shrink-proofing tart dough
Seeing as I complain mercilessly when I am convinced that I am not now nor will ever be skilled at making tart dough that doesn’t shrink or, as I say, “gives me noise,” it seems only fair that I tell you of the really-not-newsworthy–but still very exciting to me, and hopefully therefore you too–breakthrough I had with my pastry crust on Thanksgiving. Yes, the one three weeks ago. What? I don’t like to be rushed.
Little did I know that the road to shrink-free, or practically shrink-retardant crusts would be such a painless one. Even worse, I already knew about this technique, having seen it on Baking With Julia on PBS a while back, but had tucked this information in some inaccessible pocket of my brain, probably the part that knows which super-urgent errand I was supposed to run last night that slipped my mind. It always remembers the exchange to use if you’re out of buttermilk, cake flour or baking powder; also: birthdays. It doesn’t digress mid-paragraph.
The technique is remarkably simple, and involves anchoring the top edge of a tart crust to the top of the tart pan with a small coil of dough. Once you’ve placed and docked your rolled-out pate brisee or sucre in your tart pan, instead of trimming its edges flush with the top edge of the pan, leave an inch of overhang. Pinching it slightly with your fingers, it will be easy to roll and then prop on top of the edge. As the tart shell goes in for its blind- and then final baking and so desperately wants to shrink, this edge keeps it in place. I decorated mine with lines created with the back of a knife, but any pinch or crimp will do.
I found this technique an especially big relief when I made additional cranberry caramel and almond tarts on Thanksgiving and, for once, didn’t have a ton of extra filling because the crust had shrunk so badly, it no longer held it. Compare the one I trimmed flush with the one I created this coil for:
The only downside to this technique is the fragility associated with a small, easily breakable edge. The pan will be difficult to turn in the oven (if your oven bakes unevenly, but whose doesn’t?) without knocking your oven mitt into it, so it is best (really, as always) to bake your tart on a baking sheet. It also requires that you use a removable bottom tart pan, rather than a springform ring, so you can lift this crust right out of its pan.
But these caveats have nothing on the relief I feel that I have finally made some headway in the Deb Versus Shrinking Tart Dough saga. Hey, we all pick our battles, right? Now, about that errand…
Molly/Orangette’s Onion Tart was the proud and delicious model for this technique. I have made this twice now, and it is, without fail, a knock-out hit. The only adjustments I make are adding a pinch of cayenne, because I love its kick contrasted with the sweetness of the onions and I opt for a slower, even longer onion caramelization process, because I’m a lily-gilder, okay?
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Congrats on your victory, Deb! I’ve definitely been struggling right along with you to beat pastry shells into submission. As for that part of your brain that is unyeilding in its tucked-away knowledge, I thank you for forcing mine to release Molly’s tart, which I’d planned on making ages ago.
Onion tart looks great. I made a similar one from the Once Upon a Tart cookbook last year. It included a few chopped herbs, I think rosemary or thyme. For a sweet tart crust, I had some recent success with Dorie Greenspan’s pate sablee. It gets pressed into the pan rather than rolled, and you put it in the oven frozen.
I could go to town on that onion tart. Few things in this world I like better than onions.
Oooh… If you don’t mind me prodding your brain, what is the substitution for buttermilk?
For one cup of buttermilk: 1 cup milk + 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice. Let it sit out for 10 minutes. When it look curdled and utterly nauseating to someone whose name rhymes with Schmalex, it’s done!
OH I think I need to get into my kitchen to bake a tart! The pictures make my mouth water!
while you’ve got my mind on all things pie-like, let me thank you for your Special Thanksgiving Edition A to my Q about an alternative pumpkin-pie recipe. I made three pies, essentially Libby’s plus a dough with bunches of ginger snaps smashed and pressed into it after forming in the pan. What can I say, adding smashed cookies made a well-liked pie even better. Maybe not for under carmelized onions, but, hmm…crunchy!
It’s a beautiful thing Deb!
i would happily eat even a shrunken onion tart. :-) good tip though!!!
This looks beautiful! I have always struggled with pie crust. I have never made a tart crust before but I’m sure I would struggle with that as well. Do you have a favorite recipe you use for your tart crusts?
just something a little humerous. oh, how i love sandra lee.
http://www.cooksrecipes.com/breakfast/macaroni_and_cheese_breakfast_pie_recipe.html
(speaking of sandra lee and humour, check out her instructions on how to write passionate love letters:
http://sandraleeonline.com/webmagazine/issue_valentine/articles/loveletters.htm )
semi-enjoy!
This could not have come at a better time - I am making the cranberry tart for my Hanukkah party this weekend, and having not much experience with tarts, I was a little worried. But I will definitely try this method!
Such beautiful tarts yet again! I need to get me some tart pans! And I couldn’t help checking out Quedish’s link to Sandra Lee’s love letter instructions. I found this especially useful : “Avoid spelling or grammatical errors; accuracy shows you care.” Thanks for the laugh Quedish!
oh my gosh! i had SUCH a time with shrinkage when i made your maple cream tart that i was too embarassed to bring it with us to thanksgiving and ended up eating half of it the very night i made it just to get rid of the evidence of my ineptitude! i thought it was me! but it is all of us! thank you for this tip!!!!!
Hi. long time reader, first comment - I love your website and especially the pictures! I made this onion tart for a Christmas Eve dinner, with the lovely coil around the edge and it was a huge success. SO easy! Happy New Year and keep up the great site! Thanks.