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Sablé Breton (pronounced "sob-lay breh-tawn") is a type of French butter cookie. While quite delicious as a cookie, pastry chefs like to use the dough as shortbread crust for tarts and pastries. Using hemisphere molds and proper technique, you can bake perfect dome-shaped tartlets.
Makes 36 mini tartlets
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Begin by bringing your butter to room temperature. Using a stand mixer or hand beater, begin beating the butter.
The temperature at which you work with the dough from this point forward is important. Knead the dough until it's smooth, cover, and set it in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. The dough should be chilled, but still very workable.
Transfer the rolled out dough to a pan or sheet that can be refrigerated. Cover the dough and leave in the refrigerator until rigid, about 45 minutes.
If the dough has softened, place it back in the refrigerator until the circles are rigid again. If you try to transfer the dough when soft, it will cause the circles to bend or rip.
Transfer the circles onto the hemisphere molds so that they cover the cavity. Leave these to rest at room temperature to soften and become shapeable. Once softened and beginning to sink into the cavities, they are ready for working into the domes with your fingers.
Clean up the edges as much as possible, but don't worry about getting them perfect; you can always even them out with a microplane later.
Place the tart crusts in the freezer for 15 minutes before baking. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
Leave the tart crusts to cool on a cooling rack.
Save these tarts in an airtight container covered with rice. Rice is a natural desiccant, so storing these tarts packed in rice will keep them dry.
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