Chess Tartlets

Ingredients

• Hide ingredients for ½ recipe All-Butter Pie or Pastry Dough, or Sweet Dough for Tarts 1 ½ recipe All-Butter Pie or Pastry Dough, or Sweet Dough for Tarts (opens in new tab) ½ recipe All-Butter Pie or Pastry Dough, or Sweet Dough for Tarts
  • 2 ½ cups (315g) all-purpose flour
  • (1 teaspoon sugar, for sweet pies)
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 sticks (8 oz or 225g) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
  • 6 tablespoons (90g) ice water mixed with 1 tablespoon distilled white or cider vinegar
  • 1 to 3 teaspoons ice water

  Sub-recipe steps

  1. Whisk together in a medium bowl or pulse briefly in a food processor: 2 ½ cups (315g) all-purpose flour; (1 teaspoon sugar, for sweet pies); ½ teaspoon salt
  2. Add: 2 sticks (8 oz or 225g) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
  3. If mixing the dough by hand, work in the butter, flattening the pieces between your fingers until they are roughly pea-sized or a little larger with some larger, flattened pieces. If using a food processor, add all the fat at once and pulse until the butter pieces are mostly pea-sized. Sprinkle the dough with: 6 tablespoons (90g) ice water mixed with 1 tablespoon distilled white or cider vinegar
  4. Blend the water gently into the dough with a silicone spatula or pulse until it just holds together. If the dough is still dry and crumbly, add: 1 to 3 teaspoons ice water
  5. The dough should not be wet or sticky but should hold together when squeezed. Divide the dough in half, shape each into a disk, and roll out immediately as directed in Rolling Pie Dough, or wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 3 days. Prepare as directed in Lining a Pie or Tart Pan with Dough. To fill and bake, see individual recipes. For a baked shell, see About Blind Baking Crusts.
• Hide ingredients for Chess Pie or any variation 1 Chess Pie or any variation (opens in new tab) Chess Pie or any variation
  • 1 large egg yolk, beaten
  • ⅔ cup heavy cream (155g) or buttermilk (160g)
  • 6 tablespoons (3 oz or 85g) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 large egg
  • 3 large egg yolks
  • ½ cup (100g) sugar
  • ½ cup packed (115g) brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon (10g) fine yellow or white cornmeal
  • 1 tablespoon distilled white or cider vinegar
  • (1 teaspoon vanilla)
  • ½ teaspoon salt

  Sub-recipe steps

  1. Line a 9-inch pie pan with: ½ recipe All-Butter Pie or Pastry Dough
  2. Bake the crust as directed in About Blind Baking Crusts. After removing the pie weights, glaze the crust with: 1 large egg yolk, beaten
  3. Return the crust to the oven until golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F. Whisk in a large heatproof bowl just until no yellow streaks remain: ⅔ cup heavy cream (155g) or buttermilk (160g); 6 tablespoons (3 oz or 85g) unsalted butter, melted; 1 large egg; 3 large egg yolks; ½ cup (100g) sugar; ½ cup packed (115g) brown sugar; 1 tablespoon (10g) fine yellow or white cornmeal; 1 tablespoon distilled white or cider vinegar; (1 teaspoon vanilla); ½ teaspoon salt
  4. Pour the filling into the crust. Bake until the edges are firm and the center seems set but quivery, like gelatin, when the pan is nudged, 40 to 50 minutes.
• Hide ingredients for Whipped Cream 1 Whipped Cream (opens in new tab) Whipped Cream
  • 1 cup cold heavy cream
  • (2 teaspoons to 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 to 4 tablespoons sifted powdered sugar, or 2 teaspoons honey, to taste)
  • (½ teaspoon vanilla)

  Sub-recipe steps

  1. Beat in a large bowl (chill the bowl if your kitchen is very warm) with a hand mixer or balloon whisk or in a stand mixer set at medium-high speed, until stiff and billowy but not grainy: 1 cup cold heavy cream; (2 teaspoons to 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 to 4 tablespoons sifted powdered sugar, or 2 teaspoons honey, to taste); (½ teaspoon vanilla)
  2. Use immediately.