Baked tart shells: do they keep?

S

shaun-in-to

Well-known member
A pastry crust is always best the day it's made, but I've got myself into a situation where I'm making a ricotta and basil tart for lunch the same day I'm making a lemon tart for dinner. Both require prebaked tart shells, and to avoid having too much to do before lunch, I'm tempted to do one of the crusts the night before. But I'm worried it'll lose its texture or freshness overnight. Is a do-ahead advisable here? Surprisingly, none of my cookbooks address the situation.

 
Yes, they'll be fine. Re-baking them with the filling will freshen and crisp them.

I do it all the time. Just wrap them well when cool, or slip them pan and all into a large resealable bag.

I've also baked quiches a day or two before and re-baked to serve. They're not quite as nice, but they're still pretty good.

 
Moi aussi. I make raspberry and pastry cream tarts and fill them 4 at a time, so need to

bake them 4 at a time. I actually make the tart shells, dock them like crazy and bake them without weights. I leave them out for a few days with no trouble. Or I refrigerate them, with no trouble. I do a standard pate brisee.

I also rebake only because I think the flavour of the raspberries is heightened with 15 minutes in the oven.

Just love summer!!

If I had an enormous frig, I'd have enough space for 16 filled shells, but that's for the next life.

 
I absolutely love the trick in the blueberry pie recipe to coat baked shells

with eggwhite + a bit of sugar. It gives a lovely glossy shine and really crisps up the crusts. And it doesn't seem to get soggy even after you put in the filling.

I think it would even work with savory fillings because it isn't that much sugar.

I'll find the recipe.

9 Inch Baked Pastry Shell

Egg Wash

1 Egg White
1/8 Cup Sugar
2 Tablespoons Water


PIE CRUST
*************
Use a Pillsbury "unfolded" type shell, you only need half the package. Let it sit till it's at room temp. Then, fit it to your pie pan, and pinch the crust around the edges of the pie pan. Then, take your fork and prick it all over, sides and bottom. Go ahead and bake it for the 10 or 12 minutes till it starts to get a little brown. Take it out of the oven and now brush it all with a pastry brush with the Eggwash ( egg white/sugar and water whipped up a bit), and put it back in the oven to set, and then do it again. This makes the crust VERY crisp/tender and the sugar/egg wash makes the crust golden, glossy and sweet.

Let the crust rest, and get cool. It doesn't take long, so you go on ahead and fix the filling at this point.

 
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