Making Classic Shortcrust Pastry
A good pastry doesn't need to be intimidating. If you keep your butter chilled and work quickly, you will be rewarded with a crisp, stable crust that holds its shape and flakes apart when bitten.
Temperature is your only enemy here.
Your butter must be fridge-cold, and your hands should be cool. If the butter starts to smear or melt, pop the bowl in the freezer for five minutes before continuing.
- Large mixing bowl
- Pastry cutter or two table knives
- Cling film
- Rolling pin
What goes in.
- 250gall-purpose flour
- 125gcold unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 pinchfine sea salt
- 3-4 tbspice-cold water
Handling the butter
Use your fingertips to rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse, uneven breadcrumbs with a few larger, pea-sized chunks of butter still visible.
The method.
Mix dry ingredients
Sift the flour and salt into a wide bowl. Add the cold, cubed butter.
Incorporate fat
Using your fingertips or a pastry cutter, work the butter into the flour. Stop when the texture is crumbly and the largest pieces of butter are the size of small peas.
Hydrate
Drizzle 3 tablespoons of water over the mixture. Use a round-bladed knife to stir, cutting through the mixture to distribute moisture. If it doesn't hold together when pinched, add the last tablespoon of water.
Form the disk
Tip the shaggy mass onto a cool surface. Press it together gently with the heel of your hand—do not knead. Form it into a flat, smooth disk, wrap it in cling film, and chill for at least an hour.
Roll
Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface, turning it frequently to prevent sticking, until it is the thickness of a coin.
Other turns to take.
Sweet Pastry
Add 50g of sifted icing sugar to the flour before rubbing in the butter for a crisp, biscuit-like crust.
Herbed Pastry
Mix a tablespoon of finely chopped fresh thyme or rosemary into the dry ingredients for savory tarts.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Always use the coldest water possible; add an ice cube to your water measuring cup, but don't let the ice fall into the dough.
If the dough cracks while rolling, just press the edges back together with your thumb; it will bake out seamlessly.
Let the dough rest in the fridge to allow the gluten to relax, which prevents the crust from shrinking in the oven.
The ones that keep coming up.
Why is my pastry tough?
You likely handled the dough too much, which over-developed the gluten, or you didn't keep the butter cold enough.
Can I use a food processor?
Yes, but use the pulse button only. Stop as soon as the mixture looks like breadcrumbs to avoid overworking the dough.