Tart Base (Blind Baking)

Making the sweet shortcrust pastry is one thing, but now it’s time to use it 🙂

Here, I will show you how to prepare a baked tart base to use for recipes in this blog. This includes the fruit tart with pastry cream, lemon tart and lemon meringue. Honestly, you can put anything in this to make your own dessert.

The method described below is used for the common home baker where all you really need is a loose-bottomed tart base, baking paper, rice/beans or chickpeas and a rolling pin. There are other techniques for the pastry enthusiasts that doesn’t require blind baking but does require more fancy equipment. This will be shared soon on this blog.

Check out my Instagram @food.bysaba for ideas on tarts using this tart base.

Here is a short clip of how it is done with full instructions below:

Tart Base (Blind Baking)

This tart base is perfect for tarts filled with pastry cream or lemon curd. In fact, perfect for any dessert tart you wish to make. It's crumbly, slightly sweet and has a melt in the mouth texture when made well. It's not difficult to make provided you stick to a few rules.

Prep Time 15 mins

Chill Time 30 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Total Time 1 hr 5 mins

Course Dessert

Servings 1 tart base

Equipment

• Rolling Pin
• Loose-Bottomed Pastry Tin (24 cm diameter, 2.5 cm depth)
• Rice/Beans or Baking Beads

Ingredients

  

• 400 g sweet shortcrust pastry, chilled (link to recipe provided above)

Instructions

 

• List of ingredients…
  
• Place pastry on lightly floured benchtop and lightly flour top of pastry.
  
• Roll out the pastry into a large 32 cm diameter circle at a thickness of 5 mm (see Notes).
  
• Use the pastry tin as a guide to see you have enough pastry to completely line the inside of it.
  
• Use your rolling pin to roll the dough onto it, which will make it easier to transfer later.
  
• Loosely and carefully place the pastry over the tin. Using your hands, allow the pastry to fall into the sides and bottom of the tin while lightly pressing into the sides (see Notes).
  
• Use the rolling pin to trim the pastry edges by gently, but firmly roll across the top of the tin.
  
• Return to fridge to chill for at least 30 min.
  
• Preheat fan-forced oven to 180°C. Position the oven rack in the middle of the oven.
• Remove chilled tart base from fridge and prick the pastry base and sides with a fork (allows steam to escape during baking).
  
• Crush a sheet of baking paper into a ball and then open it and lay it inside the pastry base. Ensure it fits snuggly inside the base and sides. Also, make sure it overhangs the edges.
  
• Spread a layer of rice/beans or baking beads over the baking paper and ensure it rests firmly against the sides and bottom of the base.
  
• Place in oven and bake blind for 10 min.
• Remove the baking paper with the rice/beans or baking beads and return the tart base back into the oven. Bake until the center of the pastry begins to colour (approx 8-10 min).
• Remove from oven and rest for 2 min in the tin.
• Finally remove the tart base from the tin and place on wire rack to cool completely.
  

Notes

• When removing the dough from the fridge, let it sit for 5 min at room temperature before rolling.
• When rolling the dough, it may crack around the edged. You can simply just use your fingers to mend the cracks and keep rolling.
• Don’t be shy to use flour while rolling the pastry and keep turning and flipping while rolling.
• When lining the pastry tin, do not force or stretch the pastry into the side and bottom. It will shrink when baking. Allow it to fall in guiding it with your hands and then press in.
• When pressing in the pastry into the sides of the tin, you can use a small ball of dough which is softer than using your fingers.