Pastry, in all its various forms, is such a versatile thing to make and serve, be it on top of a pie, as a sweet and flaky croissant or around a meaty sausage roll. Making successful pastry dishes takes patience, a bit of practice and careful handling. By following these simple tips and tricks your shortcrust pastry will be golden, crunchy and light. Oh, and delicious, too, of course.

 

Short crust pastry uses a ratio of one part fat to two parts flour. Sift 200g plain flour into the bowl of a food processor. Add a pinch of fine salt and 100g cold butter or vegetable fat, cut into cubes. Whizz briskly until the mix looks like fine breadcrumbs. With the motor running, drizzle in enough ice-cold water (about 75ml) to make the dough come together into a smooth ball. Remove the dough from the processor, knead very quickly to make a smooth ball then wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge. 

 

When working with pastry there are eight general tips to follow: 

 

1. Bring to room temperature – if you try to work with pastry that’s too cold it won’t be pliable and you’ll struggle to roll and shape it. Take your pre-made pastry out of the fridge and give it at least 30 minutes before starting. 

2. Keep it cool – although your pastry’s now at room temperature, worktops and hands all need to be cold so the pastry doesn’t become sticky. You don’t want the fat in the mix to warm up and soften too much. It’s a balance and you’ll need to work quickly!

3. Steady on the flour – the common practice of covering the worktop and the pastry in flour might stop it becoming sticky but it can dry out the mixture. If you think you’ve used too much flour, make sure you brush off any excess before baking. 

4. Chill before cooking – once you’ve rolled and shaped the pastry, place it in the fridge to cool for 20 minutes. This allows the fat in the mixture to firm up. 

5. Glazing – if you want to bring colour and shine to the top of your pastry you need to glaze it. For shortcrust pastry, a brushing of beaten egg will leave a lovely golden-brown top. 

6. Oven Temperature – having your oven at the correct temperature makes the difference between your pastry folding or burning. 180°C for 30 minutes (or until the pastry’s golden brown) usually does the trick. Try to keep the oven door closed throughout the cooking time as too much opening and shutting affects the temperature and could change the end result.