This easy and delicious sweet shortcrust pastry, by James Martin, is perfect for making tarts, pies, or other desserts. With just a few simple ingredients like butter, flour, and egg yolk, this dough is quick to prepare and creates a buttery, crisp base that’s sure to impress.
Ingredients Needed
- 150g (1 cup) plain flour
- 75g (5½ tbsp) unsalted butter
- 50g (¼ cup) icing sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- A pinch of salt
- 1 tbsp water (if needed)
How to Make Sweet Shortcrust Pastry
- Make the Dough: Put the plain flour and unsalted butter in a bowl. Rub together with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
- Add Sugar and Egg Yolk: Stir in the icing sugar and a pinch of salt. Then add the egg yolk and mix it all.
- Adjust Consistency: If the dough feels too dry to form, add 1 tbsp of water and mix until combined.
- Chill the Dough: Shape the dough into a ball, flatten it into a disc, wrap it in cling film, and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before using.
Recipe Tips
- Use cold butter: Make sure your butter is cold when mixing it with the flour to create a flaky and crisp texture in your pastry.
- Don’t overwork the dough: Mix the ingredients just until they come together. Overworking the dough can make it tough.
- Chill the dough well: After shaping the dough, always chill it for at least 30 minutes. This helps it hold its shape during baking.
- Add water slowly: If the dough is too dry, add water 1 tablespoon at a time to avoid making it too wet.
- Roll on a floured surface: When rolling out the dough, make sure your surface and rolling pin are lightly floured to prevent sticking.
How To Store Leftovers?
- Refrigerate: Let the leftover pastry cool completely, then wrap it in cling film or place it in an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: After cooling, wrap the pastry tightly in cling film and place it in a freezer bag. It will be kept in the freezer for up to 3 months. To use, thaw the pastry in the fridge overnight before rolling and baking.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 serving (1/12 of the total recipe)
- Calories: 220
- Total Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
- Sodium: 40mg
- Potassium: 40mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 26g
- Dietary Fiber: 1g
- Sugars: 6g
- Protein: 2g
Try More James Martin Recipes:
- James Martin Seafood Lasagne
- James Martin Spaghetti Bolognese
- James Martin Methi Chicken
- James Martin Chicken Tikka Masala
James Martin Sweet Shortcrust Pastry
Description
This easy and delicious sweet shortcrust pastry, by James Martin, is perfect for making tarts, pies, or other desserts. With just a few simple ingredients like butter, flour, and egg yolk, this dough is quick to prepare and creates a buttery, crisp base that’s sure to impress.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Make the Dough: Put the plain flour and unsalted butter in a bowl. Rub together with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
- Add Sugar and Egg Yolk: Stir in the icing sugar and a pinch of salt. Then add the egg yolk and mix it all.
- Adjust Consistency: If the dough feels too dry to form, add 1 tbsp of water and mix until combined.
- Chill the Dough: Shape the dough into a ball, flatten it into a disc, wrap it in cling film, and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before using.
Notes
- Use cold butter: Make sure your butter is cold when mixing it with the flour to create a flaky and crisp texture in your pastry.
- Don’t overwork the dough: Mix the ingredients just until they come together. Overworking the dough can make it tough.
- Chill the dough well: After shaping the dough, always chill it for at least 30 minutes. This helps it hold its shape during baking.
- Add water slowly: If the dough is too dry, add water 1 tablespoon at a time to avoid making it too wet
- Roll on a floured surface: When rolling out the dough, make sure your surface and rolling pin are lightly floured to prevent sticking.
James Martin Sweet Shortcrust Pastry