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1
Whisk flour & salt in separate, medium size bowl. Set aside.
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2
With a hand mixer, beat butter until softened in large bowl.
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3
Add sugar to butter, beat until light & fluffy
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4
Add beaten egg, until just incorporated
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5
Add flour mixture all at once, mix until dough forms a ball: do not over-mix.
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6
Flatten into a disk, cover in plastic wrap, & refrigerate for 20 minutes until firm (or overnight if making dough in advance)
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7
Roll out pastry dough on floured surface, until about 1/8 inch thick & 11-12 inches in diameter (should be about an inch larger than pan - place pan upside down in center of dough to check for correct size)
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8
Roll pastry around floured rolling pin to transfer (unroll) onto tart dish (9 inch tart dish with removable bottom)
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9
Lightly press pastry into bottom & sides of pan, roll the rolling pin over the tart dish to cut off extra dough
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10
Prick dough bottom with a fork to prevent dough from puffing up while baking, cover & refrigerate for 20 minutes
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11
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, with a rack in the center
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12
Line unbaked pastry shell with aluminum foil, fill with pie weights, rice, or beans, filling the whole tart dish to the top
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13
Bake tart for 20-25 minutes, until crust is dry & lightly golden brown.
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14
Remove weights and cool crust on wire racks
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15
Pastry cream:
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16
In a medium-sized stainless steel bowl, mix sugar & egg yolks with a wooden spoon, careful not to let mixture sit too long to prevent pieces of egg from forming
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17
Whisk flour & cornstarch together separately, then add to egg mixture & mix until you have a smooth paste
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18
Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine the milk & vanilla over medium heat until boiling. (Caution! The milk will foam up fast so watch carefully)
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19
Remove from heat & slowly add to egg mixture, whisking constantly to prevent curdling
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20
Place back into saucepan & cook over medium heat until boiling, whisking constantly
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21
Once it is boiling, whisk for another 30 seconds until it thickens & is hard to stir.
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22
Remove from heat, immediately whisk in liquor
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23
Pour into clean bowl, immediately cover with plastic wrap (to prevent crust from forming) & refrigerate until needed (can make up to three days in advance, beating to dissolve any lumps that may form)
