The OVIS MOLLIS SHORTCRUST PASTRY is one of the most refined and surprising preparations in Italian pastry. This special shortcrust wins you over at the first bite thanks to its unique texture: soft, extremely crumbly and almost weightless, so much so that it melts in the mouth like a sweet cloud. What makes it so different from traditional shortcrust is an ingredient that intrigues and fascinates: the hard-boiled egg yolk, which gives the dough an unexpected lightness and a silky delicacy that is difficult to reproduce with other methods.
Originating from Piedmontese and Ligurian tradition, Ovis Mollis was born as an elite shortcrust, intended for elegant tea biscuits or pastry, but over time it has become a little treasure for those who love simple, buttery sweets delicately flavored. Its crumbly texture comes from the perfect combination of soft butter, powdered sugar and sifted flour, but it is the step of adding the hard-boiled yolk—finely mashed or sieved—that gives that “melting” effect that makes it unique.
The dough, soft and velvety to the touch, is worked quickly and gently, and after a short rest in the refrigerator it can be shaped in a thousand ways: little balls with a jam center, breakfast cookies, shells for tartlets or filled pastries. In baking, Ovis Mollis turns into fragrant cookies with a golden color and a tender texture, perfect to end an important lunch, to accompany an afternoon tea or to enrich a tray of homemade pastries.
It is a simple recipe with a surprising result, ideal for those looking for an elegant dessert in its simplicity. One of those preparations that show how, often, the best things are born from the meeting of simple ingredients and ancient gestures, repeated with care. Ovis Mollis shortcrust pastry is exactly that: a small masterpiece of sweetness and tradition that conquers without making noise.
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very inexpensive
- Rest time: 1 Hour
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Cooking methods: Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 446.44 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 55.72 (g) of which sugars 18.62 (g)
- Proteins 5.45 (g)
- Fat 23.53 (g) of which saturated 14.59 (g)of which unsaturated 8.76 (g)
- Fibers 0.73 (g)
- Sodium 71.17 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 100 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
- 3 egg yolks (hard-boiled)
- 1 2/3 cup type 00 flour (or all-purpose flour)
- 3/4 cup potato starch (about 100 g)
- 3/4 cup powdered (confectioners') sugar (about 100 g)
- 1 packet vanillin (vanilla powder)
- 1 pinch salt
- 2/3 cup butter (cold (about 150 g / 5.3 oz))
For Ovis Mollis shortcrust pastry you will need
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Small saucepan
- 1 Sieve
Preparation of Ovis Mollis shortcrust
The preparation of OVIS MOLLIS SHORTCRUST PASTRY is very easy and quick.
Place the eggs in a small saucepan, cover them with cold water, set over heat and boil for 10 minutes from the time the water reaches a boil.
Cool them under cold running water and peel them, keeping the yolks intact.
In a bowl place the sifted flour and potato starch, the powdered sugar, the vanillin and a pinch of salt. The presence of the potato starch guarantees the “melting in the mouth” texture: do not replace it.
Mix the dry ingredients, add the cold butter cut into cubes and work everything with your fingertips until you obtain a sandy mixture.Add the sieved hard-boiled egg yolks and quickly knead until you form a smooth, homogeneous dough.
Do not overwork the shortcrust to avoid warming the butter. You can make Ovis Mollis shortcrust with a stand mixer using the paddle attachment.Wrap it in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
When ready to use it, work it briefly to soften it.
Storage
Ovis Mollis shortcrust pastry can be stored raw in the fridge for 2–3 days or it can be frozen.
