Embark on a delightful journey into the realm of sweet dough, the cornerstone of delectable pies and tarts that tantalize taste buds and create lasting memories. In this article, we present a comprehensive exploration of the art of crafting the perfect sweet dough, guiding you through the essential techniques and ingredient considerations. Discover the secrets to creating a tender, flaky crust that complements the richness of your favorite fillings, resulting in a symphony of flavors that will leave you craving more. Whether you're a seasoned baker or just starting your culinary adventure, this guide will equip you with the knowledge and confidence to produce mouthwatering sweet dough that elevates your pies and tarts to new heights of indulgence.
Here are our top 7 tried and tested recipes!
SWEET DOUGH FOR PIES
Provided by Food Network
Categories dessert
Time 1h30m
Yield One 9 inch pie
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- To mix the dough by hand, combine flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in a medium
- mixing bowl and stir well to mix. Cut butter into 1 tablespoon pieces and add to dry ingredients. Toss once or twice to coat pieces of butter. Then using your hands or a pastry blender, break the butter into tiny pieces and pinch and squeeze it into the dry ingredients. Occasionally reach down to the bottom of the bowl and mix all the ingredients evenly together. Continue rubbing the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles a coarse ground corn meal and no large pieces of butter remain visible.
- Beat the egg(s) in a small bowl and pour over the flour and butter mixture. Stir in with a fork until the dough begins to hold together, but still appears somewhat dry. Scatter a teaspoon of flour on the work surface and scrape the dough out onto it. Press and knead the dough quickly 3 or 4 times, until it is smooth and uniform.
- To mix the dough in the food processor, combine flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in work bowl fitted with metal blade. Pulse 3 times at 1second intervals to mix. Cut butter into 1tablespoon pieces and add to work bowl. Process, pulsing repeatedly at 1second intervals, until the mixture is fine and powdery, resembles a coarse ground cornmeal and no large pieces of butter remain visible, about 15 pulses in all.
- Add the egg(s) to the work bowl and pulse ten times or so, until the dough forms a ball.
- Scatter a teaspoon of flour on the work surface and scrape the dough out onto it. Press and knead the dough quickly 3 or 4 times, until it is smooth and uniform.
- Press the dough into a disk (two equal disks for the larger amount of dough). Sandwich the disk(s) of dough between two pieces of plastic wrap and press it into a 6 inch circle. Refrigerate the dough until firm, or until you are ready to use it, at least 1 hour.
- Storage: Keep the dough in the refrigerator up to two days, or freeze it doublewrapped in plastic. Because the dough is thin, it will defrost quickly at room temperature when you intend to use it.
- Variations:
- SPICE CRUST:
- Add 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon each freshly grated nutmeg and ground cloves to the dry ingredients before mixing in the butter. Double the quantities for the 2 crust recipe.
- COCOA DOUGH:
- Add 2 tablespoons sifted non alkalized cocoa powder to the dry ingredients before mixing in the butter. Double the quantities for the 2 crust recipe. If the dough seems dry after adding egg(s), add a teaspoon or two of water, no more.
SWEET DOUGH CRUST (FOR TARTS AND INDIVIDUAL PIES)
Sweet dough pies or tarts (depending on what your grandma called them) are very popular in South Louisiana - they are a staple in every cajun kitchen. A co-worker's grandma was kind enough to share her recipe (she will be always be affectionately called the "sweet dough tart queen"). Thanks for sharing your recipe, Mom Gert! I included the three different recipes for the fillings that I've used, but you could use whatever type of filling you prefer. Just make sure it isn't too runny - the best consistency is the same as preserves. You can also use store-bought preserves to save time. The yield depends on how small or large you cut your circles. I use either the vanilla butternut flavoring OR vanilla extract and nutmeg (if you are adventuresome you could use all three, but I never have so I'm not 100% sure of the flavor combination).
Provided by Luby Luby Luby
Categories < 4 Hours
Time 2h20m
Yield 12 Tarts
Number Of Ingredients 28
Steps:
- Dough:.
- In mixing bowl beat sugar and butter until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs and whichever flavorings you choose, mixing well.
- Combine baking powder and flour and slowly add to butter mixture beating until combined.
- Divide dough into two discs and wrap in waxed paper.
- Refrigerate for 2 hours.
- Remove one disc at a time and roll between two sheets of waxed paper until 1/8" thick.
- Cut 4" circles from dough.
- Place one heaping tablespoon of filling slightly off center in the top half of the dough circle.
- Fold over to create a semi-circle and gently press dough together to seal.
- Crimp edges using the tines of a fork.
- Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes or until very lightly browned around edges.
- Cool on wire rack.
- Fillings:.
- Whichever filling you decide to use the steps are basically the same.
- Combine all ingredients except cornstarch and water.
- Cook over low heat for about 30 to 45 minutes.
- Combine cornstarch in cold water and add to filling mixture.
- Bring to a boil and cook 2-3 minutes or until slightly thickened.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 609.4, Fat 20.6, SaturatedFat 12.2, Cholesterol 118.8, Sodium 275.7, Carbohydrate 100.3, Fiber 3.2, Sugar 58.9, Protein 7.8
SWEET DOUGH FOR PIES AND TARTS
Steps:
- To mix the dough by hand, combine flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in a medium mixing bowl and stir well to mix. Cut butter into 1-tablespoon pieces and add to dry ingredients. Toss once or twice to coat pieces of butter. Using your hands or a pastry blender, rub the butter into the dry ingredients by breaking it into tiny pieces, continuously pinching and squeezing it into the dry ingredients. Be careful to keep the mixture uniform by occasionally reaching down to the bottom of the bowl and mixing all the ingredients evenly together. Continue rubbing the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles a coarse-ground cornmeal and no large pieces of butter remain visible. Beat the egg(s) in a small bowl and pour over the flour and butter mixture. Stir in with a fork, continuing to stir until the dough begins to hold together, but still appears somewhat dry. Scatter flour on the work surface and scrape the dough onto it. Press and knead the dough quickly 3 or 4 times, until it is smooth. To mix the dough in the food processor, combine flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in work bowl fitted with metal blade. Pulse 3 times at 1-second intervals to mix. Cut butter into 1-tablespoon pieces and add to work bowl. Process, pulsing repeatedly at 1-second intervals, until the mixture is fine and powdery, resembles a coarse-ground cornmeal and no large pieces of butter remain visible, about 15 pulses in all. Add the egg(s) to the work bowl and pulse ten times or so, until the dough forms a ball. Scatter flour on the work surface and scrape the dough onto it. Press and knead the dough quickly 3 or 4 times, until it is smooth. Press the dough into a disk (two equal disks for the larger amount of dough). Sandwich the disk(s) of dough between two pieces of plastic wrap and press it into a 6-inch disk. Refrigerate the dough until firm, or until you are ready to use it, at least 1 hour.;
SWEET DOUGH FOR PIES
Steps:
- In a food processor, combine flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in bowl fitted with metal blade. Pulse 3 times at 1-second intervals to mix. Add butter to work bowl and pulse about 15 times until mixture is fine and powdery and resembles coarse ground cornmeal and no large pieces remain. Add the eggs and pulse ten times or so, until the dough forms a ball. Scatter a teaspoon of flour on the work surface and scrape the dough out onto it. Press and knead the dough quickly 3 or 4 times, until it is smooth and uniform.
- Press the dough into 2 equal disks. Sandwich the disks of dough between two pieces of plastic wrap and press into a 6-inch circle. Refrigerate the dough until firm, or until you are ready to use it, at least 1 hour.
SWEET TART DOUGH
This formula for pâte sucrée comes from the pastry chef Jacquy Pfeiffer, with whom I wrote a book. It may surprise you that everything, even the butter, is at room temperature when you mix the dough. Room temperature butter will mix together thoroughly and quickly with the other ingredients, so you won't find chunks of it when you roll out the dough. It also allows you to mix the dough quickly, minimizing air bubbles and the development of the gluten in the flour, which would result in too much elasticity in the dough, causing it to shrink during baking. He uses powdered sugar, rather than granulated, because it melts and combines quickly with other ingredients, again allowing you to mix the dough quickly. Almond flour contributes flavor to the dough and gives it a nice texture, but you could substitute regular flour if you have a hard time finding almond flour. Finally, he uses cake flour because it has a lower gluten content than all-purpose flour. Once you mix the dough it requires a long rest in the refrigerator - preferably overnight - so that the gluten developed during mixing can relax and the starch in the flour can absorb liquid. It should remain cold when you roll it out, and ideally you should give it another overnight rest in the fridge, uncovered, once it is rolled out, so that the pastry dries out even more. If you don't have the extra day, give it at least an hour.
Provided by Martha Rose Shulman
Categories snack, pastries, pies and tarts, dessert
Time 1h
Yield Two 9-inch pastry shells
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- In a standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and salt on medium speed for 1 minute. Scrape down sides of bowl and paddle and add confectioners' sugar. Combine with butter at low speed. Scrape down bowl and paddle again, then add almond flour and vanilla and combine at low speed.
- Gradually add egg and a scant 1/2 cup cake flour (55 grams). Beat at low speed until just incorporated. Scrape down bowl and paddle. Gradually add remaining cake flour and mix just until dough comes together. Do not overbeat. Dough should be soft to the touch.
- Scrape dough out of bowl and gently press into a 1/2-inch-thick rectangle. Double-wrap airtight in plastic and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight.
- Very lightly brush two tart pans with butter. (You should not be able to see the butter.) Weigh dough and cut into two equal pieces. Wrap one piece and refrigerate while you roll out the other.
- Lightly dust parchment paper or a silicone baking mat with flour. Tap on dough lightly with a rolling pin to make it pliable. Begin rolling gently, three times in one direction, from the edge nearest to you to the far edge. Rotate dough a quarter turn clockwise. (If it's sticking, run an offset spatula underneath to loosen it, then gently lift it and lightly dust underneath with flour.) Repeat process until dough is about 1/4-inch thick and 11 inches in diameter. Check often to make sure dough is not sticking, and dust with flour as necessary.
- Cut dough into a 10 1/2-inch circle. (If it's on a silicone mat, flip it over onto a piece of lightly dusted parchment and peel off the mat first.) Very lightly dust dough with flour; brush away excess flour with a dry pastry brush.
- Loosely roll dough onto rolling pin, then unroll it onto a tart pan, making sure to cover pan evenly. Gently ease it into the pan so there is no gap between the bottom edge of the ring and the bottom of the pan (don't press hard or dough will be thinner in spots). Cut away excess dough by holding a paring knife perpendicular to the edge of the pan and spinning the pan around against the edge of the knife. Use a fork to poke little holes in dough across entire bottom of shell.
- Refrigerate dough, uncovered, for at least 1 hour and preferably overnight. If freezing dough, refrigerate for 1 hour, then double-wrap in plastic wrap, then in foil. Label, date and freeze. Repeat process of rolling out dough with the other dough half.
- Heat oven to 325 degrees with rack positioned in middle. Place tart pan on a baking sheet. Line shell with parchment and fill to the top with pie weights. (If dough is coming directly from the freezer, you don't need to defrost it first or use weights.) Bake for 15 minutes. Remove parchment and weights and return to oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely on a rack (with pan still on top of baking sheet) before filling.
CAJUN SWEET DOUGH
Down in Louisiana this dough is used to make what we call Cajun Sweet Dough. The traditional filling is fig and it is made into turnovers, but it can also be used as pie crust, although it is not as flaky. It is supreme as turnover dough, for ANY kind of filling.
Provided by Julie P.
Time 15m
Yield 30
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, beat the butter, then add the sugar a little at a time. Add the vanilla. Beat the mixture until it is nice and fluffy. Beat in the egg. Stir in the flour mixture alternately with the milk.
- Before you use this dough, be sure you chill it well at least 2 hours or even overnight.
- To make turnovers: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Roll dough out to 1/4 inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut into 3 inch squares. Spoon about 2 teaspoons of the pie filling into the center of each square and fold over to form a triangle. Pinch the seams to seal or press with the tines of a fork. Place at least 2 inches apart on a greased baking sheet. Brush with egg white.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown on the tops and bottom.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 162.5 calories, Carbohydrate 26.8 g, Cholesterol 18.7 mg, Fat 5 g, Fiber 0.6 g, Protein 2.5 g, SaturatedFat 3 g, Sodium 119 mg, Sugar 9.2 g
SWEET PASTRY DOUGH
Great pastry for tarts. This is a recipe I altered from a tea party cook book. I use it all the time. It's particularly great for a cherry almond pie.
Provided by Lady of shallot
Categories Pie
Time 25m
Yield 4 4
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Mix flour, salt and sugar.
- Cut in butter until crumbly.
- Mix beaten egg yolks,ice water and vanilla together.
- Mix into flour mixture until pastry just holds together.
- Knead in plastic wrap until smooth.
- Flatten; chill 1 hour.
- To partially blind bake: Set oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Bake 15 to20 minutes, weighing pastry down with a layer of foil and dried beans.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 439.3, Fat 25.5, SaturatedFat 15.4, Cholesterol 155.5, Sodium 298.9, Carbohydrate 46.1, Fiber 1.3, Sugar 10, Protein 6.3
Tips:
- Chill the dough before rolling it out. This will make it easier to work with and less likely to stick to your hands or the counter.
- Don't overwork the dough. Overworking the dough will make it tough.
- Use a sharp knife to cut the dough. A sharp knife will give you clean, even cuts.
- Bake the dough until it is golden brown. The dough should be cooked through but not overcooked.
- Let the dough cool before filling it. This will prevent the filling from making the dough soggy.
Conclusion:
Sweet dough is a versatile dough that can be used to make a variety of delicious pies and tarts. With a little practice, you can easily master the art of making sweet dough and impress your friends and family with your baking skills. So next time you're looking for a sweet treat, try making a pie or tart with sweet dough. You won't be disappointed!
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