Bourbon-Pecan Tart

For the dough, combine the dry ingredients in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade.  Pulse several times to mix.  Distribute the butter and pulse until it is coarsely chopped.   Add the eggs and pulse again until the dough just begins to come together.

Invert the dough to a floured work surface and carefully remove the blade.  Divide into about 7 or 8 portions. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once or twice in a forward motion to help distribute fat.  This is known in French as fraisage.   It is done to distribute the fat which promotes flakiness when it is baked.  After this step gather the dough up with a bench knife, form it into a disk and wrap in it plastic.  Chill the dough while preparing the filling.  You may prepare the dough up to 2 days before assembling and baking the tart.

When you are ready to bake the tart, set a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350°F.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and allow it to warm just until it is malleable and no longer hard.  Flour it and roll it to a 14-inch disk.  Roll the dough over the rolling pin and unroll it into a 10-inch removable bottom tart pan.  Press the dough into the bottom and sides of the pan, folding over the excess to make a decorative rim.  Using a fork, dock the bottom of the tart shell.  Keep any extra dough for patching potential cracks during baking.  Chill the dough while preparing the filling.