Used by so many French pastry chefs for so many French tarts, this is the dough that I turn to automatically when I've got a tart on my mind. Know as pâte sablée, it's really a sweet cookie dough, the one you'd use to make a tender sablé or shortbread cookie. <br /> <br />I always prebake the crust even if it's going to get another long bake with the filling, because I like the resulting color, flavor, and texture—and the fact that the bottom won't be soggy. <br /> <br />I used a fluted tart pan with a removable base. If all you've got is a pie plate, don't let that stop you. <br /> <br />A word on rolling versus pressing: You can roll the crust out and fit it into the tart pan or just press it in. I roll the dough. Rolling gives you a thinner crust than pressing, so if you press, you might occasionally find yourself with a little filling left over. <br /> <br />Storing: Well wrapped, the dough can be kept for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 2 months. While the fully baked crust can be packed airtight and frozen for up to 2 months, I prefer to freeze the crust fitted into the pan but not baked and then bake it directly from the freezer—it will have a fresher flavor, just add about 5 minutes to the baking time. <br /> <br />Reprinted from <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Baking-Chez-Moi-Recipes-Anywhere/dp/0547724241">Baking Chez Moi</a href> (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2014).

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