Michels Basic Tart Crust Recipes

MICHEL'S BASIC TART CRUST

Steps:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter. Beat in salt and sugar. Stir in half-and-half and 1/4 cup flour. Add the remaining flour, mixing with your fingertips or a fork until the ingredients are combined. Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap, and shape into a flat disk. Wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. (This can be prepared a day ahead.)
• Butter a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Roll the dough out between two large sheets of plastic wrap into an 11-inch circle. Remove the top sheet of plastic. Invert dough into the prepared pan, and remove the remaining plastic. Trim and finish the edges. Cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line the tart with parchment paper or aluminum foil, and fill with beans or pie weights. Bake until the crust is firm and set, about 20 minutes. Remove the beans and paper. Prick the bottom of the crust so it does not puff. Continue baking until well browned, 10 to 15 minutes.

MICHEL'S RAISIN TART

Steps:

• Soak raisins in the rum in a small bowl at room temperature for at least 4 hours or overnight, stirring occasionally.
• Place half-and-half, salt, and 1/4 cup sugar in a large heavy saucepan. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla beans into the mixture, add the beans, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from the heat, and let the vanilla beans steep for at least 1 hour or until the mixture cools to room temperature.
• Beat egg yolks and the remaining 1/2 cup sugar using an electric mixer until thick and pale-lemon in color. Mix in flour.
• Reheat the half-and-half mixture, and discard the vanilla beans. Gradually beat the mixture into the yolks. Stir in the rum-soaked raisins.
• Return the mixture to the saucepan. Whisk over medium-high heat until the mixture comes to a boil and becomes very lumpy. Reduce heat to medium low, and whisk mixture until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Fill the prebaked tart with the custard, and smooth the top with a spatula. Brush with egg. Transfer to oven, and bake until the custard is well browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in the tart pan on a rack for 3 to 4 hours.
• To serve, remove the outer ring of the tart pan. Cut 6 to 8 wedges, and transfer them to dessert plates. Reheat the rum sauce, stirring over medium-high heat. Ladle over tart slices. Serve immediately.

EASIEST PIE CRUST EVER!

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, mix flour and salt.
• Add oil and water all at once to flour.
• With a fork, stir until mixture holds together.
• Shape dough into a ball and flatten.
• Roll between two pieces of wax paper to a 12" diameter.
• Peel off one piece of wax paper and invert dough, paper side up, into a 9" pie plate.
• Peel off second piece of paper. Ease an fit pastry into plate. Trim and flute edges.
• NOTE: DO NOT pierce pie crust. Fill as desired and bake according to pie recipe.
• Can be doubled for a 2 crust pie.

BASIC TART CRUST

Steps:

• In a food processor combine flour and salt. Add butter and pulse until butter is the size of peas. Whisk together the yolk and 1/2 cup cold water. Drizzle the liquid into the food processor while pulsing to combine. Pulse until dough holds together when you pinch it, adding liquid as needed.
• Turn dough onto a shet of plastic wrap and from into a ball. Divide in half and wrap each half in plastic wrap, flattening into a disk. Chill until cold or ready to use, about 30 minutes.
• On a floured surface roll dough until it's 3/16 inch thick and large enough to fit in the tart pan. (Pinch edges of dough as you roll to prevent cracks and tears.) Place dough into tart pan; gently lift into place without stretching and press into pan. Use the heel of you hand or a rolling pin to trim the edges flush with the pan. If blind baking, freeze crust about 20 minutes.
• For blind baking, heat oven to 375 degrees F. Line the chilled crust with aluminum foil, pressing foil into the corners. Fill with pie weights or dried beans and place on a baking sheet. Bake until crust is set and just starting to brown, about 30 minutes. Remove foil lining and weights and return crust to oven to brown evenly, 5 to 10 minutes more. Cool completely, then remove from tart pan. Makes 2 Single Crusts.
• CHEESE AND HERB CRUST VARIATION FOR TOMATO TART: Add 1/2 cup grated Gruyere or Jarlsberg cheese and 2 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano or thyme to the food processor with the flour and salt. Proceed with recipe as directed.

EASY MINI LEMON TARTS WITH SHORTBREAD CRUST

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Combine sugar, lemon juice, eggs, flour, and lemon zest for filling together in a large mixing bowl, and whisk until well blended. Set aside.
• Combine flour, butter, sugar, and salt for crust in the bowl of a food processor and pulse several times, until the dough begins to come together in a ball.
• Divide the dough into 6 equal portions, placing dough portions in each well of a nonstick 6-well mini tart pan. Press dough over the bottom of each well and up the sides.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the filling is set and the crust is lightly browned, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack until mini tarts reach room temperature.