A classic French dough that is just perfect for tarts
About this recipe
Here's a recipe used by French chefs, a "pâte sablée" ("sandy dough), a Shortcrust Pastry that is crumbling, ideal for tarts that must remain soft
All the shortcrust pastry recipes are HERE
Here's the recipe video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_yfEzLEm2k
1. Start by sifting the Flour (1 ¾ Cup or 250 g) and the Salt (1 pinch) over the mixing bowl
Sifter for Baking
Flour Sifter
Large Stainless Steel Fine Mesh Strainer
KitchenAid 7-Quart Stand Mixer
Hamilton Beach Stand Mixer
2. Dice the Butter (⅔ Cup or 140 g)
3. Not longer than 10 minutes ! The butter must stay a bit cold in order to "sand" the flour
4. Butter must be softened but NOT MELTED OR MICROWAVED!
5. For the following steps, you may use a stand mixer like "Kitchen Aid" like on the photos, using the "Leaf" or "paddle", or just use some good old elbow grease
KitchenAid 7-Quart Stand MixerHamilton Beach Stand Mixer
6. In the mixing bowl, add in the Butter (⅔ Cup or 140 g) (softened but NOT MELTED OR MICROWAVED !), the Flour (1 ¾ Cup or 250 g) and the Salt (1 pinch)
7. Mix for 1 minute
8. The result is something bakers call "the sand"
9. Then continue mixing and add the Almond Flour (⅓ Cup or 30 g)
10. Sift the Icing Sugar (½ Cup or 95 g) and mix
11. About the Sugar : I recommend using Icing Sugar, but in case you can't, use regular Sugar
12. Still while mixing with the paddle, add in the Egg (1)
13. DO NOT ADD WATER : this would result in a dough that would shrink while baking ! It's a common mistake to add water
14. You will need to mix for a few seconds only. Beginners make the mistake to knead too long, which will make the crust too hard while baking
15. Even if the dough seems a little bit crumbling, stop kneading
Kneading and Stretching ("Frasage" in French)
16. You need to finish by stretch it with your hands on a work surface, just a couple times
17. Shape a ball with the dough
Resting in the fridge
18. We cannot use this dough right away, as it doesn't have the proper texture
19. You need to let it rest, covered with plastic wrap in the fridge for 2 hours or more
Hi Francois,
Do you need to blind bake ( put weight over) the crust for this dough ?
Does it raise too much which makes it out of shape ?
Thanks,
Dee
No, blind baking is required only in some recipes. For instance, if you are making a fruit tart with a Custard (creme patissiere), then as the custard is not baked in oven, there is no other choice than blind baking and then filling. In other recipes, this is not required, but is more rare
How do you make a chocolate version of this?
I have a chocolate recipe from Pierre Hermé :
Using the same technique, with those ingredients:
- 2 cups (280 g) AP Flour (all purpose)
- 1/3 cup + 1 TB (40 g) Cocoa Powder
- 1 3/4 sticks (200 g) (7 oz) Salted Butter
- 1/2 c (100 g) Sugar
Book "chocolate desserts by Pierre Hermé" page 99
Hope this helps
Do you used powdered sugar (or icing sugar) in the chocolate dough recipe?
I use regular sugar, but powder sugar works as well
I don't like almonds can I just leave the almond flour out?
I don't like almonds can I just leave the almond flour out? What can I replace it with?
you may substitute with flour
hello,
what time and temperature should this be baked at? thank u
Usually at 340 °F / 170 °C, until lightly golden.
Make sure to :
1- roll out the dough and place it onto your mold
2- rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour
3- Then bake