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Tart Shell

3.8

(2)

Active time: 25 min Start to finish: 2 3/4 hr (includes chilling)

Cooks' note:

• Dough can be chilled up to 1 day.

Recipe information

  • Total Time

    2 3/4 hr

  • Yield

    Makes enough dough for 1 (10-inch) tart shell

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons cold vegetable shortening
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 to 4 tablespoons ice water

Special Equipment

a pastry or bench scraper; a 10- by 1-inch round tart pan with a removable fluted rim; pie weights or raw rice

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Blend together flour, butter, shortening, and salt in a bowl with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor) until mixture resembles coarse meal with some small (roughly pea-size) butter lumps. Drizzle evenly with 2 tablespoons ice water and gently stir with a fork (or pulse in processor) until incorporated.

    Step 2

    Squeeze a small handful: If it doesn't hold together, add more ice water, 1/2tablespoon at a time, stirring (or pulsing) until just incorporated, then test again. (Do not overwork mixture, or pastry will be tough.)

    Step 3

    Turn out mixture onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 4 portions. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once or twice in a forward motion. Gather dough together with scraper and press into a ball, then flatten into a 5-inch disk. Chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 1 hour.

    Step 4

    Roll out dough with a floured rolling pin into a 14-inch round on a lightly floured surface, then fit into tart pan. Trim excess dough, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang, then fold overhang inward and press against side of pan to reinforce edge. Lightly prick bottom and sides of shell with fork. Chill 30 minutes.

    Step 5

    Preheat oven to 425°F.

    Step 6

    Line shell with foil and fill with pie weights. Bake in middle of oven until pastry is set and golden, about 12 minutes. Carefully remove foil and weights and bake shell until golden all over, 5 to 10 minutes more. Cool shell in pan on a rack.

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