American Cuisine
Crusts ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups plain flour.
- 2 tbsp sugar.
- ¾ tsp salt.
- ¼ sticks (10 tbsp) very cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces.
- 2 ½ tbsp very cold vegetable shortening, cut into 2 pieces.
Cream ingredients:
- 2 cups milk
- 6 large egg yolks.
- ½ cup sugar.
- ⅓ cup cornstarch, sifted.
- 1 ½ vanilla essence.
- 3 ½ tbsp unsalted butter, cut into bits at room temperature.
- Seeds from 2 pomegranates.
Crusts directions:
- Put the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Using a paddle attachment, turn the mixer on for a few seconds to
combine the dry ingredients.
- Scatter the pieces of butter and shortening over the dry ingredients
and mix over low speed until the butter is coarsely cut in, it should have some
pieces the size of oatmeal fakes and others the size of peas.
- While the dough is mixing, slowly add 3 tbsp of cold water, let the
dough mix again, and then add some more water. Keep going that way until the
dough is able to stick together when pinched.
- Shape dough into a disk, cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for 1
hour.
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Divide the dough into 5 pieces.
- Roll the dough out on a floured surface. Make sure that the dough are
turned over frequently while constantly keeping the counter floured.
- Slide the rolled dough into the fridge for about 20 minutes to rest
and firm up.
- Fit dough into 5 buttered 3" pie plates; cut excess dough to a ¼"
or ½" overhang.
- Fold dough under itself, so that it hangs over the edge just a tad,
and flute or pinch the crust to make a decorative edge.
- Butter the shiny side of 5 pieces of big aluminum foils, buttered side
down, tightly against the crust and fill with dried beans or pie weights.
- Put the pie plate on a baking sheet and bake crusts for 25 minutes.
- Carefully remove the foils and weights, and if the crusts have puffed,
use a spoon to press it down gently.
- Return the crusts to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes.
- Transfer the crusts to a rack to cool.
Cream directions:
- Bring milk to a boil in a saucepan.
- Whisk the egg yolks, cornstarch and sugar in another sauce pan until
think and blended.
- Still whisking, pour ¼ of the hot milk into the mixture; this will
temper or warm the yolks so they won't curdle.
- Whisking all the while, pour the remaining milk, and then put the pan
over medium heat.
- Whisking vigorously and constantly, bring the mixture to a boil.
- Keep at a boil, still whisking for 1 to 2 minutes, then remove the pan
from the heat.
- Whisk in vanilla essence. Let’ it sit for 5 minutes.
- Whisk in the butter, stirring until they are incorporated and the
pastry cream is smooth and silky.
- Scrape the cream into a bowl, and then cover the surface with a piece
of cling wrap.
- keep it in the fridge until the cream is cold.
- Spoon the pastry cream on the crusts, top with pomegranate seeds.
- Sift some icing sugar over the tarts, and serve.