Print

French Sweet Tart Crust (Pâte Sucrée) Recipe

Print Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

Pâte Sucrée is a classic French sweet tart crust known for its rich, buttery flavor and delicate crumbly texture. This versatile pastry dough is perfect for tarts that require a crisp yet tender base, providing an ideal foundation for both cooked and raw fillings. The dough incorporates almond meal for extra richness and a subtle nutty undertone, and it’s chilled before baking to prevent shrinkage and achieve the perfect texture.

Ingredients

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

  1. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sifted icing sugar, salt, and almond meal until evenly combined.
  2. Add Butter: Using your fingertips, rub the softened butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. This technique incorporates the butter evenly without melting it, crucial for the dough’s flaky texture.
  3. Add Egg: Pour in the egg and stir gently using a rubber spatula. Once the dough becomes too stiff to stir, use your hands to gather it into a cohesive mass.
  4. Bring Dough Together: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead just enough to form a smooth ball. Flatten into a disc approximately 2cm (0.8 inches) thick. Wrap it tightly in cling wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to firm up.
  5. Roll Out Dough: Remove chilled dough from fridge and unwrap. On a lightly floured work surface, roll it out into a 32cm (13 inches) round approximately 3mm (1/8 inch) thick.
  6. Line Tart Tin: Carefully roll the dough around your rolling pin and unroll it over a tart tin (up to 24 x 3 cm / 9.5 x 1.2 inches). Gently press the pastry into the corners without stretching to prevent shrinkage during baking.
  7. Trim Excess Dough: Roll the rolling pin over the edge of the tart tin to trim any excess pastry neatly.
  8. Prick Pastry: Using a fork, lightly prick the base of the pastry about 30 times, just piercing the surface, to allow steam to escape.
  9. Chill Pastry: Place the tart tin with the lined dough in the refrigerator for another 30 minutes to firm up again, which helps maintain shape during baking.
  10. Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 200°C (390°F) or 180°C (356°F) if using a fan-forced oven.
  11. Prepare for Blind Baking: Cover the pastry with two sheets of baking paper arranged in an “X.” Fill with baking beads or alternatives like dry rice or beans to weigh down the dough.
  12. Par-Bake Tart Crust: Bake for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven. Carefully lift out the baking paper along with the baking beads.
  13. Finish Par-Bake: Return the tart shell to the oven and bake uncovered for an additional 5 minutes. The pastry should become lightly golden and crisp on top but slightly undercooked inside, perfect for tarts that will bake further once filled.
  14. Fully Cooked Tart Crust Option: For tarts with raw fillings or fillings baked less than 25 minutes, follow the same initial 15-minute bake and removal of baking beads, then bake uncovered for 10 minutes to fully cook the crust through and develop a nice color.
  15. Cool and Use: Allow the tart shell to cool completely in the tin to keep it crisp before filling. This crust can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, ready for filling and any required further baking.

Notes

  • Note 1: Sifting the icing sugar helps prevent lumps, ensuring a smooth dough.
  • Note 2: Almond meal adds flavor and tenderness but can be substituted with more flour if unavailable.
  • Note 3: Using room temperature eggs helps the dough bind smoothly without chilling it excessively.
  • Note 4: Rubbing butter with fingertips keeps butter cold and results in a crumbly, tender texture.
  • Chilling the dough before and after lining the tart tin prevents shrinkage during baking.
  • Blind baking with baking beads or dry beans avoids puffing up or shrinking of the pastry.
  • The par-baked tart crust is ideal when you plan to bake the tart further with the filling inside.
  • Fully baking the crust is essential when using raw fillings or fillings cooked for less than 25 minutes.

Find it online: https://cookedbysarah.com/french-sweet-tart-crust-pate-sucree-recipe/