Description
This classic tart crust recipe yields a buttery, tender, and crisp base perfect for sweet and savory tarts. Made with simple ingredients like all-purpose flour, powdered sugar, cold butter, and egg, it is chilled and baked to golden perfection, providing an ideal foundation for your favorite fillings.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 pinches salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1–2 teaspoons milk
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1 large egg
Instructions
- Whisk dry: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, powdered sugar, and salt until well combined.
- Blend butter: Add 1 teaspoon of milk and the cold, cubed unsalted butter to the dry ingredients. Using a pastry cutter or your hands, blend the mixture until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
- Mix dough: Incorporate the egg into the mixture and stir until the dough begins to clump together. If dry crumbs remain, add a little more milk, a teaspoon at a time, until the dough holds together without being sticky or dry.
- Chill: Shape the dough into a disk, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to relax the gluten and firm up the butter.
- Roll: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to about 1/4 inch thickness. Fit it carefully into a 9-inch tart pan and trim off any excess dough.
- Freeze: Prick the bottom of the tart shell with a fork to prevent bubbling. Cover and freeze the dough for 45 minutes to ensure it holds its shape during baking.
- Bake: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and bake the tart crust for 20-25 minutes until it turns golden brown and cooked through. Let cool before filling.
Notes
- Ensure the butter is cold to create a flaky crust.
- Do not overwork the dough to prevent toughness.
- Freezing the crust before baking helps avoid shrinkage.
- Use powdered sugar for a finer, more tender texture compared to granulated sugar.
- You can blind bake the crust lined with parchment and pie weights for an even crispier base if desired.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: tart crust, pastry dough, baking, dessert base, homemade crust, buttery crust, easy tart dough
