Ingredients

• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup walnuts (about 2 ounces)
• 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 tablespoons ice water

Browse by ingredient

Instructions

1. Cut butter into pieces and soften to cool room temperature. In a food processor pulse walnuts until finely ground. Add confectioners' sugar, flour, and salt and pulse until combined. Transfer mixture to a large bowl and add butter.
2. With your fingertips or a pastry blender blend together flour mixture and butter until most of mixture resembles coarse meal with remainder in small (roughly pea-size) lumps. Stir together yolk and ice water and add to mixture. With a fork toss mixture until liquid is incorporated. Gently form mixture into a ball and on a lightly floured surface smear dough in 3 or 4 forward motions with heel of hand to help distribute fat and make dough easier to work with. Form dough into a ball and flatten to form a disk. Chill dough, wrapped in plastic wrap, 1 hour, or until firm but not hard. (Dough may be covered and chilled 1 day ahead or frozen 1 month.)