Pies, Tarts, and Other Pastries

I have included only two basic types of crust: my favorite Perfect Flaky and Tender Cream Cheese Pie Crust, and the Sweet Cookie Tart Crust (Pâte Sucrée), several variations of which appear throughout this chapter. This is not so much for simplicity’s sake or in consideration of book real estate as the fact that despite all of the delicious pie crusts in my repertoire, the cream cheese crust is the one I always choose. I find no other pie crust to be its equal in flavor and ease of use. It rolls like a dream and keeps its shape the best. The sweet cookie crust is ideal for tarts that will be unmolded from the pan and pies that will be chilled or frozen because it is more tender and stays crisper than the flaky pie crust.