Creme Brulee Tart

I'm not generally a sweet tooth. In fact, I would take pot roast and mash potatoes over dessert any day of the week. But when the cold air of winter begins to frost my windows and chill my toes, an overwhelming desire to bake takes over all other "to do" lists. I'm not exaggerating....It's as if my brain truly believes terrible things will happen if there's not a homemade pie sitting on my counter by the end of the day!!!. So for God's Sake!!! ... Let's bake something before something terrible happens!
P.S. This baking frenzy usually lasts through the end of December.

Creme Brulee Tarts
Crust
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 stick very cold unsalted butter cut into cubes
1 whole egg plus 1 egg yolk
3 tablspoons ice cold water
5 41/2 to 5 inch tart tins (bottoms removed)
Creme Filling
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
3 large egg yolks
6 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

To make the crust: I usually do this part in the morning.
Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse until blended. Add the cubed butter and pulse until well incorporated. Then, with the processor running...add the water one tablespoon at a time until the dough just begins to form together. Shape dough into disk, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour...you can leave it in there until you're ready to move onto the next step.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silt pad. Remove your dough from the fridge, unwrap, and place on a WELL floured surface. I put at least 1/4 cup flour and continue add flour underneath during the rollout process. The dough will stick if you choose to ignore this and make you swear. Rub flour on your rolling pin as well. Slowly begin to roll out your disk into a circle until the dough is about 1/8 inch thick. During this process..make sure your dough is not sticking...if it feels it's starting to, just add more flour underneath. Once rolled out, take your tart shells and turn them upside down on your dough (DO NOT PRESS DOWN). Cut out the dough about an inch more than the size of the tart shells. Once done, place the cut outs of dough into the tart shells onto the lined cookie sheet and gently press the dough to form into the shells. When finished, using your fingers, press down on the edges of the shells to remove any excess dough. Using a fork, poke holes in the bottom of the crusts. Place whole cookie sheet into refrigerator for half an hour.

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F. Bake tart shells about 20 minutes, rotating the pan after 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature. Reduce Heat to 325 Degrees F.

In medium size bowl, combine 3 large egg yolks, 3 tablespoons sugar and 1/4 tsp salt. Whisk until combined and smooth. In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream until small bubbles begin to form along the edge of the cream. Remove from heat. Add one tablespoon of the hot cream slowly to the egg mixture while whisking. Add another 3 tablespoons one at a time to the egg mixture while whisking. (If you decide to do this any faster than I am explaining...you will get scrambled eggs...not a creamy custard). Now that the egg yolks are tempered, slowly add the rest of the cream, while whisking. Fill the cooled tart shells to the rims. Bake for 20 to 23 minutes, again rotating the cookie sheet halfway through. Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature. Then refrigerate for at least an hour.

Once cooled...sprinkle remaining 3 tablespoons sugar evenly on top of each custard. With a kitchen torch, carefully brulee the sugar until browned and bubbly. If you do not have a torch, place the sugar topped custards under a broiler (very close) for a little over a minute, watching very closely as not to burn. Top with favorite berries, whipped cream, or eat plain.