Making Prebaked Single-Serving Tart Shells

Roll the dough into a cylinder and slice it 1 tartlet at a time (each is one-sixth of the dough).

If they are hard, pound the rounds of dough to soften them.

Roll each ⅛ to ¼ inch thick. Check the dough with a tartlet ring—there should be about 1 inch extra dough all around.

Press the dough into the corners of the ring.

Press the extra dough that surrounds the tartlet about ⅓ inch toward the center and press down on the rim to cut through the dough and hold it in place.

Roll over the tartlet with a rolling pin to detach the excess dough. Pinch the excess dough around the tartlet to reinforce the walls and form a border.

Slide the tip of a paring knife between the rim and the dough right along the edges to make the ring easier to remove once the tart is baked.

Line the shells with parchment paper or aluminum foil and fill with dried beans. Bake until the edges are golden, remove the beans, and finish baking.

If you’re using the shells to hold liquid, brush them with egg wash or flour-and-water paste and bake for 5 minutes more to seal them.