You know when you eat a tart or some pastries and you think: “wow, how good this shortcrust pastry is“? Well: I can say you that if you want to prepare this kind of shortcrust pastry, this perfect shortcrust pastry that includes the WOW effect, you are in the right place! Here’s to you, my perfect shortcrust pastry recipe!
This is the recipe for shortcrust pastry prepared with what I usually call “the long method” taht allows you to get a delicious dough, which literally melts in your mouth after cooking!
I recommend to use this method for cookies (like these thumbprint cookies for example): they will have a completely different flavor and texture!
It is also an excellent recipe for pies, especially those that have a thin shell of stuffed shortcrust pastry (like this apple and ricotta tart for example): that shell will melt in your mouth and it’s no joke! : D
Seeing is believing!
What is the peculiarity of this shortcrust pastry?
This long method, that I learned many years ago in a pastry masterclass, is based on 2 important things: using only egg yolks and start the preparation from butter. All the other ingredients are gradually added to this, keeping the flour as the last one.
Of course you will get your hands dirty and it will seem like you have just made “a disaster”, but if you have faith in me and you follow the recipe well, in the end you will find yourself with clean hands again and with a dough ready to be put in refrigerator for a little rest!
IMPORTANT NOTES:
- Prepare all the ingredients divided into bowls before starting.
- Use only one hand to work the dough so the other will always remain clean to take the bowls with the ingredients that must be gradually added.
- You can prepare the dough either by hand or in the mixer: the important thing is to follow the recipe for the progressive addition of the ingredients.
- Let the pastry rest in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before cooking (either for biscuits or fro tarts) so that it’ll keep its shape!
SHORTCRUST PASTRY: BASIC RECIPE
Ingredients
- 300 g flour
- 170 g cold butter
- 3 egg yolks L
- 100 g sugar
- 1 pinch of vanilla
- grated lemond peel
Instructions
Method by hands:
- On pastry board soften the butter with one hand making it smooth and creamy.
- Add sugar and mix it well always using your hand.
- Add the egg yolks and mix again.
- Finally add the flour and the flavors (vanilla and/or grated lemon peel.
- Forme a ball, wrap in plastic and put in the fridge for 1 or 2 hours before using.
Method with mixer or thermomix:
- Put the diced butter in the thermomix or in the mixer bowl and work it to soften, gettin a cream.
- Add sugar and mix it well
- Add the egg yolks and mix again.
- Finally add the flour and the flavors (vanilla and/or grated lemon peel.
- Forme a ball, wrap in plastic and put in the fridge for 1 or 2 hours before using.
Baking instructions:
- Normally a tart of 24-26 cm in diameter needs 30-40 minutes baking, while biscuits only 10-12 minutes.
Notes
- With these ingredients you’ll get about 500 g of shortcrust pastry: this, approximately, can be used to prepare a tart of 24 – 26 cm, including decorations.
- You can prepare the dough a day before use.
- If tightly closed in a sheet of plastic, shortcrust pastry can be store in the fridge for 2 or 3 days.
- You can freeze it.
- You can prepare in the same way a cocoa shortcrust pastry or a pastry enriched with nuts, pistachos, almonds, ecc.
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