Shrinking shells, uneven tops, an overworked dough… It only takes one or two simple missteps before the tart of your dreams can come crumbling down. To help you master the art of the crust, you’ll need a few tips and tricks from our very own Kirsten Tibballs.

Here are 6 of Kirsten’s best quick tips in tart making:

 

1. Don’t over mix your pastry dough.

Keep care and don’t over mix your dough. Over mixing your dough for too long will cause your pastry to shrink in the tart shell.

 

2. Chill your dough before you start rolling it out.

Like anyone, pastry needs down time, so make sure you rest it in the fridge before rolling. This allows the gluten strands to relax before the baking process and helps it retain shape when baking.

 

3. Make sure your pastry goes into the corners of your tart shell.

Why? – Pastry softens in the baking process and if you haven’t filled the base corners correctly the pastry will slide down into the corners, giving you an uneven top on your tart.

 

4. Don’t grease your shells.

It may sound different but when preparing your tarts, you should never need to grease the tart shells. In most commercial kitchens they don’t even wash them! It’s best just to wipe them over after each use.

 

5. Chill again and refrigerate!

The fridge can be your dough’s best friend, so once your tart shells are lined with pastry, refrigerate them again before trimming the top. This will ensure the top has a cleaner edge when baked and will keep your tart looking flawless.

 

6. Choose Silikomart.

The Silikomart tart rings are perforated which allows any trapped air to release. Solid tart rings often trap air, which expands when heated and may create a divot on the side of your tart shell. Silikomart’s perforated tart rings and thermoplastic crush-proof material provide a much more even back than standard tart rings.

 

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