Basic Tart Dough

Total Time: 50 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tablespoons very cold water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, 1 stick cut into 1/4-inch cubes

Recipe

• 1 in a small bowl, stir together the egg yolk, water and vanilla; set aside.
• 2 to make the dough by hand, in a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar and salt. using a pastry cutter or 2 knives, cut the butter into the flour mixture until the texture resembles coarse cornmeal, with butter pieces no larger than small peas. add the egg mixture and mix with a fork just until the dough pulls together.
• 3 to make the dough in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, stir together the flour, sugar and salt in the mixer bowl. add the butter and beat on medium-low speed until the texture resembles coarse cornmeal, with butter pieces no larger than small peas. add the egg mixture and beat just until the dough pulls together.
• 4 transfer the dough to a work surface, pat into a ball and flatten into a disk. use the dough immediately, or wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled, about 30 minutes.
• 5 to roll out the dough, on a lightly floured board, flatten the disk with 6 to 8 gentle taps of the rolling pin. lift the dough and give it a quarter turn. lightly dust the top of the dough or the rolling pin with flour as needed, then roll out until the dough is about 1/8 inch thick. use a small, sharp knife to cut out a round or rounds 2 inches greater in diameter than your tart or larger tartlet pans. use a small, sharp knife or a cookie cutter to cut out rounds 1/2 to 1 inch greater in diameter than your miniature tartlet pans. if using a rectangular tart pan, cut out a rectangle 2 inches larger on all sides than the pan. makes enough dough for one 9 1/2-inch tart, six 4-inch tartlets, twelve 2-inch miniature tartlets or one 13 3/4-by-4 1/4-inch rectangular tart.