All purpose short crust recipe made in 10 minutes using a food processor.

If you want to make shortcrust in 10 minutes without breaking a sweat, using a food processor is the way to go. This technique is employed by chefs and is even featured in French culinary schoolbooks, so don’t feel guilty about utilizing a food processor. This recipe is extremely popular because it yields a perfect result every time, and the dough is easy to work with. But wait, there’s more! It can be prepared as either a savory or sweet crust, making it versatile for savory tarts, quiches, fruit tarts, and custard tarts.

INGREDIENTS

Makes 500 g shortcrust (fits a 26 cm tart pan)

250 g (8.8 oz) all-purpose flour

125 g (4.4 oz) unsalted butter

1 medium egg yolk (20 g) (0.7 oz)

50 ml (1.7 fl oz) water

5 g salt (1 tsp)

1 tbsp sugar (for the sweet version)

MISE EN PLACE

Measure the ingredients, sift the flour, cut the butter into small cubes (it must be fridge cold), and fit your food processor with a dough blade.

METHOD

1. Process the flour and butter cubes in the food processor for up to 1 minute until you have a sandy mixture. You may need to stop the processor and use a spatula to detach bits sticking to the sides and bottom of the processor.

2. Combine the egg yolk, water, and salt (also add the sugar for a sweet shortcrust) in a small bowl and stir gently with a spoon until the salt has completely dissolved.

3. Pour the liquid ingredients into the food processor bowl and process until a ball of dough starts to form; then, stop the food processor (again, this should take less than a minute).

4. Clean some space on your kitchen countertop and dust it with a pinch or two of flour. Plonk the dough on the counter and roll it into a smooth ball, then flatten it into a thick disc shape to make it easier to roll later.

5. Wrap the pastry in plastic film and leave it to rest in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

6. Remove the shortcrust from the fridge at least 30 minutes before you use it for a recipe. This prevents cracks from forming in the dough and makes it more malleable and easier to roll.