Tart Tin Pastry Calculator

Rest your pastry in the fridge for at least 30 minutes after making it and again for 20 minutes after lining the tin. When lining, gently press the pastry into the corners without stretching it — lift and ease it in rather than pulling. Leave a slight overhang and trim after blind baking. Always blind bake with baking beans or rice to hold the sides in place.

Loose-bottomed tart tins are ideal because they allow you to remove the tart cleanly without damaging it. Fluted edges also add strength to the pastry walls. Choose a metal tin over ceramic for tarts — metal conducts heat better and gives a crispier base, which is especially important for wet fillings like custard or fruit.

Shortcrust pastry uses the classic 2:1 flour-to-fat ratio with water to bind. Sweet pastry (pate sucree) uses more butter, adds sugar and egg yolks instead of water, resulting in a biscuit-like, crumbly texture. Sweet pastry is better for fruit tarts and desserts, while shortcrust is more versatile for both sweet and savoury fillings.

For most tarts, roll to 3mm thickness. This gives a pastry case that is sturdy enough to hold its filling but thin enough to bake crisp. For delicate tarts with light fillings (like a lemon tart), you can go to 2mm. For deeper tarts with heavy fillings, 4mm provides extra support. This calculator assumes 3mm when estimating pastry weight.

Almost always, yes. Blind baking (baking the pastry case empty before adding the filling) prevents a soggy bottom. Line with baking paper and fill with ceramic baking beans or dried rice. Bake at 180 degrees C fan for 15 minutes, remove the beans, then bake for another 5-8 minutes until the base is dry and lightly golden. For fully pre-baked cases, brush with beaten egg and return to the oven for 2 minutes to seal.