Vanilla Sablé Tart Shell

A classic French vanilla sablé tart shell, inspired by a MasterClass session with French pastry chef.

Ingredients - makes 1 8-inch Shell

• Powdered sugar — ½ cup + 2 tablespoons (81 g / 2.9 oz)
• Unsalted butter, softened — 9 tablespoons (127 g / 4.5 oz), plus extra for buttering the tart ring
• 1 large egg (50 g / 1.8 oz)
• 1 vanilla bean
• All-purpose flour — 1½ cups (186 g / 6.6 oz), plus extra for dusting
• Cornstarch — ⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon (47 g / 1.7 oz)
• Kosher salt — ½ teaspoon (1 g / 0.04 oz)

Instructions

  1. Cream the butter and sugar:
    Add the softened butter and powdered sugar to a mixing bowl. Mix for about 30 seconds, until combined. Add the vanilla seeds to this mixture.
  2. Mix the dry ingredients:
    In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, and salt. You don’t need to sift them; just mix them together. 
  3. Add the egg:
    Add the egg to the butter and sugar mixture and mix until combined.
  4. Add the dry ingredients:
    Add the dry ingredients at the end and mix only until combined. Don’t overmix the dough—this helps keep the tart shell tender.
  5. Check the texture:
    The dough should have a texture similar to cookie dough.
  6. Chill the dough:
    Place the dough on a sheet of parchment paper. Cover it with another sheet of parchment paper and gently press it down, almost like wrapping a gift. Keep the dough flat on a tray and place it in the refrigerator to chill.
  7. Roll out the dough:
    Take the dough out of the refrigerator. Lightly flour your work surface and the dough, then quickly roll it out. The dough needs to stay cold so it doesn’t stick. If it starts getting warm or sticky, return it to the refrigerator.
  8. Chill again:
    Once you’ve finished rolling and shaping the dough, place it back in the refrigerator for a little while to cool down before baking.
  9. Save any leftover dough:
    Any remaining dough can be wrapped and stored in the refrigerator to use later.
  10. Prevent the dough from puffing up:
    If you don’t want to prick the dough with a fork, place a sheet of parchment paper over the tart shell and add rice, dried beans, or salt on top as weights.
  11. Bake:
    Bake at 176°C / 350°F for 15–20 minutes, or until the tart shell is light golden brown.

See what I've been up to in my Latest Posts!

Food & Drinks, WELLNESS

Fruit Tart Pastry Cream

This pastry cream is the perfect filling for a classic fruit tart. I learned through a MasterClass with French pastry chef.

Food & Drinks, WELLNESS

Vanilla Sablé Tart Shell

A classic French vanilla sablé tart shell, inspired by a MasterClass session with French pastry chef.

Food & Drinks, WELLNESS

Protein Crepes

A simple, high-protein crepe recipe made with egg whites, a little flour, milk or cream, and salt.

Destinations, TRAVEL

A Solo Week in Oahu, Hawaii: What I Did And Where I Stayed

A solo trip back to Oahu, staying right on Waikiki despite the "zoo" reputation

Destinations, TRAVEL

Napa and Sonoma Wine Country: A 2-Day Trip

A friend invited me on a trip and just like that I was on my way to Napa. Two days, one wine cave, a packed restaurant, a hotel vineyard trail, and a Sonoma winery so good I still tell people to go.

Destinations, TRAVEL

Chicago, Twice: A Language School Summer and a Winter Return

I first went to Chicago on my birthday in 2015, for a month of language school. I came back for a few days in the winter of 2019.