Miniature Shortbread Tart Shells or Crust: Non-rolled (pushed into mold)
This Miniature Shortbread Tart Shells or Crust Pastry recipe is not rolled, but instead, pushed into the tart shell mold. Delicate, buttery and melt in your mouth magic definitely worth the time and effort required to hand form each shell.
Servings: 36 miniature shells
Ingredients
- 1 cup or 225 grams butter
- ½ cup or 120 grams icing sugar
- 1 teaspoon or 5 grams pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups or 180 grams flour
- 1 tablespoon or 15 grams cornstarch
Instructions
Instructions for Shells:
- Use nonstick miniature muffin tins 2 inches or 5 centimeters in diameter
- Cream butter and sugar together for 1-2 minutes or until smooth with an electric mixer; add vanilla extract to combine
- Fold in flour, cornstarch and salt; mixing until just incorporated
- Cover and refrigerate 30-60 minutes; form into small balls (15 grams each)
- Using fingertips, press dough onto bottom and up sides of each individual miniature muffin tin mold ensuring even sides and bottom; dock each with tines of fork to prevent puffing when baking
- Place filled unbaked shells into freezer for about 15 minutes or refrigerator for 30 minutes to prevent puffing while baking; pre-heat oven to 325F ensuring rack is in centre of oven while cooling shells
- Bake 16-18 minutes or until edges a light golden brown; check halfway through and lightly prick bottom of each shell, again, if necessary
- Set on rack still inside nonstick miniature muffin pan to cool completely: important to prevent breakage as shells are very fragile until completely cool
- Place flat surface (pan) over shells; carefully invert entire pan onto flat surface, gently knocking on bottom and lift to reveal shells
- Shells store very well in tightly sealed labeled and dated container in freezer for 3 to 6 months
Instructions for Shells with Thermomix:
- Use nonstick miniature muffin tins 2 inches or 5 centimeters in diameter
- Weigh butter and sugar into TM bowl; cream to combine well for 1 minute at speed 3.5
- Add vanilla extract; combine for 5 seconds at speed 3
- Weigh in dry ingredients; stir to combine for 30 seconds from speed 2 to 5 until dough begins to clump
- Remove from TM bowl; form into a ball
- Cover and refrigerate 30-60 minutes; form into small balls (15 grams each)
- Using fingertips, press dough onto bottom and up sides of each individual miniature muffin tin mold ensuring even sides and bottom; dock each with tines of fork to prevent puffing when baking
- Place filled unbaked shells into freezer for about 15 minutes or refrigerator for 30 minutes to prevent puffing while baking; pre-heat oven to 325F ensuring rack is in centre of oven while cooling shells
- Bake 16-18 minutes or until edges a light golden brown; check halfway through and lightly prick bottom of each shell, again, if necessary
- Set on rack still inside nonstick miniature muffin pan to cool completely: important to prevent breakage as shells are very fragile until completely cool
- Place flat surface (pan) over shells; carefully invert entire pan onto flat surface, gently knocking on bottom and lift to reveal shells
- Shells store very well in tightly sealed labeled and dated container in freezer for 3 to 6 months