Chocolate Pâte Sucrée Recipes

CHOCOLATE PâTE SUCRéE RECIPE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, place the butter and salt. Using a spatula or a hand whisk, mix the butter until you get a soft and creamy texture (like a thick body cream or lotion).
• Sift the confectioner's sugar, and add it to the butter mixture.
• Mix the sugar in until it's completely mixed in with the butter.
• Whisk the egg yolks (or whole eggs), and add this to the butter sugar mixture along with the vanilla extract and coffee extract.
• Incorporate the egg mixture into the butter until smooth.
• Sift the flour and cocoa together, and add it to the egg, butter, and sugar mixture.
• Gently mix in the flour. I like to use a spatula and mix the dough by cutting through the dough several times.
• Turn the dough out onto a work surface lined with parchment paper. Use the parchment paper to fold the dough over to incorporate all of the flour. If you used whole eggs, take extra care to not overwork the gluten in the dough.
• The dough will be very soft and a little sticky. This is normal. Handle the dough gently with lightly floured hands.
• Cut the dough in half and shape each dough into a disc. Wrap each disc with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to chill. If your tart mold is a rectangle or square, shape the dough into a rough square instead of a disc.
• Lightly flour your work surface. Place one of the chilled pate sucree discs on the work surface. Knock it a few times with the rolling pin to soften the dough and make it more pliable.
• Start rolling out the dough, turning the dough a ¼ circle every few rolls. This makes it easy to maintain a circle and also prevents the dough from sticking to the counter. If any cracks appear, shape the dough to seal those cracks as you go. If the dough gets too soft, carefully transfer it to the fridge for a few minutes to let it slightly harden again, OR roll it out between two parchment paper sheets.
• The dough needs to be rolled out to a thickness of 3 mm. If at any stage the dough shrinks as you roll it out, that is an indication that the dough has been overworked.
• If the dough is overworked - transfer the dough onto a tray, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rest in the fridge for about 10-20 minutes. Then resume rolling it out afterwards.

CHOCOLATE PATE SUCREE

Steps:

• Place the flour, cocoa, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor, and pulse several times to combine. Add the butter, and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds. Add the egg yolks and vanilla, and process just until mixture begins to hold together, no more than 30 seconds.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and form into a disk. Cover in plastic wrap; refrigerate for 30 minutes, or until ready to use.

MICHEL ROUX'S PATE SUCREE

Steps:

• Mound flour on your work surface and make a well in the center. Place butter, sugar, and salt in center of well and mix together using your fingers. Slowly incorporate flour into butter mixture, using your fingers, until a slightly grainy dough forms.
• Make a well in the center of flour mixture and add eggs. Using your fingers, slowly incorporate flour mixture into eggs until dough begins to come together.
• Using the palm of your hand, knead dough a few times until smooth. Roll dough into a ball, wrap with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours before using.

EASY CHOCOLATE PATE SUCREE

Steps:

• Pulse flour, sugar, cocoa, and salt in a food processor until combined. Add butter, and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds. Add yolks and vanilla, and process until mixture just begins to hold together (no longer than 30 seconds).
• Shape dough into a disk. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour (or up to 2 days).

CHOCOLATE SWEET TART CRUST

Steps:

• In a bowl, whisk together the flour and cocoa powder until combined.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or with a hand mixer), cream together the butter, sugar and salt until smooth. Scrape down the sides.
• Add in the egg and mix until incorporated, then scrape down the sides again.
• Add the flour and cocoa powder and mix on low until just incorporated.
• Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and flatten into a 1-inch thick disc. Place in the fridge for two hours.
• Remove the dough from the fridge and allow it to sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes. Then, remove the plastic wrap.
• Flour your work surface and rolling pin and roll out the dough until it's ⅛-¼" thick. This dough is very forgiving, so if it cracks, you can patch it later. Roll the dough so it's about 2 inches wider than the tart pan.
• Transfer the dough to the pan and press it into the bottom, corners, and sides of the tart pan. Roll the rolling pin over the top of the pan to remove the excess dough, then push the sides in once again and use a finger to slightly push down the top to smooth it out. Use any of the scraps to patch holes or weak spots.
• Transfer to the freezer for 15 minutes, and preheat the oven to 325℉/163℃. Remove the dough from the freezer and dock the bottom of the tart with a fork multiple times. Line the shell with parchment paper and fill completely with pie weights (or dried beans/rice).
• Bake for 10-15 minutes. Carefully remove the weights and parchment, and continue to bake for another 10-15 minutes until lightly golden. When done, the middle of the tart should not look moist or raw. Remove the pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

PâTE SUCRéE

Steps:

• Pulse flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor until combined. Add butter, and pulse just until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add yolks and drizzle 2 tablespoons cream evenly over mixture; pulse just until dough begins to come together, no more than 30 seconds. If dough is too dry, add remaining cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse. Divide dough in half, pat each half into a disk, and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate 1 hour or up to 2 days, or freeze up to 3 months (thaw in refrigerator before using).
• Citrus Variations:
• Add 2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest and 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest to the dry ingredients.
• Poppy Seed Variations:
• Add 2 tablespoons poppy seeds to the dry ingredients.
• Chocolate Variations:
• Replace 1/4 cup flour with 1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder.
• Cornmeal-Lemon Variations:
• Replace 3/4 cup flour with 3/4 cup coarse cornmeal; reduce sugar to 2 tablespoons. Add 1 teaspoon lemon zest to the dry ingredients.