Shortcrust Pastry
Buttery, flaky and melt in the mouth, this pastry is ideal for sweet or savoury dishes. It is made in a flash (using a food processor or by hand) and it freezes well, either before cooking or after. Shortcrust pastry is most commonly used in pies and tarts.
Ingredients
- 300g plain/all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- 100g unsalted butter, fridge cold and cut into small cubes
- 50g lard or vegetable shortening, fridge cold and cut into small cubes
- roughly 60m-75ml/4 - 5 tablespoons iced water
Instructions
Food processor method:
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Put the flour, baking powder and salt into the food processor and pulse to combine.
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Add the butter and lard to the flour and pulse until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
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Add the water gradually and pulse until it nearly all comes together.
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Take out of the food processor and push very gently with your hands to bring together.
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Press into the same shape as you wish to roll the pastry but smaller than the actual size. For example, if you will be rolling it out to line a 20cm/8 inch round pastry dish, shape into a 15cm/6inch round shape. Wrap in clingfilm and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
By hand:
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Put a sieve over the mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder and salt to the sieve and, from a height, gently shake the sieve so the flour goes into the bowl.
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Add the butter and lard to the flour and using your fingertips, lightly rub the fats into the flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Lift the mixture up as you do this to help incorporate air into the mixture
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Add the water gradually using a knife to incorporate it into the flour mixture. Stop when it nearly all comes together.
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Take out of the bowl and knead very gently with your hands to bring together.
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Press into the same shape as you wish to roll the pastry but smaller than the actual size. For example, if you will be rolling it out to line a 20cm/8 inch round pastry dish, shape into a 15cm/6inch round shape. Wrap in clingfilm and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Recipe Notes
Equipment
- kitchen scales and measuring spoons
- food processor or mixing bowl and sieve
- rolling pin
Tin sizes:
If making pastry using the quantities above I would expect to line:
- 2 x 20cm/8 inch flan tins, and possibly
- 1 x 18cm/7 inch flan tin
After making the pastry, I:
- divide the pastry in half
- press both halves into 15cm/6 inch circles
- cover separately with cling film and refrigerate
- when ready, roll out one at a time to line the 2 x 20cm/8 inch flan tins
- collect any leftover pastry from both tins and push very gently with your hands to bring together.
- depending on how thick you have rolled the pastry, you may have enough to line a 18cm/7inch flan tin
- press into the same shape as you wish to roll the pastry but smaller than the actual size. This will help you establish if you have enough left over to line a tin.
- Wrap in clingfilm and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- I tend to roll my pastry quite thinly so I expect to be able to get the extra 7 inch flan tin lined as well
- I line the 3 flan tins and if I do not want to use them straight away, I freeze them lined and uncooked and ready to use at a later date.
- If my freezer is too full, I freeze them prior to rolling.
If you are wanting to make only enough for 1 x 20cm/8 inch flan tins or 1 x 18cm/7 inch flan tin:
7 inch -
- 100g plain/all-purpose flour
- ⅓ teaspoon baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 35g unsalted butter, fridge cold and cut into small cubes
- 15g lard, fridge cold and cut into small cubes
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 - 2 teaspoons /20 -25ml iced water
8 inch -
- 120g plain/all-purpose flour
- ⅓ teaspoon baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 40g unsalted butter, fridge cold and cut into small cubes
- 20g lard, fridge cold and cut into small cubes
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 - 3 teaspoons /20 - 30ml iced water