How to make tart cases


How to make tart cases
It's not easy to make beautiful, even tart cases, but here I'll let you into the secret of how the professionals do it.

You will see that there are a lot of little details that make all the difference. It's a bit technical, but don't worry, I'll guide you through the important points.
67 K 4.2/5 (12 reviews)
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Last modified on: October 3rd 2021
For 6 cases, you will need:

Change these quantities to make:
Times for this recipe
Preparation: 1 hour 6 min.
Resting: 45 min.
Cooking: 35 min.
All in all: 2 hours 30 min.
When should you start or finish this recipe?
If you start now, at , you will finish around : ?.Change start time
To finish around 7pm, you'll need to have started before: .Change end time

Step by step recipe


Stage 1 - 1 min.
How to make tart cases
We'll be using tart rings, preferably the micro-perforated thermoplastic type, 3" (80 mm) diameter. These are much more practical than the classic tins or moulds.

Space them out on a sheet of cooking parchment laid on a baking sheet.

Stage 2 - 5 min.
How to make tart cases
Roll out 300 g sweetcrust pastry (pâte sablée) really cold, straight from the fridge, to 1/8" (3 mm) thick. The best way to do this is to use a pair of pastry thickness guides.

Stage 3 - 6 min.
How to make tart cases
Use a 3" (80 mm) cutter (or one of the tart rings) to cut out circles from the sweetcrust pastry...

Stage 4 - 10 min.
How to make tart cases
...and place one in each ring.

Put the baking sheet in the fridge.

Gather the leftover pastry into a large rectangle and put in the freezer for 10 minutes, or refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Note: Throughout this recipe, as always with pastry, cold is your friend.

Stage 5 - 5 min.
How to make tart cases
After chilling, your pastry will have firmed up again. Roll out once more to 1/8" (3 mm) thick in a rectangle about 10" (25 cm) x 7" (18 cm).

Stage 6 - 6 min.
How to make tart cases
Cut 6 strips of pastry 1" (25 mm) wide, plus a spare one if you err on the side of caution.

Stage 7 - 5 min.
How to make tart cases
Lay the strips on another baking sheet and put in the freezer for 5 minutes, or refrigerate for 10 minutes.

Stage 8
How to make tart cases
Take out the tray of rings and put a strip of pastry into the first, vertically around the edge.

It will be a bit too long and will stand up above the top of the ring. This is normal and intentional.

Stage 9
How to make tart cases
Trim the end of the strip with scissors or a knife to just fit inside the ring.

Press the ends together to seal and make as neat as possible.

Stage 10 - 20 min.
How to make tart cases
Press around the bottom edge to seal the side and base together.

Stage 11 - 10 min.
How to make tart cases
Prepare each case like this, taking the strips out of the fridge only as you need them, to ensure they stay really cold.

Put the tray of cases back in the fridge for 30 minutes or in the freezer for 10 minutes.

Stage 12 - 8 min.
How to make tart cases
Preheat the oven to 320°F (160°C). Trim off the spare pastry around the tops of the rings with a small knife to give a perfect edge.

Note that we do this just before baking and while the pastry is really cold, to limit shrinkage during cooking.

Stage 13 - 25 min.
How to make tart cases
Trim all the cases like this, then bake without delay for 20 to 25 minutes.

Stage 14
How to make tart cases
Keep a close eye on them for the first 10 minutes, as there is a risk that the top edge of the pastry might droop, as shown in this photo.

If this happens, open the oven and use the back of a small spoon to gently push the pastry upright again.

Stage 15 - 1 min.
How to make tart cases
After 25 minutes, take the cases out, but leave the oven on.

Stage 16 - 3 min.
How to make tart cases
Remove the rings. Be careful, as these will be hot! The best way is to slip a fork under the edge of the ring, then lift it gently.

Stage 17
How to make tart cases
Tip: put the rings in to soak right away, then they will be easier to clean later.

Stage 18 - 5 min.
How to make tart cases
Use a brush to glaze the cases. Do this gently as they are still fragile (not fully cooked yet).

Stage 19 - 10 min.
How to make tart cases
Put them back in the oven for a further 10 minutes.

Stage 20 - 20 min.
How to make tart cases
Leave to cool on a wire rack.

Stage 21 - 6 min.
How to make tart cases
When cold, you can give your tart cases a professional finishing touch by "filing" them with a microplane grater to make them smooth and even.

Stage 22
How to make tart cases
This photo shows the case before filing (red arrow) and after filing smooth (green arrow).

Stage 23
How to make tart cases
Your finished tart cases are ready for filling.

Stage 24
How to make tart cases
Now you can see how professional they look with their smooth, even sides.

It takes effort, but the results are worth it.
Remarks
This method can be used with other kinds of tart pastry: shortcrust, sweet, etc.

A possible variation is to put the side band in first, then the base circle. This is the opposite way round and a little trickier, but gives a perfect edge around the base after baking.

The glaze applied in stage 18 has two functions: it gives a better colour, of course, but also protects the bottom of the tart from moisture in the filling, avoiding the need to seal the pastry with chocolate (chablonnage).
Source: Home made, though after long discussions on the subject with my baker friend Sébastien..
Nutritional information
Proteins (gr)Carbohydrates (gr)Fats (gr)Energy value (in k-calories)Energy value (in k-joules)
Whole recipe270 RDI=100 %1,520 RDI=140 %1,150 RDI=170 %17,500 RDI=880 %73,260 RDI: 880 %
Per 100 g80 RDI=30 %480 RDI=50 %360 RDI=50 %5,470 RDI=270 %22,890 RDI: 270 %
Per cases50 RDI=20 %250 RDI=20 %190 RDI=30 %2,920 RDI=150 %12,210 RDI: 150 %
The % figures are calculated in relation to the Recommended Dietary Intake , or RDI of 2,000 k-calories (or 8,400 k-joules) per day for a woman Change to a man
Possible allergens in this recipe: Gluten, Milk, egg, Nuts
How much will it cost?
  • For 6 cases : 1.60 €
  • Per cases : 0.30 €

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Note: Be careful, these prices are only an estimate, you can consult the table of prices by ingredients used for this estimate.
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