Savoury, classic, gluten-free and chocolate tart: master the basics and stamp your own signature on this patisserie staple.
A tart is a tart, right? Wrong. The classic French tart has come a long way in recent years and, thanks to experimental pastry chefs, has surged in popularity.
The clever cookies behind Melbourne’s LuxBite, Bernard Chu and Yen Yee, even dedicated an entire store to tarts – and business is booming. There is no coffee, no tea, no brunch, no seats, just 10 kinds of tarts everyday.
The pair’s Asian-French influences have led to drool-worthy flavours such as calamansi-lime curd with jackfruit and chilli salt, topped with meringue and kaffir lime sherbet.
Meanwhile, Sydney’s Textbook Patisserie combines traditional with contemporary: their pecan tart with toasted apple marshmallow among the most popular. And, no tart lover worth their salt would go past Adriano Zumbo’s passionfruit tart. With a pate friable base and red and yellow airbrush finish, it’s as much art as it is a pastry.
“Tarts are the pastry item to master in the current market,” executive pastry chef at Shangri La Sydney Anna Polyviou says, fresh off the back of her Masterchef guest spot.
“They are an absolute winner for pastry chefs, because once you master the basics of the crust, and get the right crumb, you can use it as a canvas to be as wild and crazy as you want.
“Take the classic lemon tart. You’ve got flavours that refresh, which make it a versatile product for a patisserie, a café or a restaurant. It’s elegant and classic on its own, but fun and impressive when dressed up with micro herbs, grated zest and mandarin hearts.
“The tart is a recipe to make your own. C’mon, everyone’s doing it!”
THE CLASSIC TART
WHAT YOU NEED
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup flour
• 6 tablespoons butter (cold and cut into pieces)
• 1 egg (beaten)
Makes 6 mini chocolate tarts
WHAT TO DO
• In a large mixing bowl combine flour, sugar,and salt. Add the butter and combine with a pastry blender until it resembles a coarse meal with pea-sized pieces.
• Drizzle the beaten egg over the mixture and blend with a fork. Once dough has come together, remove from the bowl and onto a floured surface.
• Knead the dough a couple times until it’s smooth and combined. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
• When ready to use, allow the doughto sit at room temperature for roughly 5-10 minutes.
• Divide the dough into six equal balls. Roll out each ball into a circle just larger than your tart pan.
• Carefully press the dough into each chocolate tart pan, use a fork to pierce the bottom a few times, and bake at 190°C for 15-20minutes, or until crust is golden brown.
THE SAVOURY TART
Makes 575 grams | Prep Time 10 minutes + 50 minutes resting
“So buttery and short, this pastry works really well with a lovely three-cheese tart, or the classic quiche Lorraine. I learned the recipe from Maggie Beer’s cookbooks; I have devoured every word she has ever written!
“The secret is to make sure the butter is super cold when adding it into the flour, and to give the pastry a good rest after using it to line your tin.” – Simmone Logue
WHAT YOU NEED
• 150g chilled salted butter
• 300g plain flour, sifted, plus extra for dusting
• 125g sour cream
WHAT TO DO
• Chop the chilled butter into chunks, then place in a foodprocessor with the flour. Pulse until the butter is the size of cherries. Add the sour cream and pulse again, until just incorporated.
• Turn out onto a cool, floured surface and form the doughinto a rectangle. Cover and leave to rest in the fridge for 20 minutes.
• Roll out to the shape and thickness directed in yourrecipe, then press into your pie or tart tin. Trim the pastry edges, then rest in the fridge again for 30 minutes, before baking and filling according to your recipe instructions.
Recipes and images from In the Kitchen by Simone Logue (Murdoch Books) 39.99
THE CHOCOLATE TART
WHAT YOU NEED
11/2 cups flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup butter (cold, cut into pieces)
4-6 tablespoon ice water
Makes 1 large tart
WHAT TO DO
• Combine the flour, cocoa powder, and sugar together in a mixing bowl.
• Cut the butter into the mixture witha pastry blender until it resembles a coarse meal.
• Add 4 tablespoons of water and combine with a fork. Continue to add water until dough comes together. Remove dough from mixing bowl and knead a few times on a lightly floured surface.
• Cover the dough with plastic wrap and place in therefrigerator for at least 2 hours.
• When ready to use, remove the dough and let it stand at room temperature for at least 5-10 minutes. Preheat the oven to 190°C.
• Roll out the dough on a piece of floured parchment paper until it’s roughly 12 inches in diameter.
• Carefully press the dough into the tart pan, prick the bottom a few times with a fork, and bake for 20 minutes.
• Remove and let the crust cool before filling.
THE GLUTEN FREE TART
WHAT YOU NEED
• 2 cups almond flour
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 tablespoons butter (cold, cut into pieces)
• 1 egg (beaten)
Makes one large tart
WHAT TO DO
• In a mixing bowl, combine the almond flour and salt. Add the butter and combine it with the almond flour with a pastry blender until it resembles a coarse meal.
• Drizzle the beaten egg over the mixture and blend with a fork until combined.
• Cover and refrigerate until ready to use, or at least 1-2 hours.
• When you’re ready to use it, remove fromrefrigerator and let the dough stand at room temperature for 5-10 minutes. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Press the dough into your desired tart pan and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until edges are golden.
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