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ShortCrust Pastry Recipe

Shortcrust Pastry
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Shortcrust Pastry uncooked

Shortcrust pastry is used for lots of pie dishes. It sounds a bit daunting but as this recipe shows, follow the instructions and you will end up with delightful, light and crisp pastry.

INGREDIENTS

85 grams / 3oz cooking margarine (e.g. Stork). Use from a solid block of Stork, not spreadable

85 grams / 3oz lard

340 grams / 12 oz plain flour plus a very small amount more for use in rolling out the pastry

Four and a half tablespoons of water

Nutrition information per 100g ucooked
 
PREPARATION TIME
: 30 minutes
 
COOKING TIME: 45 minutes
 
DIFFICULTY: Medium
 
FREEZE: Yes
 
SERVINGS: 1 average pie base, sides  and covering
 
EQUIPMENT: Large bowl,

PREPARATION

If the lard / cooking margarine has been stored in the refrigerator, take it out 30 minutes before starting the recipe.

ADVICE FOR SHORTCRUST PASTRY

In our recipe we have used Cooking margarine and lard. It is quite possible to simply use Cooking margarine or all butter or a mix of butter and lard. We have found our mixture produces the best shortcrust pastry.

Whatever mixture of fat is used, the proportions of fat to flour should be maintained - twice the weight of flour to that of the fat.

It is quite possible to buy ready made shortcrust pastry at your supermarket, normally it is frozen. This makes excellent shortcrust pastry but never as good as freshly made pastry. It also has a couple of disadvantages.

Firstly, it is more expensive compared to home made pastry. The second disadvantage is not so obvious, the size of a sheet of ready made pastry is fixed, and if it is slightly smaller than you require then two sheets will be required.

Secondly, it is ofte frozen. You will need to remember to defrost it before use which can take much of the spontaneity out of baking.

Our shortcrust pastry recipe below has lots of pictures, but you can also view our video by clicking on the YouTube video below.

VIDEO - HOW TO MAKE SHORTCRUST PASTRY

RECIPE INSTRUCTIONS

STEP 1
It's best for shortcrust pastry that the cooking margarine and lard are at room temperature. This will enable it to combine with flour as quickly as possible and make rolling out the pastry much easier.

Add the cooking margarine and lard to a large bowl (cut into lumps) and sieve in the the flour.

Lard and cooking margarine cut into blocks
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Lard and cooking margarine cut into blocks

STEP 2
Gently rub the flour, and margarine / lard together with your fingers lifting them and letting the mix drop back into the bowl. This will help more air into the mixture.

The mixture should end up as small crumbs although some larger bits may be present. Don't overdo this stage, it should only take three or four minutes.

Crumbly shortcrust pastry mixture
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Crumbly shortcrust pastry mixture

STEP 3
Add 3 tablespoons of water to the mix and mix (also known as 'cut') the mixture together with a knife for a minute or so. Then use your fingers to gently blend the mix together even further. If it won't hold together add another half tablespoon of water.

The mix is of the correct consistency when it is in a ball and can collect all the odd bits around the bowl into one single ball.

Wrap the mix in cling film and place it in the fridge for 30 minutes to 'rest'. After it has rested for 30 minutes it is ready to be rolled out into the shape required. We have assumed for this page that you want to line the bottom and top of a fruit pie.

Shortcrust pastry in a ball shape
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Shortcrust pastry in a ball shape

STEP 4
Separate two thirds of the pastry (for the pie base and sides). Dust the surface with flour where you want to roll out the pastry. Most flat surfaces are fine for this.

Move the rolling pin back and forwards turning the pastry round frequently to get a round shape. keep dusting the surface with more flour if the pastry starts to stick. Use the base of the dish to be lined as a guide to size.

Remember to allow sufficient size of pastry for the base of the pie dish AND the sides (see next step below).

As far as thickness of shortcrust pastry goes, aim for the thickness of a one pound coin, which is precisely 2.8mm.

Measuring size for shortcrust pastry
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Measuring size for shortcrust pastry

STEP 5
When the pastry has been rolled to approximately the correct size, transfer it to over the top of the pie dish. Click both pictures below for an enlarged view. First, roll about half of the pastry over the rolling pin (top picture below). Then support the remaining pastry with your hand and transfer the pastry to the top of the pie dish.

Gently firm the pastry into the bottom of the pie dish. It's not a disaster if the pastry tears slightly because when the pie is filled the base will not be very visible.

Shortcrust pastry onto rolling pin
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Shortcrust pastry onto rolling pin

Transfer pastry to pie dish
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Transfer pastry to pie dish

STEP 6
Firm the shortcrust pastry to the base and sides of the pie dish with your fingers. Use the blunt side of a normal knife to trim off any pastry which is higher than the sides of the pie dish.

Shortcrust pastry lining pie dish
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Shortcrust pastry lining pie dish

STEP 7
Turn on the oven now to 220°C / Fan 200°C / 425°F / Gas Mark 7 this is for a fruit pie, other fillings may vary the temperature required but this is a good guide. The oven temperature will be reduced further down this recipe.

Fill the pastry lined dish with whatever is your choice of fruit. Roll out the remaining third of the pastry with the rolling pin to just larger than the top of the pie dish. Transfer the pastry to the top of the pie dish using the rolling pin as before.Gently firm down the pastry over the top of the fruit and trim the excess pastry off with the blunt side of a knife.

Shortcrust pastry topping
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Shortcrust pastry topping

STEP 8
It will make the pie look more attractive if you 'crimp' the pastry round the edge of the pie. Click the picture below for a better idea of how to do this. The video below shows a different method to crimp shortcrust pastry.

Crimping shortcrust pastry edges
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Crimping shortcrust pastry edges

VIDEO HOW TO CRIMP EDGES OF SHORTCRUST PASTRY

STEP 9
Finally, make a couple of holes in the top of the pastry.

This will allow steam to come out whilst the pie is being baked and help to keep the shortcrust pastry crisp.

Holes in top of shortcrust fruit pie
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Holes in top of shortcrust fruit pie

STEP 10
Place the pie in the pre-heated oven and leave at that temperature for ten minutes. Then turn the temperature down to 190°C / Fan 170°C / 375°F / Gas Mark 5.

If you are cooking a fruit or meat pie, cook for a further 30 to 40 minutes until the shortcrust pastry is golden brown and the pie filling has cooked through.

Cooked shortcrust pastry pie
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Cooked shortcrust pastry pie

ONE RATING GIVEN - AVERAGE 5 / 5 star rating
five star rating
05 June 2023
From: Not Given
First attempt and I'm still here so it must be OK
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