For almost every other pastry, I buy it in the shops as ready make blocks and sheets, but for the shortcrust pastry version, I usually make it as it is just so simple and quick to make.
It can also be frozen once it’s made for another day, so for example, if you were going to make 4 x 4″ flan case base size portions, I would use half this quantity.
What I often do is make the full batch and freeze half of the dough for another day. This batch size will make up to 8 x 4″ flan case size bases.
Shortcrust Pastry
Ingredients
- 500 g Plain Flour
- 220 g Butter
- 1 tablespoon Caster Sugar
- pinch Salt
- Water
Instructions
- Put flour and butter into a bowl and either rub the butter into the flour, or mix it in the food processor until it is a breadcrumb consistency. Make sure that all the lumps of butter are rubbed in.
- Add a couple of pinches of salt and caster sugar, and mix with the breadcrumb consistency ingredients.
- Add a little water at a time and either mix by hand, or in the mixer / processor until the dough forms a ball. Stop when the dough has bound together. I add a tablespoon at a time until the ball begins to form.
- Wrap the dough up with cling film and refrigerate for approximately half an hour before using it.
