It Starts with the Crust
| When making tarts, the crust
takes on greater importance than it does, say, with a pie, (although
it's pretty important there, too). The tart crust may be more
cookie-like in sweet tarts, and more like a flavorful shortbread in
savory tarts. Match the tart's main message with a complementary crust
choice.
Types of Crusts -
There are many different types of crusts all based on the basics:
flour, salt, butter, (or other fat), and water. Variations come in the
form of differing proportions, or enrichments of sugar, egg, and
flavorings.
 Basic Shortcrust
- This basic crust typically uses just flour, salt, butter/shortening,
and water. Rich
Shortcrust - This crust includes egg yolks in the flour, salt,
butter/shortening, and water base. Pâte Brisée - This traditional French crust
version is enriched with egg yolks and has a greater proportion of
butter than a shortcrust pastry. Pâte Sucrée - Similar to pâte brisée, this crust has the
addition of powdered sugar for added sweetness along with a bit of
vanilla.
Flaunt your Crust- From a basic crust recipe, additions such as, lemon zest, herbs,
ground almonds, and so on, add nice dimension to a tart. Leave your
guests curious and asking, 'What's in that crust?'
Making Great Crusts -- Good crusts are
all about creating pockets of air betwixt and between layers of flour.
Butter seems to be the fat of choice for tarts. The flour and butter are
blended together with the flour encasing the bits of butter. Achieving a
"breadcrumb" consistency is crucial; avoid mixing the flour and butter
too much. When the crust bakes, the small particles of butter melt
creating the desired air pockets and layers.
Key Steps for Exceptional Tart Crusts
1. Keep it Cool -
A cool temperature during crust-making is key to keeping the butter
from melting. Start with very cold butter. Handle it with your hands
(a.k.a. heat machines) as little as possible, and allow the dough to
chill at various stages.
2. Use a Food Processor - This appliance is
our preferred method for making crusts. The blade cuts the flour and
butter together quickly returning a perfectly sized breadcrumb texture
with just a few pulses. The speed at which this happens allows the
butter to keep its chill. Mix the salt and flour together well prior to
adding the butter.
3. Add Cold Water -- While the dough
may be pliable and have a good consistency with just the flour and
butter, add the water. The water inspires the glutens in the flour and
forms a stronger micro-structure. Allow the dough to rest so that the
glutens have a chance to form.
4. Chill Out Regularly - Once a ball of
dough is formed, flatten it into a disk and chill in the refrigerator.
This serves two purposes - the butter's temperature is kept low, and the
flour has a chance to change character. After the crust is rolled out
and placed, chill the lined tart pans again prior to baking.
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A Key Tart Technique - Blind Baking Crusts
| Blind baking a tart or pie
crust is an essential technique to know and master. This technique is
used when a no-bake tart filling is chosen, or when a partially-baked
crust is needed. Follow these steps to blind bake a crust:
 1. Line the Pan with
the Crust Dough - Tarts typically have a thinner crust than a pie
- more toward a 1/8-inch thickness. Lap the crust over your rolling pin
and unfurl it on top of your tart pan. Finesse the crust into place
beginning with the middle of the pan. Make sure the crust fits snugly
into the edge of the pan by pressing the dough against the bottom edge
and sides.
2. Trim the Edge- Cut any excess dough away from the edge with the dull edge of a knife
or by carefully pressing the rolling pin across the top of the tart
pan. Unlike a pie crust, no pinching or manual edge work is needed.
3. Make Escape Holes - When the crust
bakes, steam is formed. Using a fork, prick holes in the bottom of the
crust before baking so that the steam can escape easily.
 4. Chill Out -
Chill the crust in the refrigerator or freezer for at least 15 minutes.
This allows the butter to harden again, and the crust to stiffen prior
to baking. If the crust is not allowed to chill at this stage, it will
slump and shrink during baking.
5.
Line and Weight - Line the inside of the crust with parchment
paper. We find that a neat trimming of this liner allows for even
browning of the crust. Place weights inside the liner to keep the crust
from ballooning during baking. Pie weights, small aluminum or ceramic pieces
specifically made for this task, may be used over and over again. Dried
beans are a doable substitute for pie weights.
6. Bake the Crust - In a hot oven,
400°F, bake the crust for about 10 minutes. During this time, the crust
will assume its final shape. Remove the crust from the oven, and
carefully remove the liner and pie weights. Return the crust to the oven
for another 5 minutes. This second session in the oven will further
bake the bottom of the crust to flaky perfection.
7. Sealing the Crust - To extend the
"shelf life" of tarts, sealing the crust will help keep it dry and flaky
once filled. Sealing may be accomplished in one of several ways
depending on your tart.
 (1) Brush the inside
of a hot crust with a beaten egg. Return the crust to the hot oven for 5
additional minutes to cook and set the egg. Take care in applying the
egg wash to fill the venting holes in the base of the crust. This type
of sealing is perfect for both fillings that are baked or unbaked. (2)
For sweet tarts with a no-bake filling, allow the crust to cool. Melt
1-2 oz. of either white chocolate or dark chocolate, whichever will
complement your tart's other flavors and appearance. Brush the melted
chocolate in a thin layer on the inside of the crust including the
sides, but not the visible rim. Again, check that all the venting holes
have been sealed by the chocolate. Chill the crust to harden the
chocolate before pouring in the filling.
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The Tart Finale
| With a great crust at hand,
the last two components of a fantastic tart are the filling and creating
an eye-catching top decoration.
 Fillings - We
separate tart fillings into two categories - those that require baking,
and those that do not. Most baked fillings are based on some variation
of an egg custard. Egg custards are simply beaten eggs combined with
cream, sour cream, or crème fraîche. The egg mixture easily accepts
savory additions of vegetables, meats, and cheeses. Alternatively, add
sugar and vanilla to the egg mixture and you have the perfect foil for
fruit tarts.
We're partial to no-bake fillings during the summer -
they're easy to stir together and allow the oven to stay off once the
crust is readied. No-bake fillings might include sweetened mascarpone
cheese, a lime or lemon curd, (jarred and readily available), or a
sweetened sour cream.
Decorate
the Top - With the filling, baked or no-bake in place, the "fancy
work" begins. Most savory tarts require little decorating other than a
simple garnish and the accompaniment of fresh greens. For fruit tarts,
the bright colors of summer fruits create instant charm. Follow these
steps:
 1.
Choose appropriate fruits. Summer berries and fruits are great for
tarts; avoid fruits that brown quickly, e.g., apples, pears, etc. Also
avoid overly juicy fruits such as oranges and other citrus. 2. Wash and pat dry the fruits. Allow
them to air dry a bit before slicing. Excess moisture challenges the
glazing step that follows. 3.Pick fruits that are similarly sized, or slice them to similar sizes.
This may mean that "the ends" or odd ones have to be eaten by the cook
on the spot. 4. Arrange
the fruits in a round tart pan by starting at the outside and working
your way inward to the center.
 The Ultimate
Finishing Secret - The secret to gorgeous fresh fruit tarts is
the glaze that enrobes the final fresh fruit layer. The simplest glaze
is melted jelly or preserves. Gently heat 1 cup of preserves. Just as it
melts, thin slightly with a tablespoon or two of water. Strain to
remove any fruit pieces or seeds. Brush and dab the melted preserves on
top of the fresh fruit taking care to also cover any spaces between
fruits. Chill for at least 20 minutes to set the glaze.
Apricot
preserves are often our glaze of choice because of its slightly tart
taste, (no pun intended), and because its subtle coloring allows the
fruits' natural coloring to predominant. Red currant jelly is another
favorite that we like to pair with red fruits.
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Smart Tart Making Tips
| Tip #1:
Prepared fillo dough
furnishes another great container for tarts. For an 8-10 inch tart, use
10-12 layers of fillo with clarified butter dabbed between each layer.
For small tartlets, 5-6 layers work well.  Use a very sharp knife or
scissors to trim the fillo to the pan. Tease the edges loose if they
crimp together during cutting. If you opt for frozen, pre-baked fillo
shells, freshen them with a swipe of clarified butter and a short stint
in the oven before filling.
Tip
#2: Prepared puff pastry in the freezer is a ready crust for
all styles of tarts and tartlets. Roll the dough out to 1/8-inch
thickness. Brush the edges with an egg wash for the best golden crust
effect.
Tip #3: The
sugar content of the crust will affect how quickly a crust browns. For a
rich, sweetened crust, you may opt to use a pie ring shield to slow
down the browning of the crust's edges.
 Tip #4: Keep at
least two pastry
brushes in your gadget drawer - one for savory uses such as garlic
butter, BBQ sauce, etc., and the other for sweet things, like painting
chocolate on tart crusts or applying jelly glazes. (No garlic overtones
allowed on a fresh fruit tart!).
Tip #5: Make your tart in stages - the crust may be baked
ahead of time, the filling mixed and refrigerated, and most fruits
washed and waiting. Do the final assembly near serving time. Tarts are
best when freshly assembled, AND eaten completely when served!
Tip
#6: Include kids when making tarts, especially at the decorating
stage. The "ohhs" and "ahhhs" will be great positive reinforcement for
their fledgling cooking skills.
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Q & A's
|  Q: What is treacle tart?
A: Treacle tarts are said to
be Harry Potter's favorite food. A treacle
tart is made with treacle, a type of syrup, along with lemon butter and
breadcrumbs in a basic shortcrust. 
Q: What is
Tarte Tatin?
A: A
Tarte Tatin is an upside-down apple tart. This now classic dessert
started out as kitchen disaster at a French hotel run by Stephanie and
Caroline Tatin. Apples coated in a sugar and butter mixture are placed
in the bottom of a pan and topped with a pastry crust. The tart is
inverted when served so that the apples land on top.
Q:
What's the difference between a pie and a tart?
A: Both pies and tarts have
pastry crusts and sport any number of fillings.
Generally, a tart has a single crust, an open top, and is thinner in
nature than a pie.
Q: Why is a
teaspoon of vinegar or lemon juice sometimes included in crust recipes?
A: It's said that the acidic quality
of vinegar or lemon juice inhibits the formation of long gluten strands
that form when the flour comes in contact with moisture. The result is a
flakier, tender crust.
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Cookbook Review
| Tarts, Sweet and Savory by
Maxine Clark. Photography by Martin Brigdale. Published by Ryland,
Peters & Small. New York, NY. Copyright 2007.
 In
the words of the first chapter's title, "Home is where the tart is,"
this charming book offers the reader everything they might want to know
about tart-making at home. Starting at the beginning, all types of
crusts are discussed ranging from basic shortcrust, to pâte brisée, and
pâte sucrée. We especially appreciated her presentation of puff pastry
and the "Cheat's Rough Puff Pastry Dough" recipe. With the crust
foundation firmly in place, savory tarts are featured as whole pies,
individual tarts, and petite tartlets with a wide range of flavorful
ingredients - Roquefort Tart, Potato and Parmesan Tart, Portobello
Mushroom and Tarragon Tart, and more. Sweet tarts follow with fresh
fruit playing starring roles - Classic Lemon Tart, Strawberry Vanilla
Tart, Free-form Caramelized Peach Tart, Apricot Tart, and many more. The
luscious photographs complete a beautifully assembled cookbook - a
perfect gift to pair with a tart pan.
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Three Dazzling Tarts
| Recipes excerpted from Tarts, Sweet and
Savory by Maxine Clark. Published by Ryland, Peters & Small.
New York, NY. Copyright 2007. Reprinted with permission of the
publisher. All rights reserved.
 Fresh Raspberry Tart
View & Print
The abundance of
summer's fresh raspberries begs for a spectacular, opulent presentation,
and this is it. The slightly sweet crust forms the foundation while a
no-bake filling of cream and sour cream provides the base for the
raspberries. A glaze of red currant jelly turns the berries into jewels
ready to be enjoyed.
 Chunky
Potato and Asparagus Tart
View & Print
This savory tart made
for the perfect brunch presentation. The dill-flavored crust paired well
with the new potatoes and asparagus. The egg and sour cream filling
linked it all together when baked to a beautiful golden hue. The result
was a delicious savory tart with a decidedly fresh flair.
 Strawberry Chocolate
Tarts
View & Print
These
miniature tarts provide about four bites of pure pleasure. The sweet
shortcrust lines individual tartlet pans, and a thin layer of dark
chocolate is applied. They're filled with sweetened mascarpone and cream
cheese with a perfect strawberry crowning each tart. A varnish of red
jelly puts a finishing shine on the presentation.
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The secret
