Best Shortcrust Pastry Recipes

BASIC SHORTCRUST PASTRY

Steps:

• Sift 225g plain flour into a large bowl, add 100g diced butter and rub in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
• Stir in a pinch of salt, then add 2-3 tbsp water and mix to a firm dough.
• Knead the dough briefly and gently on a floured surface.
• Wrap in cling film and chill while preparing the filling.

SHORTCRUST PASTRY

Steps:

• Sift flour into a bowl and rub in butter. Add egg yolk and enough water to make ingredients cling together.
• Press dough into a ball and knead gently on a floured surface until smooth. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Use pastry for tarts, pastries, quiches, or other savory goodies.

SWEET SHORTCRUST PASTRY

Steps:

• Put 150g plain flour and 75g unsalted butter in a bowl and rub together with your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs.
• Mix in 50g icing sugar and a pinch of salt followed by 1 egg yolk. If the pastry feels too dry to form a dough, add 1 tbsp water. Shape the dough into a ball, flatten it out into a disc, wrap it in cling film, then chill for at least 30 mins before using in your recipes. You could try using it to make our apple & blackberry pies.

PERFECT SHORTCRUST PASTRY

Steps:

• Weigh out the 1lb self raising flour and remove 3 tablespoons if you are making sweet pastry, 2 tablespoons if you are making savoury. Then add 2 tablespoons of cornflour and 1 tablespoon of icing sugar for sweet pastry and 2 tablespoons of cornflour and the salt for savoury. Place into the food mixer, I have a Kenwood K Mix but any will do the same job although food processors will do the job much quicker and it is easy to overwork the pastry with them, so be careful. You can do it by hand of course.
• Cut the butter and Trex into small cubes and put in the Kenwood with the K beater on to rub the fat into the flour, have on slow speed until it resembles breadcrumbs.
• Add the 1 egg and enough cold water whilst the machine is still running until it starts to come together. Stop the mixer and combine the dough into a ball, wrap it in clingfilm and put in the fridge for at least an hour. Never, ever over handle pastry or add too much water, this will make it tough - it should feel soft and come together with just a little encouragement.
• Roll out with a little flour make your desired recipe and cook at 220 degrees until golden brown. I always put pies on a flat baking sheet preheated with the oven. This pastry will be golden and short and melt in the mouth, almost like shortbread.

BRITISH SHORTCRUST PIE PASTRY

Steps:

• Combine flour, butter, and shortening using a food processor until crumbly. Mix in water 1 tablespoon at at time until dough is soft and pliable.
• Wrap dough in plastic wrap; let rest in a refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before using.

RICH SHORTCRUST PASTRY

Steps:

• Mix flour and salt together in a large bowl. Cut butter into the flour mixture until it is the consistency of breadcrumbs.
• Lightly beat eggs together in a separate bowl; stir into butter-flour mixture. Add water and mix just until incorporated, using your hands to bring dough together.
• Turn dough onto a floured work surface and cut into 4 portions. Refrigerate dough for 15 to 30 minutes before using.

GLUTEN FREE POTATO SHORTCRUST PASTRY

Steps:

• Place the rice flour, cornflour, salt, Xanthan Gum and Baking powder in a large mixing bowl and mix thoroughly. It is advantageous to use an electric whisk or food processor to get a really good mix.
• Rub the butter or margarine into the flour with your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs.
• Add the mashed potato and mix until just combined. DO NOT ADD ANY FURTHER LIQUID. Briefly work the dough , shape into a ball, wrap in clingfilm and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Remove the pastry from the refrigerator and knead by hand for approximately 2 minutes until smooth. Refrigerate again (uncovered) for 1 hour.
• Remove from refrigerator and roll out on a floured surface as required.

OLD-FASHIONED SWEET SHORTCRUST PASTRY

Steps:

• Sift the flour from a height onto a clean work surface and sift the icing sugar over the top. Using your hands, work the cubes of butter into the flour and sugar by rubbing your thumbs against your fingers until you end up with a fine, crumbly mixture. This is the point where you can spike the mixture with interesting flavors, so mix in your lemon zest. Add the eggs and milk to the mixture and gently work it together until you have a ball of dough. Flour it lightly. Don't work the pastry too much at this stage or it will become elastic and chewy, not crumbly and short. Flour your work surface and place the dough on top. Pat it into a flat round, flour it lightly, wrap it in plastic wrap and put it into the refrigerator to rest for at least half an hour.

EASY SHORTCRUST PASTRY

Steps:

• Place the bowl and butter into the fridge to make it cold. This is REALLY important
• Throw flour, butter and salt into the food processor and blitz for 15-20 seconds until it is a soft fine breadcrumb texture. You dont NEED a food processor and can use your fingertips like your gran used to, but make sure you hands are ice cold first.
• Pour mixture into the cold bowl, make a well in the centre and add around 3/4 (75ml) of the water. With fingers like a claw, turn the pastry mix in the bowl. Get in and twist, mopping up all the dry ingredients. Add the rest of the flour and continue twisting together until the mixture is a lump.
• lightly flower the board and place pastry on top. Push it together and gently kneed it. until it has a soft texture when pinched.
• Cover with clingfilm, place back into the bowl you used earlier and place in the fridge. Ready to take and use whenever you need it (preferably for a stake and ale pie that afternoon).

ALMOND SHORTCRUST PASTRY

Steps:

• Finely grind almonds in a food processor. Add flour, sugar, and salt; pulse to combine. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add yolk and 1 tablespoon ice water; pulse until dough just comes together, adding up to 1 tablespoon more water if needed.
• Shape pastry into a disk, and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes (up to 3 days) before rolling.

SWEET SHORTCRUST PASTRY - GLUTEN-FREE

Steps:

• Cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl, until light and fluffy.
• Whisk in the egg.
• Fold in the combined flours and then mix to form a soft dough.
• Shape the dough into a ball. Cover with clingwrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using.
• Dough can be stored in the fridge for up to two weeks.

SHORTCRUST PASTRY ECCLES CAKES

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, combine 1/3 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons butter. cook over medium heat until melted. Add currants, candied peel, nutmeg and allspice. Continue to cook until heated through. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out pastry to a thickness of 1/8 inch. Cut into 4 inch rounds. Place a small spoonful of filling onto center of each pastry circle, draw the edges together over the fruit and pinch to seal. Turn over, then press gently with a rolling pin to flatten the cakes.
• Make a small hole or 2 small slash marks in the center of each pastry. Brush with beaten egg white, and sprinkle with sugar. Arrange on cookie sheet.
• Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until lightly browned around edges.

SHORTCRUST PASTRY DOUGH

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour and salt.
• Add the butter and cut into flour until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs.
• (Using a food processor fitted with the dough blade makes the"cutting" process a little easier and faster).
• Mix in enough cold water to hold mixture together.
• Form into a ball.
• Wrap in wax paper (preferred) or plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 30-45 minutes.
• Assembly: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Spray a baking sheet, muffin tray, etc.
• with nonstick cooking spray or grease with shortening.
• Remove pastry from refrigerator.
• Lightly sprinkle work surface with flour.
• Roll out pastry to about 1/8-inch thickness.
• Cut into circles, squares, or any shape and size that you like.
• Use any filling that you want.
• To"join" separate pastry pieces together, moisten the edges with beaten egg and gently crimp the edges together.
• If your dish is to have pastry on the top, brush the top of the pastry with beaten egg.
• Place on prepared baking sheet, muffin tray, etc.
• and bake for 50 minutes or until golden brown on top.
• Pastry freezes extremely well.

MAGGIE BEER'S SOUR CREAM SHORTCRUST PASTRY

Steps:

• Chop the cold butter and put it in a food processor bowl with the flour. Pulse this mixture until the butter resembles chunks the size of olives.
• Add the sour cream and pulse again until 'just' incorporated. The mixture does not have to be perfectly smooth and uniform.
• Turn onto a well-floured, cool surface and roll the dough into a rectangle. cover and leave to rest in the fridge for 20 minutes.
• Roll into the desired shape.
• Rest again in the fridge.
• Bake.

SHORTCRUST PASTRY

Steps:

• Sift plain flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl (or in the bowl of the food processor).
• Rub in the butter with finger tips (or use pulse button on the food processor) until mixture resembles course breadcrumbs.
• Gradually add water until dough becomes a ball.
• Remove and wrap in cling wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes before using.

SWEET SHORTCRUST PASTRY FOR CHEESECAKES....

Steps:

• Sift flour and powdered sugar together.
• Add cold butter pieces and make coarse crumbs.
• Beat the egg in a small bowl with the vanilla.
• Stir mixture into the dry until a dough forms.
• Wrap and chill at least one hour.
• Roll out on a lightly floured surface.
• Place into proper 9 inch spring form pan.
• Always prick, and then chill again.
• Fill with your cheesecake filling, and bake according to your recipe.
• This can also be made in your food processor.
• Keeps in the fridge for at least four days, or freezer up to 2 months.

RICH SHORTCRUST PASTRY

Steps:

• Place the flour with a pinch of salt in a food processor, add the sugar, butter, egg yolk and vanilla and pulse for 30 seconds, or until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
• Continue processing until the mixture comes together, adding 1-2 tablespoons iced water (a bit at a time) if necessary.
• Turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead lightly to form a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 15-20 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 190°C, roll out the dough onto a lightly floured surface.
• Wrap the pastry around a rolling pin, then unroll it carefully over the pan you are going to use for cooking your tart, press it firmly into the pan, trim off any excess and lightly prick the base with a fork.
• Cover the pastry with greaseproof paper and half fill the pan with pastry weights or dried beans and blind bake for 12 minutes, or until the pastry is lightly browned; OR follow the directions given in a particular recipe. This pastry is used in my recently posted Onion and Olive Tart Recipe #140798, where there is NO pre-cooking of the pastry. The pastry is simply chilled before the filling is added.

THE EASIEST SHORTCRUST PASTRY

Steps:

• Simply mix together the ingredients and press into a pie dish.
• If you are going to use a raw filling to bake later, pre-bake the pastry shell for 10 minutes at 180°C.
• To use with cooked fillings or for unbaked pies, pre-bake the pastry shell for 30 minutes at 180°C.
• For a savoury pie, omit the sugar and add 2 tablespoons grated cheddar cheese and a pinch of nutmeg.
• For extra flavour, add 2 tablespoons grated coconut to the pastry mixture.

SWEET SHORTCRUST PASTRY

Steps:

• Place the flour, butter, salt, and confectioner's sugar in a food processor and process for 20 seconds. Add the milk and egg yolks and process for a further 30 seconds until a mass forms.
• Turn out to a lightly floured surface and knead lightly for a few moments. Flatten and form a disk. Wrap in plastic and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
• Roll out the dough with a rolling pin according to the recipe. Refrigerate until needed.

DELICATE SHORTCRUST PASTRY

Steps:

• Sift together the flour, cornstarch (sugar if using) and salt.
• Rub in the butter until it resembles fine crumbs (can be done in a processor; use high speed).
• Dissolve the cream of tartar in the water, and add to the crumbly mixture. Again you'll need high speed to bring the mixture together into a dough.
• Turn out into a bowl if you used a processor.
• The pastry should be very easy to handle. If at all necessary, add a few drops more water, but be careful. When the consistency is right, it does not stick to your hands and feels silky soft but firm.
• Cover with clingfilm, and refrigerate until 15 minutes before you need it, or otherwise about 20 - 30 minutes.
• Mariette's instructions were to roll out between clingfilm, but that should not be necessary. I simply sprinkle flour on my granite counter and roll out 1/2 the pastry to start with -- easier to control.
• As you cut it to whatever shape you want, gather the bits together, press into a roll, and roll out again.
• Use dough to line loose-bottomed small pastry tins, or a 9 - 11 inch (26 - 28 cm) diameter loose-bottomed springform cake tin.
• Simply add your prepared filling, and bake at 350 deg. F (180 deg C) or as recipe indicates. It's best baked set on an oven tin with a dark finish, which ensures a well-baked bottom crust.
• Any leftover dough can be frozen.
• * For an exotic touch, add 2 teaspoons of the small black cardamom seeds to the dry mixture, at the start,.