For one 20cm shell
- 115 g butter, softened
- 70 g icing sugar
- 25 g almond or hazelnut powder
- 1 g salt
- 45 g eggs
- 190 g flour T65
- 60 g potato starch (or cornstarch)
The standard base for French tarts. Grolet uses the crémage method — butter and sugar first — which gives a more tender, even crust than the sablage approach. The starch keeps it short without toughness. The long freeze before baking is the single most reliable insurance against shrinkage.
Method
Crémage
- In the mixer with the paddle, cream butter with icing sugar, almond powder, and salt until combined — do not whip to a mousse.
- Add egg gradually to emulsify. Add flour and starch all at once, mix until just homogeneous. Stop immediately — overworking develops gluten.
- Shape into a flat disc, wrap, refrigerate at least 4h. Overnight is better.
Fonçage
- Roll to 3mm on a lightly floured surface. Line the ring, pressing firmly into the corners without stretching. Trim flush with the top.
- Freeze at least 2h before baking — this is what prevents shrinkage. The longer the better.
- Bake blind at 165°C for 30 min (tartelettes: 25 min). No need to line with weights if the dough is well-frozen — it holds its shape.
- Finish edges with a Microplane if needed. Brush with syrup or egg wash for a glossy finish.
Background
Crémage (butter + sugar first) versus sablage (butter + flour first) is the main point of divergence between tart dough methods. Crémage produces a slightly more tender, even texture — the butter coats the sugar granules before the flour goes in, limiting gluten development from the start. Sablage produces a flakier, more crumbly result. Grolet uses crémage consistently across his tart bases.
The starch (fécule de pomme de terre or maïzena) lightens the dough and reduces toughness without making it brittle. It also improves colour in the oven. The long chill relaxes the gluten network built up during mixing — skipping it means the dough will fight back when rolled and contract during baking. Freezing the lined ring locks the shape. A frozen ring going into a hot oven holds its walls cleanly; an un-frozen one will slump.
Mistakes I've Made
- Skipping the 4h rest. The dough cracks when rolling and the shell shrinks in the oven. The rest is not optional.
- Rolling too thick. 3mm is the target — thicker and the shell tastes doughy; thinner and it breaks on unmoulding.
- Not freezing the lined ring. Even 30 min in the freezer makes a visible difference to edge shrinkage. 2h is the minimum.
- Overworking after adding flour. Develops gluten and makes the dough elastic and tough. Stop as soon as it comes together.
Sources
- Pâte Sucrée —
- Workshop Tarte Fraise —
- Tartelettes Pécan | Yann Couvreur —