Mastering Shortcrust Pastry
Working with pastry is about tactile memory. Once you feel the texture of the flour-coated fat between your fingers, you will know exactly when to stop mixing, regardless of what any recipe states.
Cold is your primary ingredient.
If your kitchen is warm, chill your mixing bowl and your hands before starting. Any heat transfer from your palms will ruin the pastry's structure.
- large stainless steel bowl
- pastry cutter or a fork
- rolling pin
- plastic wrap
What goes in.
- 250gall-purpose flour
- 125gunsalted butter, chilled and cubed
- 1 pinchfine sea salt
- 3-4 tbspice water
Coating the fat
Rub the butter into the flour using only your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse, uneven breadcrumbs with some pea-sized chunks of butter remaining.
The method.
Combine dry
Sift the flour and salt into a cold bowl. Add the cubed butter.
Rub in the fat
Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour until the texture is crumbly. Leave some visible butter shards; these create the flake.
Hydrate
Drizzle 3 tablespoons of ice water over the crumbs. Use a butter knife to stir until the dough just begins to clump together. If it is too dry to hold, add the final tablespoon.
Form and rest
Gently press the dough into a flat disc. Wrap it tightly in plastic and refrigerate for at least one hour to allow the gluten to relax.
Roll out
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough from the center outwards, turning the disc a quarter-turn after each stroke to ensure even thickness.
Other turns to take.
Savory Herb
Add one tablespoon of finely minced fresh thyme or rosemary to the dry ingredients.
Cheese Crust
Fold in 50g of finely grated aged cheddar or parmesan after rubbing the butter into the flour.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Always use a heavy rolling pin to maintain even pressure.
Do not overwork the dough once water is added, or the crust will shrink in the oven.
If the dough feels soft while rolling, stop and return it to the fridge for 10 minutes.
The ones that keep coming up.
Why is my crust shrinking in the oven?
The gluten was likely overworked, or the dough was not chilled long enough before baking. Always allow the shaped pastry to rest in the fridge for 20 minutes before it hits the heat.
Can I use a food processor?
You can, but use short pulses. It is very easy to over-process the fat, which results in a dense, hard crust instead of a crumbly one.