Best 10 Tart Dough Recipes

FLAKY TART DOUGH

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mix together salt and water. Keep very cold until ready to use.
• Place flour and butter in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse briefly until mixture forms large crumbs. Add the salt water mixture and continue pulsing until a dough has just formed but is not smooth.
• On a lightly floured work surface, evenly divide dough. Form each piece of dough into a disk about 1 inch thick. Wrap each disk with plastic wrap and chill at least 2 hours and up to overnight.

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.

SWEET TART DOUGH

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.

JULIA'S CHOCOLATE TART DOUGH

Steps:

• To make dough in food processor fitted with metal blade: put the flour, cocoa, sugar and salt in work bowl and pulse just to blend.
• Add butter and pulse 8-10 times, until pieces are about the size of small peas.
• With machine running, add yolk and ice water and process, in short bursts, until JUST crumbly- don't overwork it!
• Turn it out onto the work surface and, working with small portions, smear the dough across the surface with the heel of your hand.
• Gather the dough together and shape it into a rough square.
• Pat it down to compress it slightly, and wrap in plastic.
• Chill until firm, at least 30 minutes.
• The dough can remain in the refrigerator for 3 days, or it can be wrapped airtight and frozen for a month.
• Thaw the dough, still wrapped, overnight in the refrigerator before rolling it out.
• Cook's note: When I made this, I stuck the dough in the freezer to chill, then promptly forgot about it.
• 4 hours later, when I remembered to pull it out, it was frozen solid.
• I pulled out my box grater and grated it directly into the pie pan.
• It worked beautifully, no roling involed: just patted it all down into place.

PIE DOUGH FOR CARAMELIZED APPLE TART

Steps:

• In a food processor, pulse flour, salt, and sugar several times to combine. Add butter.
• Pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few pea-size pieces remaining.
• Add 2 tablespoons ice water; pulse until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed (if needed, add up to 2 more tablespoons ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time). Do not overmix.
• Turn out onto a floured work surface; knead once or twice, until dough comes together. Flatten dough into a disk; wrap in plastic, and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

CORNMEAL TART DOUGH

Steps:

• Combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a food processor; pulse several times. Add butter; process until mixture is the consistency of coarse meal, about 7 seconds. With motor running, add yolks and enough ice water so dough comes together. Do not overmix.
• Divide dough in half; press to flatten into disks. Wrap each in plastic; chill at least 30 minutes or overnight.

SWEET TART DOUGH

Steps:

• Combine the butter and sugar in a medium mixing bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle and beat on medium speed for 5 minutes until the mixture is fluffy, soft and almost white in color.
• Beat in the vanilla and the egg yolk and continue beating for another two minutes until the mixture is soft and resembles butter cream.
• Place the flour in a strainer and sift it all at once over the butter mixture using a rubber spatula.
• Fold the dough until no traces of flour remain.
• Scrape the dough onto the center of a 12 inch square of plastic wrap and shape it into a rough disk.
• Cover with another 12 inch piece of plastic and press the dough until it is about 1/4 inch thick.
• Refrigerate.

TART DOUGH (SWEET)

Steps:

• Cream the butter, sugar and salt together in your mixer or food processor.
• Add the egg and mix until combined.
• Add the flour and mix until it all comes together.
• Flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic and chill thoroughly (at least 1 hour) before using.

ROSEMARY-MANCHEGO TART DOUGH

Steps:

• Finely grate parsnip (you will need 1/2 cup). Place on a clean kitchen towel (do not use paper towels), and squeeze to extract as much liquid as possible.
• Pulse parsnip, flour, salt, sugar, pepper, butter, cheese, and rosemary in a food processor. Add yolk, and pulse to combine. With machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream, processing until dough just comes together (no longer than 15 seconds). Shape into a disk, and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (or up to 2 days).

TART DOUGH

Steps:

• Combine the flour and salt in a bowl; then add the butter and shortening. With your hands, work the fat and flour together, sliding and flattening the mixture between your palms, or thumb and fingertips, until the butter and shortening are evenly distributed. Add 2 1/2 teaspoons cold water, and lightly work it into the flour, using your fingers, slightly cupped together, or a fork. Gather the dough into a ball, sprinkle a few drops of water over any remaining dry ingredients, and gather them together. Cover the dough with waxed paper or plastic wrap, flatten it into a disk, and let it rest at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator before using. The dough can also be frozen at this point for future use.
• When you are ready to roll the dough, lightly flour the work surface and the top pf the dough. If it is stiff from the cold, let it sit for 20 minutes before you roll it out. Roll it out with firm, even strokes into a circle about 1/8 inch thick. Pick it up on the rolling pin and slide it onto the pie dish or tart mold. Or, alternatively, fold it into quarters, lay it with the point in the center of the pan, then unfold. Trim the edges, leaving on overhang of an inch or so; then fold the overhang under and crimp the edge.
• To partially prebake the crust, first freeze the empty shell until it is quite firm. If you intend to freeze the crust for an extended period of time, wrap it in foil. When ready to use, preheat the oven to 425°F. Set the frozen tart shell directly into the oven, and bake until the crust has a "set" appearance and is just beginning to color, about 8-10 minutes. While the crust is baking, check to see that the bottom is not swelling with steam and air. If it does, prick it lightly with a paring knife.
• More traditionally, the crust may be prebaked unfrozen, first lining it with buttered foil, filling the foil with pie weights or dry beans, then baking, as above, until the edges are set and slightly browned.