• Before you start, be sure to read all my advice in the article and watch the video for the technique.

Sweet pastry (pâte sucrée) by creaming

• Cream the butter and sifted icing/powdered sugar in the mixing bowl of the stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (K),
• Add salt, vanilla beans and almond powder. Mix and scrape the bottom of the bowl.
• Add the egg, mix a little with the spatula and then blend in the stand mixer.
• Add the sifted flour and mix briefly without kneading or gathering into a ball. The mixture is just clumping together. Don't overwork the pastry sweet.
• Stop as soon as the flour is incorporated.
• Turn the dough onto the work surface and smear it with the palm of your hand in a back-and-forth motion 2 or 3 times to combine everything.
• ⚠️  Warning : Do not overwork the dough to avoid activating the gluten network.
• The pastry will take on too much strength and become elastic. That's what causes the edges to collapse during baking.
• Gather the dough into a ball and divide it in half. Flatten each ball; this will cool the dough faster and make it easier to roll out.
• Wrap each dough ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. It's best to make it the day before for the next day.
• Update : You can continue to follow the resting times that I explain below and in the video if you have time. However, since then, I have tested the following methods when I am in a hurry :
• Once the dough is prepared and wrapped, leave it in the refrigerator for 2 hours, then roll it out, using the cold if it starts to stick.
• Line the tart ring and let it harden in the freezer for 1 to 2 hours before baking.
• Just after preparation, roll it out to a thickness of 2 to 3 mm approximately ( 0.08 to 0.12 in) between 2 sheets of parchment paper or guitar sheet, and let it firm up for about 20 to 30 minutes, or until it can be easily handled when lining the tart ring.
• Line your tart ring following the steps below, then leave the ring in the freezer for 2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator before baking.

Sweet pastry (pâte sucrée) by rubbing

• In a food processor (fitted with a blade), crumble all the ingredients except the egg. The butter should be cold but not hard.
• Pulse the food processor to crumble the mixture.
• Add the egg and briefly run the food processor to combine everything.
• Pour onto the work surface, smear the dough as for sweet pastry by creaming, and gather it into a ball.
• Divide into two dough portions, flatten slightly, and wrap in plastic film.

Gianluca Fusto technique for lining tart ring

• Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it soften slightly.
• Roll out between parchment paper.
• Roll it out to a thickness of 3 mm (0.11 in ) for the tart base. Try to flour as little as possible.
• Use 3 mm ( 0.11 in ) rulers to control the thickness of the dough. You can also use a rolling pin with rings of different thicknesses.
• Put the dough back in the refrigerator to firm up. Cut out a disc that is one centimeter smaller than your ring.
• You can also see the classic lining technique on this article : Classic pastry lining technique.
• Tart ring of 20 cm (7.9 in) for example ➡️ dough disc of 19 cm (7.5 in)
• Rework the scraps, and roll out again, to a thickness of 2 mm ( 0.08 in ) if you want fairly thin edges.
• Firm up the dough a little and cut strips around the circumference of the tart ring.
• For a 21 cm sur 2 cm tart ring (8.26 in x 0.8 in ) , you need a length of 63 x 2,5 cm ( 24.8 x 0.98 in) in 2 or 3 strips.
• Place in the refrigerator to firm up.
• Lightly grease the tart ring and place it on the perforated baking sheet with the silicone baking mat.
• Position the strips against the sides of the tart ring, pressing lightly to adhere.
• Moisten the joints to ensure that the strips adhere well to each other. Don't superimpose them, but just stick them next to each other to weld them together by pressing.
• Moisten the edges of the circle of dough and position it in the middle of the tart ring.
• Push from the center to the edges to make the disc stick to the edges. Refrigerate to firm up if dough becomes sticky.
• Run your finger along the sides to ensure the strips adhere well, without leaving a mark, hence the importance of having a firm dough.
• Trim off the excess dough that protrudes using a paring knife from the inside out.
• For a clean cut, the dough should be firm.
• Let it rest for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator and 2 hours in the freezer before baking.
• With this method, the edges do not move during baking.
• You can prepare the sweet pastry and line the tart ring on the same day and leave it in the refrigerator until the next day. Before cooking, place in the freezer for 1 hour. ( Update : Now, i simply leave it in the freezer for 1 hour and it's perfect. )
• The resting time reduces the strength of the gluten in the dough.That's what prevents the dough from moving during baking.

Baking the tart base

• Preheat oven to 150°C / 160°C (302°F / 320°F ) fan-assisted or 170°C ( 340°F) conventional heat.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes if you are going to seal it with an egg wash, otherwise bake for about 30 minutes, until the bottom of the tart is golden brown.
• On the left bellow, you can see the tart base in the oven, and as you can see the crust has not collapsed.
• On the right is the color the tart should have if you intend to fill it with almond cream before finishing baking. We'll see soon in the strawberry tart.
• Remove from the oven, take off the tart ring, and let it cool.
• Smooth out any irregularities with the back of a fine strainer. I prefer to use a strainer or a sifter, which is gentler than a grater, which is rougher.

The egg wash

• Mix the egg and cream, and using a brush, coat the bottom and sides of the tart. The egg wash seals the tart base and gives it a beautiful glossy and golden color.
• Brush several times to remove drips. Bake for 8 min more or less until golden brown.
• Below is the tart base with the egg wash before returning it to the oven.
• Now your tart shell is ready, golden brown on the outside and in the center. You can freeze it for up to 3 months.
• Let it cool completely before placing it in a zip-lock freezer bag.