Pâte Sucrée - French Sweet Tart Crust (pastry dough)

1. Soft icing sugar – note for those of you in Australia, this recipe calls for SOFT Icing Sugar, not Pure Icing Sugar (which sets hard, like for royal icing). The icing sugar packet will be labelled “soft” or “pure icing sugar.

2. “Almond meal” is called “ground almonds” in some countries. Not to be confused with “almond flour” which is more finely ground.

3. Eggs – sold standardised as “large eggs” (labelled on carton). They are 55-60g / 2 oz each. Ensure they are at room temperature so they incorporate into the mixture properly (cold eggs into creamed butter = butter can solidify = not good!)

4. Rubbing butter in: Alternatively you could pulse in a food processor, but I find it therapeutic using hands and also it really doesn’t take that long – ~2 min

5. Storage: Keeps 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge (for very warm weather) or pantry (if mild weather).

Dough can also be made and left in the fridge overnight. Leave out on counter for 20 – 30 min (or longer if required) to soften slightly so you can roll it out easily.

6. Using: Suitable for use with fillings that require baking once filled (eg Pistacchio Pear Tart) or raw fillings (ie fill then serve without baking). If using for raw fillings, increase covered bake time from 15 to 20 minutes, and uncovered bake time from 5 to 10 minutes.

7. Nutrition – Nutrition is for the whole tart shell.