French Pastry Dough
Adapted from a recipe by Paule Caillat of Promenades Gourmands. In France, I used type 65 organic flour, which is similar to American all-purpose flour. Paule says that her students report back, saying that the dough works beautifully with American butter, too. Small cracks in the dough are normal so I wouldn’t use this for a thin, custardy filling, although it works well filled with chocolate ganache and I would imagine it would be lovely filled with fresh berries resting on a base of pastry cream. Do be careful with the hot bowl of butter. Not only will the butter spatter a bit when you add the flour, but it’s uncommon to have a very hot bowl on the counter and easy to simply give in the urge to grab it with your bare hands.
Adapted from a recipe by Paule Caillat of Promenades Gourmands. In France, I used type 65 organic flour, which is similar to American all-purpose flour. Paule says that her students report back, saying that the dough works beautifully with American butter, too. Small cracks in the dough are normal so I wouldn’t use this for a thin, custardy filling, although it works well filled with chocolate ganache and I would imagine it would be lovely filled with fresh berries resting on a base of pastry cream. Do be careful with the hot bowl of butter. Not only will the butter spatter a bit when you add the flour, but it’s uncommon to have a very hot bowl on the counter and easy to simply give in the urge to grab it with your bare hands.
- Carbohydrate 0.000600092592592593 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 1.13544685233877 g
- Fiber 0.00024537037037037 g
- Protein 0.000101388888888889 g
- Saturated Fat 0.0836325116099353 g
- Serving Size 1 1 inch (23 cm) tart shell (7g)
- Sodium 387.777908193746 mg
- Sugar 0.000354722222222222 g
- Trans Fat 0.0138193171355554 g
- Calories 10 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat the oven to 410° F (210° C).
- In a medium-sized ovenproof bowl, combine the butter, oil, water, sugar, and salt.
- Place the bowl in the oven for 15 minutes, until the butter is bubbling and starts to brown just around the edges.
- Remove the bowl from the oven (carefully, as it will be hot and the mixture might sputter), dump in the flour, and stir quickly until it forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
- Transfer the dough to a 9-inch (23 cm) tart mold with a removable bottom and spread it a bit with a spatula.
- Once the dough is cool enough to handle, pat it into the shell with the heel of your hand, and use your fingers to press it up the sides of the tart mold. Reserve a small piece of dough, about the size of a raspberry, for patching cracks.
- Prick the dough all over with a fork about ten times, then bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and, if there are any sizable cracks, use the reserved dough to fill and patch them. Pinch off a small amount, roll it gently between your fingers to soften it, then wedge it into the cracks, smoothing with your pinky.
- Let the shell cool before filling.
My French Pastry Adventure: A Simple Tart Shell Recipe
As a busy professional, finding time for hobbies and home cooking can be a real challenge. But this past weekend, I decided to escape the relentless emails and spreadsheets and embrace a bit of culinary escapism. I’d always been fascinated by French pastries, those delicate, flaky creations that seem to embody a certain effortless elegance. So I found a recipe, a beautiful recipe, actually, that sounded surprisingly simple, promising that even a novice like myself could achieve delightful results. The recipe was adapted from a French pastry chef, and the prospect of recreating a taste of France in my own kitchen was incredibly appealing.
The process itself was a delightful journey of discovery. The first step involved creating a simple tart shell. I followed the instructions meticulously, measuring out each ingredient with precision. The most interesting part of the process was creating the pastry dough itself – it involved placing the bowl with melted butter and other ingredients into the oven, creating a golden-browned, bubbly mixture. Then, you quickly combine this with the flour. The entire process felt almost magical, the transformation of simple ingredients into a cohesive dough, which was surprisingly easier than I'd anticipated. I carefully transferred the dough to my tart pan and, using the heel of my hand and my fingers, formed it into the desired shell shape. The result was rough around the edges; let’s be honest – my tart shell wasn’t perfectly smooth. But it was mine, a testament to my effort and a delightful small victory in the middle of a stressful week. I appreciated the beauty of simple things during this process and the rewarding experience of creating something beautiful with my own hands, from scratch.
Baking the shell was the final step, a tense 15 minutes where I anxiously watched the oven, waiting for the glorious golden-brown color to appear. The aroma that filled my kitchen during this time was simply heavenly – a warm, comforting scent that hinted at the delicious possibilities ahead. Once it was done, I let the shell cool completely, admiring its rustic charm and that slightly browned edges. This tart shell will be the foundation for various experiments next week, possibly filled with some berries, or a rich chocolate ganache. The world is my oyster.
This whole experience reminded me of the importance of slowing down and connecting with something creative. It was a small act of rebellion against the relentless demands of my daily routine, a moment of quiet satisfaction and self-care in the midst of the chaos. And the tart shell itself? It was delicious, a perfect balance of simple elegance, a fitting reward for a few hours of mindful baking.
Ingredients I used:
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 3 tablespoons water
- 85 g (3 ounces) unsalted butter (cut into pieces)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (I used canola)
- 160 g (5.5 oz or 1 rounded cup) flour
