Shortcrust Pastry

Preparation info
    • Difficulty

      Easy

Appears in

By Keith Floyd

Published 1988

  • About

For a plain shortcrust pastry I use a combination of butter and lard. The butter gives a good flavour and the lard produces the crisp short texture. This pastry is ideal for fruit pies.

Ingredients

  • 8 oz (250 g) plain flour
  • Pinch salt
  • 2

Method

Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl. Cut the fat into the flour and then rub between the fingertips until a fine breadcrumb consistency is achieved. Gradually mix in cold water with a knife until the bowl comes clean and the pastry is not crumbly (too dry) or sticky (too wet). Roll into a ball, put in a polythene bag and allow to ‘rest’ in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before rolling o