The Ingredients and Their Role

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Published 1984

I use all-purpose flour for tart doughs.
As in all pastries, unsalted butter provides the best taste.
Some part of an egg is used as liquid.
Granulated or powdered sugar may be called for. Powdered sugar has 3 percent cornstarch added to prevent its lumping, and besides affecting texture, it can affect flavor. Granulated sugar is generally used in doughs with more moisture.

The doughs in the recipes that follow may be used interchangeably.

Be sure to roll the dough so that it is no thicker than ⅛ inch; otherwise, it may not bake all the way through and may become soggy.
To roll sweetened dough evenly: Cut and glue strips of cardboard to form a ⅛-inch thickness. Place the dough between these strips and roll out until the dough is level with the top surface of the cardboard strips.
Fillings are thickened primarily to reduce sogginess. Cornstarch, tapioca and flour are the most commonly used thickeners. To reduce the possibility of sogginess, cook and store as the recipe directs. Acidity in the filling can break down thickeners, as can freezing.
To further reduce sogginess, brush a thin film of very soft unsalted butter or melted semisweet or bittersweet chocolate on the baked crust before adding juicy or thin fillings that don’t require baking, such as pastry cream, lemon curd or raw fruit. The butter or chocolate will not dissolve as would an apricot glaze or a washing of egg white.

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