Sweet Tart Dough Recipe

A crust that holds its own against all kinds of sweet fillings

This is the crust I use for everything sweet – it’s perfect for all kinds of fillings, from fruits to custards and creams. It bakes to a beautiful golden brown and it’s full of character – no matter how distinctive your filling, this crust will hold its own. And baked in a fluted tart pan, the kind with a removable bottom, it will unmold easily and always look tidy.

This is pretty much the same dough I made when I took my first pastry class, although then we made it by hand (we made everything by hand, including brioche – a story for another day). It is quite French and very much like a sablé, a buttery shortbread cookie. My original recipe had only confectioners’ sugar in the dough, but I recently began replacing 2 tablespoons of the powdered sugar with granulated sugar, adding a teensy bit of crispness to the tender crust. Scroll to the end of the recipe for the classic.

I also recently began treating the crust more the way I’d treat a cookie – I flavored it with vanilla and lemon zes…