How to make shortcrust pastry recipe

Shortcrust pastry is a staple for any baker - learn how to make it with our handy step-by-step guide.

Homemade shortcrust pastry doesn’t have to be hard, with our method giving you perfect pastry in three easy steps. Ready in ten minutes and using just four ingredients, our recipe is fuss-free and quick, and saves you buying expensive ready-made pastry options. Simply blend the ingredients together, slowly add water and leave to rest for half an hour. Then use your batch to try out a number of shortcrust pastry ideas. An incredibly versatile pastry, you can use shortcrust in sweet or savoury dishes. Think hearty pies, tasty tarts and warm sausage rolls.

Ingredients

• 250g plain flour
• pinch of salt
• 60g butter
• 60g lard

Method

1. Put all the ingredients into the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
2. Add 2 tbsp very cold water and pulse again. Gradually add enough water to bring the dough together. Don’t add too much or the pastry will become tough.
3. Empty the dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll it into a ball. Wrap in cling film and rest for 30 minutes.

Top tips for making shortcrust pastry:

Make sure the butter and lard are really cold so the pastry keeps its short texture.

If you’re using a recipe where you need to create a pastry base, follow our guide on how to line a tin with pastry. (opens in new tab)

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