The mixer was designed to make tasks easier. When you encounter situations like these, ask yourself if the mixer will produce the same end result as whisking by hand. If the answer is yes, then go ahead. In this instance, the whisk is used to combine the eggs and sugar and lighten the color of the mixture before it is cooked, so if you want to do this a bit quicker, use a mixer. Cheers!

Thanks :)

No problem. Another key thing to keep in mind is to match/adjust the mixer speed to the actual speed you'd normally use by hand. Cheers!

is this dough mixture enough to fit a 12" tart pan?

Yes, you will be able to form a large tart out of this dough. Keep in mind though that if making a large fruit tart, it is harder to cut. The pastry cream may not hold its shape...this is why we made smaller, individual tarts. You can increase the amount of cornstarch but really firm pastry cream isn't as nice to eat. Cheers!

I always hear people talk about 321 pie dough is this dough the same or is it something different ? I noticed that there is egg in the dough unlike the pie dough which is what got me confused.

There are so many variations of dough. Pate brisee is sometimes referred to as a 321 dough. This means the ratio of flour : butter : water is 3:2:1. This is the most basic formula for pate brisee dough. Whether the cook chooses to add extra ingredients or make substitutions to enrich the dough, this is up to them.

The dough in this recipe is for pate sucree. Pate sucree usually contains way more butter than liquid; therefore, this particular dough does not fall into a 321 category. Cheers!

can I make the pastry cream one day ahead of time?

Yes, it can be made a day in advance. Just like the video shows, cool it and store it in the refrigerator. Whisk it before assembling. Cheers!

Made this last week for my family and turned out Idelicious. I had some chocolate truffles which i melted and spread some on the bottom of the tart. the tart, the pastry cream and a thin layer of chocolate was delicious. I can eat it without the fruits.

i did have a tough time rolling out the dough. It kept tearing and got warm very fast is that common? I had to put it back in the refrigerator more often. Everytime I picked up the dough it just tore.

The dough will have a tendency to soften rather quickly, especially if your kitchen is a bit warm and you handle the dough too much. Good that you kept putting it back in the fridge as you rolled it. It is a very forgiving dough, so it's okay to press it together to seal any tears. Cheers!

I adore tarts, but have a food sensitivity to eggs. Any ideas on substitutes for eggs? We have used ground flax with good success, but different substitutes work with different things, we use applesauce with cookies, and I think you could use potato starch or more corn starch, but how would you adapt the recipe, or could you?
Another comment, we use demarara sugar and wheat flour, are there any adjustments for this?
I have seen this made with almond paste mixture, but am unfamiliar with how to do this... Thanks so much!

Wish there was a simple answer to your questions. Eggs produce a certain structure and chemistry that is very hard to substitute with exact results. But sounds like you're on the right track. Find literature on vegan baking, for some vegan pastry cooks have done all the experimenting for you. At this point, this is obviously beyond the scope of a forum as we have not yet tackled this topic - which is one much more complex than any other.

Every recipe can be adapted and there are adjustments for all products, and not just chemistry, but quantities and mixing methods affect end results. This is a trial and error affair, and you'll have to accept that errors will occur. But don't stop trying researching reliable literature on this and experimenting in your own kitchen.

Thanks so much! Any suggestions on books, authors, or where to look for good material?

I would start by doing an online search. Perhaps check out some reviews on Amazon (here are the results of a quick search I did) or other online bookstores and/or check out your local stores or even the library. Cheers!