Sweet Buttery Tart Crust

1. Sift flour, sugar and salt into a mixing bowl. Cut chilled sweet
butter into pieces into the bowl. Using your fingertips, rapidly rub the
butter and dry ingredients together until th mixture resembles course meal.
Be careful to use only your fingertips as your palms will warm the dough.
2. Stir egg yolks, vanilla and water together and add to the flour-
butter mixture and blend in, using a fork. Shape dough into a ball. This
should not take more than 30 to 45 seconds.
3. Place the ball of dough onto a pastry board. With the heel of your
hand, smear about ? cup of dough away from you into a 6- to 8-inch smear;
repeat until all the dough has been dealt with. Scrape dough together; re-
form into a ball, wrap in wax paper and chill for 2 to 3 hours.
4. Roll out dough between two sheets of wax paper, or use a floured
pastry cloth and floured stockinette on your rolling pin, into a round
large enough to line your pan. Work quickly, as the dough can become
sticky.
5. Line either an 8- or 9-inch false-bottom tart pan with dough, fitting
it loosely into pan and pressing to fit sides. Trim edges 3/4 inch outside
top of pan, and fold this edge over into inside, and press into place with
fingers. Chill.
6. Preheat over to 425?F.
7. Line dough in the tart pan with a piece of aluminium foil or wax paper
and fill with raw beans, rice or pastry weights. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove
weights and foil. Prick the bottom of the dough with a fork in several
places. For a partially baked shell, return to oven for 3 to 4 minutes
longer. For a fully baked shell, return for 8 to 10 minutes longer, or
until edges are light brown. [One 8-inch to 9-inch shell]
=The Silver Palate Cookbook=