Suitable for fruit pies, tarts, or tartlets.
225g (8oz) sieved flour
3 tbsp caster sugar
175g (6oz) butter
cold water
1 egg yolk
pinch salt
Put flour, sugar and salt into basin. Add the butter, and rub in lightly with the fingers until the mixture is like breadcrumbs. Make a well in the centre and add yolk, mix in as little as possible of water to make a somewhat stiff dough. chill for 30 mins then turn on to floured board arid roll out as required.
Tips for making pastry and baking
All ingredients must be as cold as possible, also all utensils.
The shortening should be evenly distributed through the pastry, and as little liquid used as possible.
Pastry improves by chilling and resting some time before baking, except when baking powder is used, this helps avoid shrinkage during cooking – wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate.
Handle the pastry as lightly and as little as can be managed, otherwise it will become a tough pastry.
Roll evenly, always from you, with short, sharp movements. The object is to keep all air in and not to press any out.
Bake in a hot oven; open oven door as little and, as gently as possible.
Roll out pastry to 3mm thick for pies, two-thirds of the dough is required for the base, the remaining for the lid.
Roll pastry bigger than the dish it is to line, then roll the rolling pin over the top of a straight-edged dish, or alternatively use a knife at right angles to the edge of the dish, to gently cut away the pastry.
Don’t stretch the pastry when lining pie tins. Instead, gently ease it into place – this will prevent the pastry shrinking during cooking.
Refrigerate the finished pie before cooking to allow the pastry to rest and therefore avoid shrinkage during cooking.