No-rest shortcrust pastry is the easy and quick recipe to make tarts and cookies without waiting time.
It’s the recipe I’ve always used, the one my mother taught me: simple, reliable and perfect every time. One of those preparations that, once tried, becomes a staple in the kitchen.
Over the years it has become even more practical: you can knead it by hand, as was traditionally done, or make it in minutes with a stand mixer by putting all the ingredients together and obtaining a ready-to-use dough.
The best part? You can use it immediately, with no resting time. If you decide to prepare it in advance, chilling it in the refrigerator will make it even more elastic and easier to work with.
It’s a versatile base, ideal for crumbly tarts, cookies, pastiere and many other traditional desserts.
It’s one of those basic recipes that, once learned, you never forget.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 8 servings
- Cooking methods: No-bake
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 543.36 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 68.73 (g) of which sugars 24.92 (g)
- Proteins 8.33 (g)
- Fat 27.75 (g) of which saturated 17.49 (g)of which unsaturated 9.89 (g)
- Fibers 1.38 (g)
- Sodium 14.67 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 110 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
Simple, wholesome ingredients to make an easy no-rest shortcrust pastry, perfect for tarts and cookies.
- 9 oz butter (softened (about 2¾ sticks))
- 4 cups all-purpose (00) flour
- 3/4 + 2 tbsp cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tsp baking powder
- to taste lemon flavor (I use grated lemon zest)
Dough tools
You only need a few tools to prepare perfect shortcrust pastry, either by hand or with a stand mixer.
- 1 Stand mixer
- 1 Rolling pin
- 1 Tart pan
- 1 Work surface
Steps
Making shortcrust pastry with a stand mixer is very quick: just a few minutes to get a perfect, crumbly dough ready to use.
🥣 1. Put all the ingredients in
First, pour all the ingredients into the stand mixer bowl: flour, sugar, cold butter in pieces, eggs, baking powder and flavorings.
👉 There is no specific order to follow: you can add everything at once, just like you see in the photo.
⚙️ 2. Start mixing
Attach the paddle (or beater) and start the mixer at low speed.
At first the dough will look crumbly and grainy: this is completely normal.
👉 Keep working without stopping, letting the ingredients come together gradually.
🍪 3. Get the dough ball
After a few minutes, the dough will begin to come together until it forms a soft, homogeneous ball.
👉 When the dough pulls away from the sides and is well combined, it is ready.
✋ 4. Firm up by hand
Transfer the shortcrust pastry to the work surface and quickly work it by hand.
It is not necessary to add flour, at most dust just a little if needed.
👉 The dough should be soft, smooth and not sticky, as you can see in the photo.
✅ 5. Shortcrust pastry ready to use
Your shortcrust pastry is ready: you can use it immediately with no resting time.
👉 Perfect for tarts, cookies and homemade desserts.
Tips, storage and variations
Here are some useful tips to obtain perfect shortcrust pastry and store it properly so you can use it whenever you like.
💡 Tips for perfect shortcrust pastry
To obtain a crumbly shortcrust pastry that is easy to work with, it’s important not to overwork the dough.
👉 In fact, working the dough too much warms the butter and prevents the correct texture from forming.
Also, if you use a stand mixer, stop as soon as the dough becomes cohesive: there is no need to continue working it.
❄️ How to store shortcrust pastry
If you don’t use the shortcrust pastry immediately, you can easily store it in the refrigerator.
👉 Wrap it in plastic wrap and let it rest for a few hours or even until the next day.
This step, besides preserving it, will make it even more elastic and easier to roll out.
🧊 Can it be frozen?
Yes, shortcrust pastry can be frozen.
👉 Just wrap it well and keep it in the freezer for up to 1 month.
When needed, thaw it slowly in the refrigerator before using.
Frequently asked questions about shortcrust pastry
Here are some answers to the most common doubts about making shortcrust pastry.
Can you use the no-rest shortcrust pastry immediately?
Yes, this shortcrust pastry can be used right after preparation.
👉 However, if you let it rest in the refrigerator, it will become even more elastic and easier to roll out.Why is the dough crumbly at first?
It’s normal for the dough to be crumbly at the beginning, especially if prepared in a stand mixer.
👉 Continuing to work it will allow the ingredients to come together until a compact, homogeneous dough is formed.
