The spiced shortcrust pastry is a delicious and fragrant base, perfect for making cookies and Christmas pies with a unique and homely flavor.
Every time I prepare it, I’m enchanted by the scent of the spices — cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg — that fill the kitchen and immediately make me think of the holidays: it’s already Christmas!
This pastry is ideal for making spiced cookies in the shape of stars or trees, or a Christmas pie with orange or fig jam.
It is easily worked by hand, without a stand mixer, and after resting in the refrigerator, it becomes elastic, crumbly and simply perfect for every Christmas dessert.
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 2 Hours
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 6
- Cooking methods: No cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 392.21 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 63.85 (g) of which sugars 30.69 (g)
- Proteins 6.32 (g)
- Fat 13.98 (g) of which saturated 8.74 (g)of which unsaturated 4.93 (g)
- Fibers 1.28 (g)
- Sodium 117.46 (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 for Spiced Shortcrust Pastry
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 3.5 oz butter (cold)
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup wildflower honey
- 2 pinches nutmeg
- 2 pinches ground ginger
- Half orange zest (untreated, grated)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch baking soda
Prepare the Spiced Shortcrust Pastry
In a large bowl, place the flour, brown sugar, salt, spices, baking soda, and cold butter in pieces.
Mix with your hands until you get a sandy and fragrant mixture.
Add the wildflower honey and the egg, then continue kneading until forming a compact and uniform dough.
The spiced shortcrust pastry is ready: wrap it in plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least a couple of hours.
This step is crucial because the pastry becomes more elastic and the aromas of cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg blend perfectly.
After the resting time, roll out the dough on a work surface and start shaping your spiced Christmas cookies or a Christmas pie with an irresistible scent.
Storage and Useful Tips
The spiced shortcrust pastry can be stored in the refrigerator, well wrapped in plastic wrap, for 2-3 days.
If you want to prepare it in advance, you can also freeze it: form a dough, wrap it in plastic wrap and store it for up to 2 months. Before using it, let it thaw in the fridge for a few hours.
This pastry is perfect for making spiced Christmas cookies or Christmas pies with orange, fig, or apple jam.
For an even more fragrant touch, you can add an extra teaspoon of honey or a few drops of vanilla extract.
If you want a fresher and more citrusy effect, add a bit of lemon zest along with the orange.
For a gluten-free version, replace the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free pastry mix, increasing the butter slightly (by 10 g) to maintain the right elasticity.
If you want a fresher and more citrusy effect, add a bit of lemon zest along with the orange.
For a gluten-free version, replace the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free pastry mix, increasing the butter slightly (by 10 g) to maintain the right elasticity.
