How to make shortcrust pastry

Summary

Miriam from BBC Good Food demonstrates how to make shortcrust pastry using a food processor to prevent butter from melting. She advises using 250g plain flour and half the weight in cold butter, pulsing until it resembles breadcrumbs. Optionally, add sugar for sweet pastries. After adding a pinch of salt, liquid (milk, water, or egg yolk) is introduced gradually to bind the dough without making it chewy. The dough is then shaped into a disk, wrapped in cling film, and chilled for at least 30 minutes or overnight before rolling out for use in recipes.

Takeaways

• 🍽️ Making shortcrust pastry is best done using a food processor to prevent the butter from melting too quickly.
• 🥖 Start with 250 grams of plain flour and half that amount in cold, straight-from-the-fridge butter.
• 🔄 Use the pulse function to achieve a fine crumb texture similar to breadcrumbs or ground almonds.
• 🍬 If making a sweet pastry, add sugar at the crumb stage.
• 🧂 Add a pinch of salt to the mixture for flavor.
• 🥛 Add liquid (milk, water, or egg yolk) to bind the dough, starting with one tablespoon and adding more if needed.
• 💧 Be careful not to add too much liquid, as it can make the pastry chewy.
• 🤲 Once the dough starts to clump, use your hands to gently push it together.
• 🥧 Handling the dough should be minimal to prevent overworking it.
• 🧊 Shape the dough into a disk, cover with cling film, and chill for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
• 📜 After chilling, the pastry is ready to roll out and use in your recipes.

Q & A

What is the recommended method for making shortcrust pastry according to the script?

The recommended method for making shortcrust pastry is using a food processor to avoid the warmth of hands causing the butter to melt too quickly.

How much plain flour is needed to make the shortcrust pastry?

You need 250 grams of plain flour.

What is the ratio of butter to flour when making shortcrust pastry?

The butter should be half the weight of the flour, so for 250 grams of flour, you need 125 grams of butter.

Should the butter be at room temperature or cold when making the pastry?

The butter should be cold, straight from the fridge.

What texture should the flour and butter mixture achieve after pulsing in the food processor?

The mixture should resemble fine crumbs, similar to fresh breadcrumbs or ground almonds.

Is sugar added to the pastry in the provided recipe?

Yes, a pinch of sugar is added if making a sweet pastry.

What is the purpose of adding a pinch of salt to the pastry dough?

Adding a pinch of salt enhances the flavor of the pastry.

What liquid is used to bring the dough together in the recipe?

Milk is used to bring the dough together, but water or egg yolk can also be used.

How much liquid should be added initially to the dough?

Start with one tablespoon of liquid and add more if needed, but be careful not to add too much to prevent the pastry from becoming chewy.

What is the purpose of chilling the dough after it's formed?

Chilling the dough for about 30 minutes or overnight helps to firm it up and makes it easier to roll out.

How should the dough be shaped before chilling?

The dough should be pushed together into a disk shape before being covered with cling film and chilled.

Why is it important not to overwork the dough when making shortcrust pastry?

Overworking the dough can cause the butter to become too warm and the pastry to become greasy and tough.