Sweet Shortcrust Pastry

This recipe was a request by a follower, and as always, I listen to them.

Although Achieving a great pie or tart dough seems easy, it can be a quest for many when you don’t follow the exact technique. This dough is light, easier to roll and crispy compared to butter only sweet crust pastry. Practice makes better, but if you adhere to the following notes, you will find it easier to master after only a few attempts.

1. Always use chilled fat ( in this recipe it is the butter)

2. Always use chilled water and don’t be tempted to add more as you will end up with a hard crust.

3. Add vinegar as it prevents the dough from oxidising and turning grey.

4. Never overwork the dough and make sure you have pieces of butter intact.

5. Never knead the dough with the palm of your hands, just bring it together.

6. Shape the dough into discs as it will be easier to roll and you get an edge with fewer cracks.

Servings: one 30 cm diameter tart shell

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Start to finish: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

330 grams all-purpose flour

210 grams chilled butter cubed

80 millilitres chilled water

1 teaspoon vinegar

50 grams caster sugar

pinch salt

Method:

· Place the flour, butter, sugar, salt and vinegar in a food processor.

· Pulse for 3 to 5 times until you see small pieces of butter as seen in the video.

· Add the water and pulse for a few more times until the pastry starts to come together.

· Tip the pastry on the counter and work pushing it away and bringing it back to the centre just a few times until the dough holds shape.

· Flatten to a disc, wrap in plastic and place in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours or to next day.

· If making a smaller tart, please read notes.

· Follow the instruction of each sweet-tart you wish to prepare but remember the dough must be removed 20 minutes out of the fridge before rolling always.

Notes:

· The recipe makes two 25cm shallow and thin-crust tarts or one 30 cm deep and thick crust tart.

· The dough will shrink slightly when baked so allow a bit of excess at the rim of the tart shell.

· If you wish to use wholemeal flour, add a little more water just until the pastry starts to hold.

· You must always allow the pastry to rest in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours.

· You can make the tart shells and freeze them up to 2 to 3 months and bake as needed.

· Always remove from fridge 20 minutes before rolling.

· You can make little tartlets with the leftover pastry.

Per Serving: 2901 Calories; 174g Fat (53.6% calories from fat); 36g Protein; 302g Carbohydrate; 9g Dietary Fiber; 460mg Cholesterol; 1744mg Sodium.