This recipe is a classic from culinary schools that yields a great result every time.

This recipe technique appears in our first cook book, ‘French Cooking Academy: 100 Essential Recipes for the Home Cook’.

If you want to make a short crust without breaking a sweat, then give this recipe a try. Contrary to what people think, making short crust pastry by hand is straightforward and fast. This recipe is a classic from culinary schools that yields a perfect result every time. The dough is easy to roll out, which is great for building confidence in working with pastry. Even better, this dough can be made with and without sugar, making it suitable for both sweet and savory delights, such as quiches, fruit tarts and custard flan.

INGREDIENTS

Makes about 1 lb (500 g) shortcrust pastry (enough to fit a 10-inch [26-cm]-diameter tart pan)

8.8 oz (250 g) all-purpose flour, sifted

4.4 oz (125 g) unsalted butter, fridge-cold and cut into small cubes

0.7 oz (20 g) egg yolk from about 1 medium-sized egg

1.7 fl oz (50 ml) cold water

1 tsp (5 g) salt

1 tbsp (12.5 g) granulated sugar (optional, for the sweet variation)

MISE EN PLACE

Measure the ingredients precisely, especially the egg yolk, which must be exactly 0.7 oz (20 grams).

METHOD

1. Place the flour in a large glass bowl, then disperse the cubed butter over it. Now, get ready for a bit of a workout. Firmly grab and squeeze handfuls of flour and butter to start mixing them together, then follow by rubbing the flour and butter between your fingertips. Work fast to avoid warming the mixture and you should end up with a coarse and sandy mixture with a minimum of lumps.

2. Next, in a small bowl, combine the egg yolk, water and salt, and stir gently with a fork until the salt has completely dissolved.

3. Pour the egg yolk mixture evenly over the flour mixture and use a fork to stir them together. Stop as soon as you have a cohesive dough that comes together when pressed in your palm. Gather the dough to make a rough ball shape.

4. Dust your countertop with a pinch or two of flour, then plonk the dough on the bench before rolling it into a smooth ball.

5. Knead the dough by spreading it flat with the palm of your hand, using a firm downward motion in different directions, until the dough is flat. To finish, gather the dough back into a ball again and flatten it into a thick disk. Wrap it in plastic wrap and let rest in the fridge for at least 2 hours.   

6. Remove the short crust dough 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.

   Variation

   To make a sweet short crust, add the sugar when you combine the egg yolk, water and salt. This sweet version is suitable for blind baking and great for fruit tarts.