The Queen of Homemade Pastry and not just that, the Butter Shortcrust Pastry in its most classic version. I finally decided to write Grandma Licia’s Shortcrust Recipe, the most common one that surely all grandmothers know and have prepared for you a thousand times. This morning, I thought, let’s record the video recipe to clearly and simply explain all the steps of this recipe. So here is the recipe in its written version with step-by-step instructions and the video version below the first photo.
Remember, you can subscribe to the YouTube channel or the newsletter service, in this case by viewing the blog from a PC, to stay updated with notifications and not miss any new recipes! In the coming days, I’ll publish a Shortcrust Special with all the recipes I’ve made over the years. From the butter shortcrust like this one to the oil shortcrust, including cookies and other recipes where shortcrust pastry is needed.
I’ve tried so many shortcrust pastry recipes in these 12 years of blogging that I can’t even count them anymore. For Halloween, I even suggested a pumpkin and cinnamon shortcrust, do you remember it? If you missed it, you can read it by clicking the link below. I’ve also prepared the first Christmas Cookies with cinnamon shortcrust without butter, we’ve had fun and enjoyed delicious desserts. Small or big, but always tasty desserts to share with family, friends, or guests.
Before letting you delve into the Homemade Butter Shortcrust Recipe, remember that I wait for you every morning in the Group and on the Facebook Fan Page of Le Ricette di Bea with the Recipe of the Day, on the Instagram profile with live feeds from my kitchen, and of course on the YouTube Channel with many video recipes!
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Affordable
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 6 people
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 476.81 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 64.37 (g) of which sugars 27.12 (g)
- Proteins 8.89 (g)
- Fat 22.34 (g) of which saturated 13.15 (g)of which unsaturated 9.22 (g)
- Fibers 6.62 (g)
- Sodium 97.98 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 84 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for Butter Shortcrust Pastry
- 2 1/2 cups flour (sifted)
- 1/2 cup butter (cold from the refrigerator)
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 egg yolk (cold from the refrigerator)
- 1 egg (cold from the refrigerator)
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tsp baking powder (about 5 grams)
- 1 packet vanilla (or vial)
- as needed lemon zest
For the resting time of the Shortcrust Pastry in the refrigerator is 30 minutes, which is the minimum necessary for this recipe. As I also explain in the video recipe, the optimal resting time to achieve a good crumbly shortcrust goes from 3 to 4 hours. On almost all cooking sites, the indicated time is 30 minutes, but trust me and try at least once to let the classic shortcrust rest for a few hours. The difference will be seen and felt immediately.
Tools for Preparing Butter Shortcrust Pastry
- 1 Food Processor
- 1 Pastry Board
- 1 Small Bowl
- 1 Spoon
- 1 Scale
- 1 Oven
- 1 Tart Pan
- 1 Knife
- 1 Plastic Wrap
- 2 Parchment Paper
- 1 Silicone Rolling Pin
I’m not very good at preparations that require “the fountain”; let’s say I also don’t like the sticky effect on my hands, so the recipe I propose involves using the food processor to make the “crumbing of the shortcrust”. This is obviously a step I added to my grandmother’s recipe; she used to make the classic flour fountain and worked the eggs with the butter with her fingertips first and then with her hands. If you’re comfortable with the pastry board, feel free to do so, the important thing is to respect the quantities.
Recipe Steps for Butter Shortcrust Pastry
We start the preparation of the shortcrust base by taking the food processor, with the large blades and a nice large bowl. In the list of tools needed for this recipe, you can find the Amazon link to purchase the Kenwood like mine which you see in the video recipe. Otherwise, take a nice wooden pastry board and form the classic flour fountain.
Place all the tools and ingredients needed for this recipe in front of you on the counter, it will make the work easier. Then take the butter from the refrigerator and cut it into chunks with a knife and place them directly into the food processor bowl. Weigh the sugar and add it to the butter. Turn on the machine and let it work, the butter will become many small sugary balls. We are making the shortcrust crumbing. Easy, right?
Now crack the eggs, we will need one whole egg and one yolk. Keep the egg white aside, you can make fantastic pancakes for a snack following my recipe High Protein Pancakes. Then add the eggs to the food processor bowl and turn on the machine again. Just a few seconds for each step. Sift the flour and add the teaspoon of baking powder. The classic baking powder you use for cakes and donuts. I had an open packet from another Christmas Cookies preparation. Add the flour to the bowl as well, using a spoon.
Turn on the machine and wait for the shortcrust to stick to one of the sides, that will be the signal that our dough is ready. Take a wooden surface and without adding any flour, place the shortcrust pastry you just prepared with the food processor on it and work it quickly with your hands. Form a nice smooth and uniform ball, wrap it with plastic wrap, and place it in the refrigerator to rest. As mentioned earlier, the minimum resting time is 30 minutes but if you have time at your disposal, extend it as much as possible. This time frame will allow our dough to cool, resulting in a crumbly and super delicious shortcrust. Believe me!
After the resting time, we are ready to transform our shortcrust base into many recipes. We can use it to prepare tarts, cookies, or filled cakes like the Grandma’s Cake rich in custard and pine nuts. You will also find this delicious recipe on the blog, always from Grandma Licia, the Grandma’s Cake recipe with shortcrust and of course the homemade custard recipe. You will impress your family or friends.
If you make a tart, I recommend rolling the shortcrust pastry using two sheets of parchment paper, one under the shortcrust and one between it and the rolling pin. Even though I use a silicone rolling pin, I feel more comfortable using this system with two sheets of parchment paper. Consider that I divide the shortcrust with a metal scraper into 3/4, the larger part I use for the base and edges, the smaller part for the decorations on the surface. In the case of the video recipe, I made some hearts with the cutters. Don’t you think it’s the perfect dessert for Valentine’s Dinner? Your loved one will be happy to share this delicious dessert with Nutella with you!
The baking time for a tart with custard is about 20 minutes, while for cookies, the time ranges from 10 to 12 minutes maximum. Always rely on the baking times indicated in the recipes you are preparing. In my case, I always keep in mind that the oven is a bit temperamental, so I never stray far from the glass to monitor the cooking and not burn anything. A tip for the less experienced in the kitchen: the tart should always be placed in the middle shelf of the oven during baking, this will allow for optimal cooking of our dessert.
I hope I have been helpful with this basic recipe, let me know in the comments or in the chat. I look forward to seeing you every day here on my cooking blog. I wish you a good appetite!!!
Variations and Tips for Shortcrust Pastry Recipe
You can substitute butter with vegetable oil; if 120 grams of butter is indicated, you can use between 100 and 110 grams of oil. You can also vary the sugar from classic granulated sugar to powdered sugar, many people prepare shortcrust pastry with powdered or brown sugar. I tried the latter for Halloween Cookies and I have to say I really liked them a lot.
Tip: If you have time, let the shortcrust rest in the refrigerator as previously indicated. Do not stray too far from the oven to be able to monitor the baking of the tart or cookies you are preparing, so you don’t burn them and waste ingredients and time.
