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Discover Homemade Shortcrust Pastry: Easy and It Changes Everything!
So, the homemade shortcrust pastry recipe… It’s something that scared me a bit at first, I must admit. Too crumbly, not sweet enough sweetened, it breaks, basically a hassle. But actually, with a few tricks, it’s super easy to make at home.
What I love is the melting-crispy texture that snaps under the tooth. You can make it plain, or flavor it with a bit of almond or vanilla, it always works.
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Be warned, you need a bit of patience, especially resting time. Without it, the dough doesn’t roll out well, it breaks. But hey, it’s worth it, believe me!
I’m giving you the recipe that I always use, easy, quick and… honestly foolproof. Perfect for tarts, cookies, and even to play the dessert pro at home.
Essential Ingredients for a Perfect Shortcrust Pastry
- 250 g of flour (no need to be fancy, regular flour works perfectly)
- 125 g of cold butter (this is crucial, I’ll talk about it just after)
- 70 g of powdered sugar (it gives that soft and melting touch)
- 1 egg yolk (for structure and richness)
- 1 pinch of salt (many underestimate this detail, it wakes up the flavor)
- Optional: 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or almond powder (if you want to customize)
Handy Tools to Make Your Homemade Shortcrust Pastry Successfully
- A mixing bowl (you can also use a food processor, but by hand you feel the texture better)
- A rolling pin (essential for rolling out thinly)
- A sieve or fine strainer (to sift the flour and powdered sugar, don’t do it quietly though!)
- Plastic wrap (to wrap and let rest in the fridge)
- A spatula or rubber scraper (to mix without overheating the dough)
Detailed Preparation for a Foolproof Shortcrust Pastry Every Time
So first thing, take the butter out of the fridge, but don’t let it melt, okay? It must be cold and a bit firm – no soft butter like a spreadable cheese. That makes all the difference.
In the bowl, sift the flour + powdered sugar, then add the butter in small pieces. Here, you’ll crumble the dough: basically, you make it like coarse sand, hence the name – you crumble it with your fingers, I love this part, it’s a bit like beach work.
Then add the egg yolk and a pinch of salt, plus vanilla if you took that option (I must admit, it’s my little personal touch). Work the dough quickly, just enough for it to come together, but without kneading. Quality of work here makes or breaks the dough.
The real key, the well-kept secret: wrap the dough in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for at least one hour. I promise you, it’s worth it, it becomes much easier to roll out and most importantly, it doesn’t stick!
Tips to Roll Out and Bake Your Shortcrust Pastry
- Lightly flour the work surface, so it doesn’t stick (I put just a tiny bit, only what’s needed)
- Roll the dough out in a circle, gently, don’t worry if it cracks at first, you can always patch it with a bit of water (not too much, though!)
- Fit the dough into the mold handling it delicately, it works well when cold
- Prick the tart base with a fork otherwise it puffs up and looks messy
- Bake blind for 15 minutes at 180°C (I always add some dry beans on top to avoid bubbles)
Extra Tips to Never Fail Your Shortcrust Pastry
I don’t know about you, but I often forget the resting time. Result? Nothing rolls well, everything sticks, and big frustration. So don’t skip it, even if you’re in a hurry.
Another tip: don’t work the dough too long, that’s when it becomes elastic and hard to roll out. Be gentle, almost tender.
Finally, you can store it 2 days in the fridge, well wrapped, or even freeze it raw for the next day. A fantastic time saver when you have a surprise dessert to prepare.
Homemade shortcrust pastry
6
servings15
minutes450
Simple recipe for homemade shortcrust pastry, perfect for all your tarts.
Ingrédients
250 g flour
125 g unsalted butter
80 g powdered sugar
1 egg
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1 pinch salt
Instructions
- In a large bowl, sift the flour and powdered sugar to avoid lumps in the dough.
- Add the butter cut into small pieces and work with your fingertips to obtain a sandy texture.
- Make a well in the center of the mixture and add the beaten egg with a pinch of salt.
- Knead lightly until you obtain a homogeneous dough ball, without overworking it to avoid hardening.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- Take the dough out of the refrigerator and roll it out on a floured surface before using it for your tart recipe.
Video
Notes
- For a perfectly melting shortcrust pastry, work the very cold butter and sand it quickly with the flour to avoid it melting under your fingers. Add the egg or water at the very end, just enough for the dough to come together without becoming elastic: this is the key to a dough that doesn’t harden after baking.
Shape into a disc, wrap it and let it rest 30 minutes in the refrigerator before rolling out: this rest eliminates elasticity and prevents the dough from shrinking in the mold during baking.
Nutrition Facts
- Total number of serves: 6
- Calories: 450kcal
- Cholesterol: 125mg
- Sodium: 50mg
- Potassium: 80mg
- Sugar: 10g
- Protein: 5g
- Calcium: 15mg
- Iron: 1mg
- Thiamin: 0.2mg
- Riboflavin: 0.1mg
- Niacin: 1mg
- Folate: 30mg
- Biotin: 2mg
- Phosphorus: 45mg
- Iodine: 2mg
- Magnesium: 10mg
- Zinc: 0.5mg
- Selenium: 8mg
- Copper: 0.05mg
- Manganese: 0.3mg
- Chromium: 0mg
- Molybdenum: 3mg
- Chloride: 100mg
