How To Make Sweet Shortcrust Pastry

Learn how to make homemade sweet shortcrust pastry with just 4 basic ingredients and 5 minutes prep time... our step by step instructions couldn't be any easier!

Take your desserts to a delicious new level with our homemade sweet shortcrust pastry recipe. It's so simple to make and is perfect for apple pie, lemon meringue pie, pecan pie and more! Flaky, melt-in-your mouth pastry has never been easier.

4 Ingredient Shortcrust Pastry

Making your own pastry is a budget-friendly option... thanks to it's 4 pantry staple ingredients: (scroll to the recipe card below for ingredient quantities)

- plain flour

- caster sugar (also known as superfine sugar)

- cold butter (either salted or unsalted butter is fine)

- iced water (see tips below)

And that is it!!

How To Make Shortcrust Pastry (Food Processor & Thermomix)

It's so easy to make pastry using either a food processor or a Thermomix (scroll to the recipe card below for the full method and ingredients).

Food Processor Method

• Use a food processor to mix the butter, flour and sugar together until they resemble breadcrumbs (medium to high speed).
• Add the iced water and mix again on low to medium speed until a dough forms (add a little extra iced water if the mixture is too crumbly).
• Knead into a ball on a lightly floured board.

Thermomix Method

• Mix the butter, sugar and flour together until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs (Speed 6, 10 seconds).
• Add the iced water and mix on Interval speed (kneading function) for 1 minute or until the dough comes together (add a little extra iced water if the mixture is too crumbly).

Tips For Making Homemade Pastry

• Use full fat butter that is very cold. Cold butter will stop the pastry from becoming greasy.
• For savoury shortcrust pastry, simply omit the sugar (there's not need to replace it with anything).
• Try to keep all of your ingredients cold during the entire preparation process. Keep the butter chilled until you're ready to use it. Add ice to water to chill it even further.
• Chill the dough before using it - this allows the butter to set which results in perfectly flakey and melt-in-your-mouth pastry.
• Remove the dough from the fridge and leave it for 5-10 minutes before rolling it out (this will stop the edges cracking).
• Add a little flour to your rolling pin and flat board when rolling out the dough (to stop it from sticking).

How To Blind Bake Pastry

Blind baking is the process of par-cooking pastry before adding filling and continuing to cook. Blind baking keeps the pastry in shape when filling is added, stops the pastry from going soggy and results in the BEST flakey pastry. 

• Roll the chilled dough out and press into the baking tin.
• Press a piece of baking paper (greaseproof paper) onto the top of the pastry
• Fill the base and sides with baking beans (can be purchased from supermarkets or kitchenware stores). If you don't have baking beans, you can use uncooked rice or lentils instead. 
• Blind bake the pastry until lightly golden.
• Add the filling and continue to bake until ready.

Recipes For Using Shortcrust Pastry

Once you've made your own shortcrust pastry, you'll never be able to go back to store-bought pastry again! Here's a few of my favourite recipes for using homemade shortcrust pastry:

• Homemade Apple Pie (the ultimate easy winter dessert)
• Lemon Meringue Pie... a classic, tangy and sweet dessert
• Pecan Pie
• Lemon Tart (the BEST tart!)
• Mixed Berry Pies
• Caramel Apple Pies
• Homemade Meat Pies (omit the caster sugar for a savoury shortcrust pastry)

WANT EVEN MORE DELICIOUS RECIPES? Subscribe to my newsletter or follow along on Facebook or Instagram. And if you love baking, then please come and join my Facebook cooking club group or subscribe to my YouTube channel. 

How To Make Sweet Shortcrust Pastry

Learn how to make deliciously sweet shortcrust pastry - it's so easy! Just 4 basic ingredients and 5 minutes prep time... it couldn't be any simpler!

5 from 27 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: basics

Cuisine: Baking

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Chilling time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Servings: 1 serves

Calories: 2125kcal

Author: Lucy - Bake Play Smile

Ingredients

• ▢ 265 g (2 cups) plain flour
• ▢ 3 tbs caster sugar superfine sugar
• ▢ 150 g butter cold and chopped
• ▢ 2-3 tbs icy cold water see notes

Instructions

Conventional Method

• Place the flour, sugar and butter into a food processor and process it until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
• Slowly adding the iced water until a smooth dough forms.
• Knead the dough into a ball on a lightly floured surface.
• Wrap in plastic wrap and place it into the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
• When you're ready to use your dough, roll it out on a lightly floured surface with a rolling pin until it is 3mm thick.
• If you're making a pie or dessert that has both a pastry bottom and top, it's best to divide your dough into 2 and roll them out separately.
• Bake the pastry in an oven preheated to 180 degrees celsius for approximately 20 minutes or until lightly golden and crispy.
• Please note that if you're not adding the pie/dessert filling immediately, place a sheet of baking paper over the bottom of the pastry and fill with baking weights or rice (uncooked) before placing into the oven. Remove the weights halfway through the baking time.

Thermomix Method

• Place the flour, sugar and butter into the TM bowl and mix on Speed 6 for 10 seconds (or until it resembles fine breadcrumbs).
• Add the iced water and knead for 1 minute on interval speed.
• Knead the dough into a ball on a lightly floured surface.
• Wrap in plastic wrap and place it into the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
• When you're ready to use your dough, roll it out on a lightly floured surface with a rolling pin until it is 3mm thick.
• If you're making a pie or dessert that has both a pastry bottom and top, it's best to divide your dough into 2 and roll them out separately.
• Bake the pastry in an oven preheated to 180 degrees celsius for approximately 20 minutes or until lightly golden and crispy.
• Please note that if you're not adding the pie/dessert filling immediately, place a sheet of baking paper over the bottom of the pastry and fill with baking weights or rice (uncooked) before placing into the oven. Remove the weights halfway through the baking time.

Notes

RECIPE NOTES & TIPS

You can use either a food processor or Thermomix to make the pastry.

Use full fat butter that is very cold. Cold butter will stop the pastry from becoming greasy. 

For savoury shortcrust pastry, simply omit the sugar (there’s not need to replace it with anything). 

Try to keep all of your ingredients cold during the entire preparation process. Keep the butter chilled until you’re ready to use it. Add ice to water to chill it even further. 

Chill the dough before using it – this allows the butter to set which results in perfectly flakey and melt-in-your-mouth pastry. 

Remove the dough from the fridge and leave it for 5-10 minutes before rolling it out(this will stop the edges cracking). 

Add a little flour to your rolling pin and flat board when rolling out the dough (to stop it from sticking).

Blind baking is the process of par-cooking pastry before adding filling and continuing to cook. Blind baking keeps the pastry in shape when filling is added, stops the pastry from going soggy and results in the BEST flakey pastry. 

Roll the chilled dough out and press into the baking tin. Press a piece of baking paper (greaseproof paper) onto the top of the pastry. Fill the base and sides with baking beans (can be purchased from supermarkets or kitchenware stores). If you don’t have baking beans, you can use uncooked rice or lentils instead. Blind bake the pastry until lightly golden. Add the filling and continue to bake until ready. 

Nutrition

Calories: 2125kcal | Carbohydrates: 227g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 124g | Saturated Fat: 77g | Cholesterol: 323mg | Sodium: 1076mg | Potassium: 304mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 37g | Vitamin A: 3750IU | Calcium: 73mg | Iron: 11.6mg

Did you try this recipe?Mention @BakePlaySmileBlog or tag #BakePlaySmile!