QUICK SHORTCRUST PASTRY
Recipes Courtesy of Caren McSherry – The Gourmet Warehouse
½ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1 cup unbleached flour
3 Tablespoons icing sugar
Place all the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor, pulse the machine
10 times, then let the machine run until the dough forms a ball on the side
of the bowl.
Remove from the bowl, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 15 minutes
before rolling out.
If the pastry breaks it’s ok to just press it back together with your fingers.
Get daily National news
Fill your tart pan with the pastry, freeze for 15 minutes before baking.
Bake in a 375 oven for 15 minutes or until lightly golden.
Makes 1 shell
Pate Brisee
The fancy name for French flaky pastry that really does make or break a tart.
Never over work the pastry or add too much water. Follow the exact measurements
1 ¼ cups unbleached all purpose flour
¼ cup granulated sugar
Tiny pinch of kosher salt
7 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter (cold and cut into ½ inch cubes)
6 Tablespoons ice water
Sift the flour, sugar and salt together. Toss in the butter and using a pastry blender cut the butter into pieces a bit larger than peas.
Add the water all at once and mix with a fork. Gently knead until the dough comes together. Overworking will result in tough pastry.
Wrap in plastic and chill for at least 20 minutes before rolling.
Makes 1 pastry shell.
TIP: refrigerate your rolled out pastry for 30 minutes, this process will set the butter and make for a perfect grease free shell.
Comments