Best 3 Tart Shell Recipes

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Creating a delicious and flaky tart shell is an essential skill for any baker. Whether you're making a fruit tart, a quiche, or a savory tart, the tart shell is the foundation that holds everything together. With the right ingredients and techniques, you can easily create a perfect tart shell that will impress your friends and family. In this article, we'll provide you with a detailed guide on how to make the best tart shell, including tips on choosing the right ingredients, preparing the dough, and baking it to perfection.

Here are our top 3 tried and tested recipes!

PUMPKIN TART WITH PRESS-IN SHORTBREAD TART SHELL



Pumpkin Tart with Press-In Shortbread Tart Shell image

This satiny pumpkin filling finds a perfect partner in our shortbread crust, which is surprisingly simple to make.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Dessert & Treats Recipes     Pie & Tarts Recipes

Yield Makes one 10-inch tart

Number Of Ingredients 11

1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
1 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
Press-In Shortbread Pie Crust
Whipped cream, for serving (optional)

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Whisk together pumpkin, heavy cream, sugar, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and eggs in a large bowl. Pour filling into prepared pie crust.
  • Place dish on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake, rotating halfway through, until filling is just set and slightly puffed but still a bit wobbly, 55 to 60 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool completely. Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 6 hours. Serve chilled, topped with whipped cream if desired.

TART SHELL



Tart Shell image

Categories     Dessert     Bake     Gourmet     Sugar Conscious     Kidney Friendly     Vegetarian     Pescatarian     Peanut Free     Tree Nut Free     Soy Free     Kosher

Yield Makes 1 (11-inch) tart shell

Number Of Ingredients 7

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick (1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 cup cold vegetable shortening
3 to 5 tablespoons ice water
Special equipment: a pastry or bench scraper; an 11- by 1-inch fluted round tart pan with a removable bottom; pie weights or raw rice

Steps:

  • Blend together flour, sugar, salt, butter, and shortening with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor) just until most of mixture resembles coarse meal with small (roughly pea-size) butter lumps. Drizzle evenly with 3 tablespoons ice water and gently stir with a fork (or pulse in food processor) until incorporated.
  • Squeeze a small handful: If it doesn't hold together, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring (or pulsing) until just incorporated, then test again. (If you overwork mixture, pastry will be tough.)
  • Turn out mixture onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 6 portions. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once or twice in a forward motion. Gather dough together with scraper and press into a ball, then flatten into a 6-inch disk. Chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 1 hour.
  • Roll out dough with a floured rolling pin into a 13-inch round on a lightly floured surface and fit into tart pan. Trim excess dough, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang, then fold overhang inward and press against side of pan to reinforce edge. Lightly prick bottom and sides with a fork. Chill 30 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 375°F.
  • Line tart shell with foil or parchment paper and fill with pie weights. Bake in middle of oven until pastry is pale golden along rim, 20 minutes. Carefully remove foil and weights and bake until pale golden all over, 10 minutes more. Cool in pan on a rack.

CHOCOLATE TART SHELL



Chocolate Tart Shell image

I made a Key Lime Pie/Tart and wasn't happy with the usual graham cracker crust. I mentioned it to my Canadian friend. She said her daughter had a chocolate shell recipe that she bet would work perfectly. She was right! So I'm passing it on. I used my Pampered Chef fluted tart pan and roller. The shell was picture perfect. My...

Provided by Sharon Canfield

Categories     Other Desserts

Time 20m

Number Of Ingredients 4

1/2 c butter or margarine, chilled not softened
1/4 c sugar, white
1 1/2 Tbsp cocoa, unsweetened or 1 oz. of semi sweet chocolate
1 c flour, all purpose

Steps:

  • 1. Use a pastry knife to blend and cut together until thoroughly mixed. Press into pie/tart pan, bake at 350 F. for 10 - 12 min.

Tips for Making Perfect Tart Shells:

  • Use cold butter: Cold butter will help keep the tart shell from shrinking too much in the oven.
  • Work quickly: The less you handle the dough, the less likely it is to become tough.
  • Chill the dough before baking: This will help prevent the tart shell from bubbling up in the oven.
  • Use a tart pan with a removable bottom: This will make it easy to remove the tart shell from the pan without breaking it.
  • Bake the tart shell until it is golden brown: This will ensure that it is cooked through.

Conclusion:

Making a perfect tart shell can be a challenge, but it is definitely worth the effort. By following these tips, you can create a delicious and beautiful tart shell that will impress your friends and family. Tart shells are a versatile pastry that can be used for a variety of desserts, from fruit tarts to chocolate tarts. With a little practice, you can master the art of making tart shells and create delicious and impressive desserts that everyone will love.

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