Sweet Paste Recipe
This recipe was developed by Chef Don Pattie. I have made here and written the instructions to align with the recipe style I use. The recipe notes are from Don.
Servings: 2 9 inch Tart Shells
Ingredients
Ingredients for Almond Sweet Paste: for two 9 inch tart crusts
- 155 grams Butter unsalted (very cold)
- 3 Egg yolks
- 5 grams Vanilla
- 100 grams Sugar
- 15 grams Golden Brown Sugar
- 260 grams Flour all-purpose
- 35 grams Ground Almond
Instructions
Instructions for Almond Sweet Paste: for two 9 inch tart crusts
- Pre-weigh butter and slice into even cubes; place in freezer 30 minutes prior to making recipe
- Mix egg and vanilla; set aside
- Weigh both sugars into mixing bowl and mill for 1 second on Turbo three times, scraping down sides of bowl
- Weigh flour, almond meal and cold butter into mixing bowl and mix on speed 5 for 10 seconds until cornmeal consistency: butter must still be visible and small pieces, about 1/4 the size of a pea
- Add egg mixture; knead 1 minute and scrape down the sides of the bowl, kneading 1 more minute in TM bowl
- Pre-heat oven to 375˚F or 190˚C while kneading (if baking shells right away); prepare baking pans with parchment paper and pastry rings
- Remove dough from mixing bowl and turn onto work surface and squeeze together; divide into 2 equal discs (mine were 305 grams each)
- Rest refrigerated until needed, or roll out immediately into 2 discs that will overlap 2 pastry rings; repair any cracks by simply pressing dough together
- Cut off excess from around rims; refrigerate for 15 minutes before baking
- Bake until golden (about 15 minutes) and remove immediately to cool on wire rack
Notes
- Unsalted butter works best
- Fat must be very cold; Don usually cuts the fat into 2 cm squares, then places it into the freezer for about 10 minutes prior to mixing
- Dough will be crumbly when it comes out of the Thermomix, but should easily squeeze together to form a block and can be rolled immediately, without resting
- No need to fill the pastry with weights when blind baking as there is very little (if any) slumping
- Dough will be very firm just out of refrigerator; massage or knead by hand to pliable stage