Sweet Tart Shell

Dough

• 1/2 cup Butter, softened
• 1/2 cup Icing (powdered) sugar
• 1 Egg yolk
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups All-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp Salt

Dough

1. Cream the butter and icing sugar until smooth, then beat in the egg yolk and vanilla.
2. Mix in the flour and salt just until the dough comes together into a smooth ball. (Tip: Unlike pie dough, a little more mixing here is fine — this dough wants some structure to hold its shape, not flaky layers.)

Chill

1. Flatten into a disc, wrap, and chill until firm.
2. Chill the shaped shell again — this relaxes the gluten and helps it hold its shape in the oven.

Shape

1. Roll out on a floured surface to about 1/8 inch thick and press into a 9-inch tart pan, trimming the excess and pressing firmly up the fluted sides.

Blind bake

1. Line with parchment, fill with pie weights or dried beans, and bake at 175°C (350°F) until the edges are set. (Tip: The weights are what stop the sides from slumping down as the butter melts — an empty shell will buckle without them.)
2. Remove the weights and parchment and continue baking until the base is golden and dry.