sweet shortcrust
All purpose short crust recipe made in 10 minutes using a food processor.
If you want to make a sweet shortcrust in 10 minutes without breaking a sweat, using a food processor is the way to go. This technique is employed by chefs and is even featured in French culinary schoolbooks, so don’t feel guilty about utilizing a food processor. This recipe is extremely popular because it yields a perfect result every time, and the dough is easy to work with. But wait, there’s more! It can be prepared as either a savory or sweet crust, making it versatile for savory tarts, quiches, fruit tarts, and custard tarts.
INGREDIENTS
Makes 500 g shortcrust (fits a 26 cm tart pan)
250 g (8.8 oz) all-purpose flour
150 g (5 ¼ oz.) unsalted butter
75 grams ( 2.6 oz) fine white granulated sugar (caster sugar)
1 whole egg
a pinch of salt
MISE EN PLACE
Measure the ingredients, sift the flour, cut the butter into small cubes (it must be fridge cold), and fit your food processor with a dough blade.
METHOD
Process the flour, sugar and butter cubes in the food processor for up to 1 minute until you have a sandy mixture. You may need to stop the processor and use a spatula to detach bits sticking to the sides and bottom of the processor.
Combine the egg with the salt in a small bowl and stir gently with a spoon until the salt has completely dissolved.
Pour the liquid ingredients into the food processor bowl and process until a ball of dough starts to form; then, stop the food processor (again, this should take less than a minute).
Clean some space on your kitchen countertop and dust it with a pinch or two of flour. Plonk the dough on the counter and roll it into a smooth ball, then flatten it into a thick disc shape to make it easier to roll later.
Wrap the pastry in plastic film and leave it to rest in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
Remove the shortcrust from the fridge at least 30 minutes before you use it for a recipe. This prevents cracks from forming in the dough and makes it more malleable and easier to roll.
Useful tip: Sweet shortcrust pastry can be fragile and tricky to roll out. To make it easier, place the dough between two sheets of plastic wrap (or baking paper), then roll it out with a rolling pin. This method makes the dough much easier to handle—you can lift, move, and turn it without it tearing or breaking.