Pâte Sucrée: French Sweet Tart Crust

Step 1: Whisk the flour, icing sugar, salt, and almond meal together in a bowl.

Step 2: Rub the butter into the dry ingredients with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

Step 3: Mix in the egg with a rubber spatula until it becomes too stiff to stir. Use your hands to bring the mixture together into a dough.

Step 4: Turn the dough onto a work surface and knead it into a smooth ball. Flatten it into a 2 cm / 0.8 inch disc, wrap it, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Step 5: Unwrap the chilled dough and place it on a lightly floured work surface.

Step 6: Roll the dough into a 32 cm / 13 inch round, about 3 mm / 1/8 inch thick.

Step 7: Lightly roll the pastry onto a rolling pin so it wraps around it, then gently unroll it over the tart tin.

Step 8: Ease the pastry into the tart tin and into the corners without stretching it, which can cause shrinkage during baking.

Step 9: Roll the rolling pin over the tart tin to trim the excess dough. Use a tart tin up to 24 x 3 cm / 9.5 x 1.2 inches.

Step 10: Lightly prick the pastry base 30 times with a fork; do not prick all the way through.

Step 11: Chill the pastry in the tart tin for 30 minutes.

Step 12: Preheat the oven to 200°C / 390°F (180°C fan).

Step 13: Cover the pastry with 2 sheets of baking paper arranged in an X. Fill with baking beads, or use 2 cups of dry raw rice or beans.

Step 14: Use these baking times for a tart that will be baked for more than 30 minutes after the filling is added.

Step 15: Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the tart crust from the oven. Use the overhanging paper to remove the baking beads.

Step 16: Return the uncovered tart crust to the oven for 5 minutes. It should be light golden and crisp on the surface, but slightly undercooked inside; it will finish cooking once filled and baked again.

Step 17: Use these baking times for raw fillings, or for fillings baked for less than 25 minutes.

Step 18: Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the tart crust from the oven. Use the overhanging paper to remove the baking beads.

Step 19: Return the uncovered tart crust to the oven for 10 minutes, until the pastry is fully cooked and has good color.

Step 20: Remove the crust from the oven and let it cool in the tart tin before filling. If the filling needs baking, bake the filled tart as directed.

Step 21: Make the shell up to 3 days ahead; it can be baked again once filled.