All purpose sweet pastry

In the pages of an unassuming little baking book I bought on Friday I found a very good, very simple sweet shortcrust pastry recipe. I’ve had nothing but woes in the past with Pierre Herme’s pate sucree – it took ages to chill and tore to bits (at least when manhandled by my rolling pin) – but this beauty chilled quickly and rolled easily.

Recipe:

• 200g plain all purpose flour, sifted
• 85g icing / confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• 100g (3.5oz) chilled unsalted butter
• 1 egg yolk, whisked gently with 1 tablespoon of ice water

Pulse flour, sugar and chilled butter in a food processor just until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk/water mixture and pulse again just until the dough starts to come together. If it doesn’t, add a little bit more water, 1 teaspoon at a time. Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and press into a flat, round disc. Cover with plastic wrap and refridgerate for 30 minutes.

I used it to make some cherry galettes, which D. seemed to love, and lemon tarts, using a newly discovered lemon cream recipe that was to die for.

Tags: pastry