Line the pastry case with non-stick baking paper and fill with baking weights or rice. Bake for 15 minutes, remove the paper and weights (or rice), set aside and allow to slightly cool
• Remove pastry weights or rice and bake for a further 10 minutes or until tart shell is golden brown in colour. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
• Your tart shell is now ready to be filled with your choice of filling.

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NOTES

• This pastry can be made the day ahead.
• Make sure your butter is chilled.
• Do not overmix the dough, you do not want the butter to melt
• If the dough is too hard after it was kept in the fridge to chill, let it sit out for a few mins then start rolling.
• To make sure the baked tart comes out of the tart pan easily, both grease and pre line tart pan with baking paper.

OPTIONAL VARIATIONS

• Add 30g cocoa to make chocolate tart shell. Add this with the flour, icing sugar and butter.