Equipment
Ingredients
Sablé Pastry
- 220 g all-purpose flour, sifted
- 70 g unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
- 2 g granulated sugar
- 1 g fine sea salt
- 1 egg yolk
- 25 ml ice water
- 1 g lemon zest, finely grated
The Filling
- 100 ml crème fraîche
- 110 g salmon roe, chilled
- 5 g fresh chives, finely scissored
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 74 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbohydrates
- 7 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 0 g
- Sodium
- 97 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Cholesterol
- 17 mg
- Potassium
- 27 mg
- Calcium
- 9 mg
- Iron
- 0.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 4 mg
- Phosphorus
- 35 mg
- Zinc
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 29 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 0 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.0 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 0 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.0 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.08 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.06 mg
- Niacin
- 0.6 mg
- Folate
- 18 mcg
- Water
- 6 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Set your oven to 200°C (400°F) and ensure the rack is in the center position.
In a food processor, combine the sifted flour, chilled butter cubes, sugar, salt, and optional lemon zest. Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse sand with no large butter chunks visible.
Incorporate the egg yolk and ice water. Process in short bursts just until the dough begins to clump together into a cohesive mass.
Transfer the dough to a work surface, shape into a flat disc, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to relax the gluten.
Roll the chilled dough between two sheets of plastic wrap to a uniform thickness of 3mm (1/8 inch). Use a 5cm cutter to stamp out 24 rounds.
Press the dough rounds into the tartlet molds. Prick the bottoms with a fork (docking) and bake for 10-12 minutes at 200°C (400°F) until the edges are light golden brown.
De-mold the shells carefully and allow them to cool completely on a wire rack before filling.
Place approximately 4ml (slightly less than a teaspoon) of crème fraîche into each cooled shell. Top with 4-5g of salmon roe and a scatter of fresh chives. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- The contrast between the room-temperature, buttery crust and the ice-cold roe is essential.
- For the cleanest flavor, look for 'Malossol' (low salt) salmon roe.
- If crème fraîche is too loose, whisk it slightly in a cold bowl to stiffen the peaks before piping.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 hours — Pastry shells can be kept in an airtight container for 3 days; assemble just before serving.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze unbaked dough or baked shells only.
Reheating: Do not reheat once assembled. Shells can be crisped at 150°C (300°F) for 3 minutes before filling.
Troubleshooting
Pastry shells are soggy
Cause: Filling was added too far in advance or shells were underbaked.
Fix: Cannot be fixed once filled; serve immediately.
Prevention: Ensure shells are golden brown and fill only minutes before serving.
Pastry shrinks down the sides of the mold
Cause: Dough was not chilled long enough or was stretched during molding.
Fix: Cannot be fixed after baking.
Prevention: Chill dough twice: once after mixing, and once after placing in molds for 10 minutes before baking.
Cultural Context
These tartlets are a refined adaptation of the Russian 'Zakuski' tradition—small appetizers served with chilled vodka.
