Description
Pâte Sucrée is a classic French sweet tart crust known for its delicate, crisp texture and buttery, slightly sweet flavor. This rich pastry dough incorporates almond meal and icing sugar to enhance flavor and tenderness, making it the perfect base for a variety of fruit tarts, custard pies, and elegant desserts.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups plain/all purpose flour
- 6 1/2 tbsp soft icing sugar / powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 1/2 tbsp almond meal / ground almonds
- 1/4 tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
- 100g / 7 tbsp unsalted butter, softened and cut into 1cm cubes
- 1 large egg, at room temperature (55-60g/2 oz)
Instructions
- Prepare the Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the flour, sifted icing sugar, almond meal, and salt. Whisk them together to ensure an even distribution of ingredients for a consistent dough.
- Add the Butter: Add the softened butter cubes to the dry mixture. Using your fingers, a pastry cutter, or a food processor, gently rub or pulse the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles fine breadcrumbs with some pea-sized lumps remaining. This texture helps create a tender crust.
- Incorporate the Egg: Make a well in the center of the mixture and add the room temperature egg. Using a fork or your hands, gradually mix the egg into the flour and butter mixture to begin forming a dough.
- Knead the Dough: Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead it just a few times until it comes together into a smooth ball. Avoid overworking the dough to keep the crust tender and crumbly.
- Chill the Dough: Flatten the dough ball into a disc, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour. Chilling allows the butter to firm up and the gluten to relax, which prevents shrinkage during baking.
- Roll Out the Dough: Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator. On a lightly floured surface, roll it out evenly into a circle about 3-4 mm thick, large enough to fit your tart pan with some overhang.
- Fit the Dough into Tart Pan and Bake: Carefully transfer the rolled dough into your tart pan, pressing it gently into the corners and sides. Trim excess dough. Prick the base evenly with a fork to prevent bubbling. For blind baking, line the crust with parchment paper and fill with baking weights or dried beans. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 25-30 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Remove weights and parchment in the last 5 minutes to let the base dry out and brown slightly.
Notes
- Note 1: Sifting icing sugar ensures a smooth dough without lumps.
- Note 2: Almond meal adds flavor and tenderness but can be omitted if allergic.
- Note 3: Using room temperature egg helps the dough come together smoothly.
- Do not overwork the dough to avoid developing gluten, which makes the tart tough.
- Chilling the dough is crucial to maintain its texture and prevent shrinkage during baking.
- Blind baking is recommended for custard or fresh fruit tarts to prevent a soggy crust.
