Best Shortbread Crust For Custard Tart Recipes

SHORTBREAD CRUST, SABLE BRETON CRUST

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 F (177 C). Prepare your pan by lightly oiling or lining with parchment paper.
• In the bowl or a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment, or a large bowl with a hand mixer, mix together all of the ingredients at once. The mixture will be very crumbly.
• Using damp hands, transfer the dough crumbs into the prepared dish and pat down evenly. Use a fork to dock the dough all over.
• Bake on the middle rack at 350 F (177 C). If the filling will need to be baked, par-bake the crust for 20-23 minutes until the edges are lightly browned. If the filling will not need to be baked, bake for 30-33 minutes until the crust is completely cooked and let cool completely.
• Use as the crust for lemon bars, cheesecake, ice box pie, fruit bars, etc.

BLUEBERRY AND VANILLA CUSTARD TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly butter a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.
• Mix flour, sugar, cinnamon, cream of tartar, and salt for crust together in a medium bowl until combined. Mix in melted butter, egg yolk, and vanilla until combined. Firmly press 2/3 of the mixture into an even layer in the bottom of the prepared tart pan. Sprinkle remaining 1/3 of the mixture around the edges, then press firmly and evenly into the sides of the pan, creating a slightly raised edge over the top. Lightly prick the bottom of the crust with a fork several times, not going all the way through.
• Mix egg white and water together until combined. Brush a light layer of egg white over the bottom of the crust. Place the tart pan onto a baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven just until the crust begins to brown, 25 to 27 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow crust to cool for 15 minutes. Leave the oven on.
• While crust is cooling, make the custard. Whisk together egg yolks, sugar, and salt until thick and light in color. Mix in vanilla extract. Gradually add heavy cream, mixing gently but thoroughly, to avoid incorporating too much air. Carefully pour custard into the cooled crust. (You may or may not have extra; just don't overfill.)
• Place tart back into the oven and bake until custard is just set and lightly browned, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature, at least 1 hour.
• While tart cools, make blueberry topping. Place blueberries and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until berries begin to burst and release their juices, about 15 minutes. Combine lemon juice and cornstarch in a small bowl or measuring cup. Add cornstarch mixture to the blueberries, stirring constantly, and cook until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
• When both the tart and the blueberries have cooled, carefully spoon blueberries over the top of the tart, and spread gently into an even layer. Place tart into the refrigerator and chill for at least 2 hours. Remove sides of tart pan, slice, and serve.

LEMON CURD TART

Steps:

• Mix the butter and sugar together in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until they are just combined. Add the vanilla. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and salt, then add them to the butter-and-sugar mixture. Mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a surface dusted with flour and shape into a flat disk. Press the dough into a 10-inch-round or 9-inch-square false-bottom tart pan, making sure that the finished edge is flat. Chill until firm.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Butter 1 side of a square of aluminum foil to fit inside the chilled tart and place it, buttered side down, on the pastry. Fill with beans or rice. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and beans, prick the tart all over with the tines of a fork, and bake again for 20 to 25 minutes more, or until lightly browned. Allow to cool to room temperature.
• Remove the zest of the lemons with a vegetable peeler or zester, being careful to avoid the white pith. Squeeze the lemons to make 1/2 cup of juice and set the juice aside. Put the zest in a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the sugar and process for 2 to 3 minutes, until the zest is very finely minced. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter with the sugar and lemon zest. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and then add the lemon juice and salt. Mix until combined.
• Pour the mixture into a 2-quart saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 10 minutes. The lemon curd will thicken at about 175 degrees F, or just below a simmer. Remove from the heat.
• Fill the tart shell with warm lemon curd and allow to set at room temperature.

CITRUS TART WITH SHORTBREAD ALMOND CRUST

Steps:

• Add the eggs and cream to a medium bowl and whisk together until combined.
• In a saucepan over medium heat, add the sugar, clementine juice, grapefruit juice and cornstarch. Cook, whisking, until the sugar dissolves, 3 to 5 minutes. Slowly add the egg-cream mixture and stir to combine. Cook, stirring continuously, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Pour the citrus custard into the prebaked Shortbread Almond Crust and refrigerate until set, about 4 hours or overnight.
• Remove the tart from the refrigerator, top evenly with Citrus Whipped Cream, and sprinkle with the citrus zest.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place the cookies and almonds into a food processor and pulse to chop fine. Add the sugar, cinnamon and salt and pulse to combine. Drizzle in the melted butter and process until the mixture holds together.
• Press the crust into a 9-inch fluted tart pan, evenly covering the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Refrigerate for 20 minutes, then bake until golden and crisp, 18 to 20 minutes.
• Cool completely on a wire rack before filling.
• In a large bowl, whip the heavy cream, confectioners' sugar and 1 tablespoon of the citrus zest until stiff peaks form.

SHORTBREAD PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Using your hands, mix butter, brown sugar, white sugar and flour together in a large bowl. Squeeze and work dough until it holds together. Press into three 9 inch pie pans and chill for 2 hours.
• Bake for 15 minutes, or until lightly brown around the edges.

PEACH CUSTARD PIE WITH SHORTBREAD CRUST

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°.
• Mix crust ingredients by hand or in a food processor until they form a ball.
• Pat out evenly into a buttered pie tin and bake for 10 minutes.
• Beat all other ingredients together except peaches.
• Take crust out of oven, arrange the peach slices on the crust and pour the filling over the peaches.
• Do not allow filling to pour over sides of crust.
• Reduce oven temperature to 350°.
• Cover pie with foil and bake for 35 minutes.
• Remove foil and bake for 10 minutes more or until the filling is set.
• The juicier the peaches, the more time the custard needs in the oven.