Here's my go to shortcrust pastry recipes, I will link it in recipes where needed. I have included savoury, sweet, and chocolate, If you follow the recipe you'll end up with perfect pastry every time.
Ingredients
SAVOURY
240g AP flour
180 cold unsalted butter, cut small
1 egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons ice water
SWEET
240g AP flour
135g cold unsalted butter, cut small
70g icing sugar
2 egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ice water
CHOCOLATE
240g AP flour
135g cold unsalted butter, cut small
70g icing sugar
2 egg yolks
30g cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ice water
Method
Please note I prefer to make my pastry by hand. I find it doesn't take much longer, and honestly I enjoy the process, it's relaxing.
Start by sifting the flour into a large bowl (if making sweet / chocolate you will also sift the icing sugar, and cacao powder)
Add butter, and salt into the bowl. Rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs, working as quickly as possible to prevent the dough from becoming warm.
Add the egg yolk(s), and half of the cold water to the mixture. Using a cold fork, stir and slowly add the rest of the cold water until the dough binds together. Add more cold water a little at a time if the mixture is too dry.
Turn onto a lightly floured work surface and bring pastry together with the heel of your hand (do not over work the dough), form the dough into a ball / disc. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for an hour, or longer. Sometimes i'll leave it a day or two in the fridge.
Preheat oven to 180C. Roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface to 3mm thick, line your desired tart tin(s), trimming edges. Refrigerate for 1 hour, then blind bake for 8-10 minutes, remove paper and weights and bake until dry and crisp (8-10 minutes).
Tips
* Put your mixing bowl in the fridge prior to using it. On humid days I'll put the flour on the fridge with it.
* Keep the butter in the fridge (diced into small pieces) until you need it
* Try to use a glass bowl if possible, avoid plastic bowls.
* Do not over water your pastry
* Do not skip resting the dough; resting allows time for the gluten (proteins) in the dough to relax.
