Buttermilk Tart Recipe

Ingredients

• Flaky Pie Dough 2¼ cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
• 2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
• 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
• ½ cup ice water
• Tart1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• Pinch kosher salt
• 2½ tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• ¼ cup buttermilk
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Make the dough: In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour and butter on medium-low speed, mixing until the largest butter pieces are the size of small peas. Turn off the mixer. Stir the salt into the ice water until it is dissolved, then slowly add the saltwater to the flour mixture, mixing until the mixture is shaggy and there are no large patches of unblended flour, about 30 seconds. Turn the dough out onto a large sheet of plastic wrap and press it into a ¾-inch-thick disk. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
2. Remove the dough from the refrigerator. On a well-floured surface, roll the dough into a large, ¼-inch-thick sheet. Use a 5-inch cookie cutter or an upturned bowl that measures 4½ to 5 inches across to cut out as many circles as possible. Gather the dough, re-flour the work surface, and roll and cut the remaining circles.
3. Lightly coat six 4-inch tart pans with nonstick pan spray, then fit each with a dough round. Crimp the excess dough around the rims of the pans, removing the extra dough. Place the tart pans on a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
4. Preheat the oven to 350°. Remove the sheet pan from the fridge. Line each tart pan with a square of foil, then fill with a single layer of pie weights (or dried beans). Bake the tarts until the edges are barely golden and the bottoms of the tarts lose their raw look, 17 to 20 minutes.
5. While the tarts are baking, make the pie filling: In a medium mixing bowl, lightly whisk the egg. Mix in the flour, sugar and salt, then whisk in the melted butter, followed by the buttermilk and vanilla extract.
6. Fill the shells equally with the buttermilk mixture, leaving a ¼-inch gap at the top of each shell. Bake until the tops are lightly browned and the centers still jiggle slightly, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool at room temperature for 2 hours before serving.