Pie and Pastry Bible (116 page)

For a 4- by 1¼-inch-high tartlet:
Cut the pastry into a 5-inch circle. (You will need about 1½ ounces/44 grams of dough.) It will be large enough to hold a generous ¼ cup of filling.

For a 4¾- by ¾-inch-high tartlet:
Cut the pastry into a 6-inch circle. (You will need 2½ ounces/72 grams of dough.) It will be large enough to hold ¼ to
cup of filling.

BAKING BLIND

Puff pastry lining a tart pan needs to be weighted with serious weights to hold it down. I like to use copper pennies because they are less expensive than scrap metal pie weights and are also the best conductor of heat. To my knowledge, there is no law against baking your money as long as it’s coins!

Line the pastry with parchment or a cup-shaped coffee filter, pleating it as necessary. Place the tart pan (or pans) on a baking sheet and fill with the pennies. Bake in a preheated 400°F. convection oven (425°F. in a conventional oven) for 15 to 20 minutes or until set. Remove the parchment or filter with the weights. Prick the bottom and sides of the shell(s) and continue baking for about 5 minutes or until golden. Turn off the oven and leave the tart(s) in it with the door ajar for 5 minutes. Remove the tart pan(s) to racks and allow to cool completely. Puff pastry unmolds easily. Unmold tart shells before filling them.

CLASSIC PUFF PASTRY

The average puff pastry, which is given 6 “turns,” or folds, has 729 layers. I like to give the pastry a total of 7 turns, forming 2187 layers, because the resulting pastry is incredibly light and flaky.

Single turns (folding the dough like a business letter) as opposed to the newer double turns (bringing the two ends of the dough to meet in the center and then folding the dough in half) make it easier to control the shaping and layering of the pastry, so it will rise more evenly when baked. Although the actual working time is short, you will need to be around for a four-hour period to complete the turns.

The finished pastry must be allowed to rest refrigerated for at least two hours. If it will not be used by the next day, it can be frozen for months.

THE DÉTREMPE (DOUGH)
(AMOUNTS FOR THE LARGER QUANTITY ARE IN BRACKETS)

Place 2 tablespoons (i ounce) [4 tablespoons/2 ounces] of the butter in a mixing bowl and refrigerate the remainder. Add 1 cups (7 ounces) [2
cups/14 ounces] of the flour and the salt. Rub this mixture between your fingers until it is very fine and grainy and no lumps of butter are discernible, about 5 minutes. Add 6 tablespoons [¾ cup] of the water and the lemon juice and stir gently with a fork to incorporate. The dough should be soft and clumpy. If necessary, add some of the remaining water by droplets.

Dump the dough out onto a floured surface and gently knead only until the dough holds together and looks fairly smooth. It should not become too elastic, or it will be difficult to roll. Cover the dough and allow it to rest for 20 minutes at room temperature or up to 24 hours well wrapped and refrigerated.

PUFF PASTRY

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