Shortcrust Pastry – Basic Recipe
One of the cornerstones of pastry is shortcrust pastry, a combination of 4 ingredients: eggs, sugar, butter, and flour that, depending on how they are incorporated, change the structure of the final result.
But that’s not all! The flours that can be used are manifold, from the white and refined ones like 00 to the more or less rustic ones; furthermore, using oil instead of butter or powdered sugar instead of granulated sugar, and their quantities relative to the butter, result in different consistencies of shortcrust pastry.
Then there are all the variations; with yogurt in the dough, with cream, or flavored with oily pastes (hazelnut or pistachio) ..
Since I particularly love this dough and indeed here on the blog there are many recipes for tarts and cookies, I thought of including an article that explains in a few steps how to make a good basic shortcrust pastry recipe.
OTHER INTERESTING RECIPES:
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Cheap
- Rest time: 2 Hours
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 cups fine granulated sugar
- 7 oz butter
- 4 oz eggs (equivalent to 2 medium)
- lemon zest
Steps
It is essential to use a kitchen thermometer to measure the temp. of the butter.
–1– Take the butter out of the fridge, it should have a temp. of 57°F when used (if you don’t have a thermometer, about an hour; it should be soft)
– 2,3,4 – In the mixer bowl, pour the sugar and mix at low speed with the paddle along with the butter cut into pieces, until it forms a cream.
– 5– Add the lightly beaten eggs, a little at a time
– 6– and finally the sifted flour and grated lemon zest.
– 7,8,9– As soon as the dough forms, turn off the machine and compact on the work surface (if we worked well, no flour for dusting is needed); flatten between two sheets of parchment paper – this way it cools faster – and place in the fridge.
– The shortcrust pastry can stay in the fridge for up to 3 days before being used.
– At the time of use, manipulate it slightly to make it elastic and proceed according to use.
Tips
– The basic shortcrust pastry can be flavored with vanilla pulp NO vanillin, orange zest, or cinnamon.
