Name: Hot water crust pastry
Yield: For the hot water crust
Cuisine: United Kingdom
Ingredients: 415 g (14¾ oz) plain (all-purpose) flour; 1½ tsp sea salt; 115 g (4 oz) butter, at room temperature; 1 egg; 415 g (14¾ oz) strong white bread flour; flour, for dusting; 1 egg yolk + 1 tbsp milk, for egg wash; 150 g (5½ oz) lard; 300 ml (10½ fl oz) water

Preparation info

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Oats in the North, Wheat from the South

By Regula Ysewijn

Published 2020

About

Hot water crust pastry is the most forgiving type of pastry. It doesn’t judge you by your experience and even when you fail, it allows you to start again and make it better – that is, if you keep it warm. When it cools, it doesn’t stretch and it will break, and become more demanding.

Hot water crust is sturdier and therefore may be a little less elegant than shortcrust or puff pastry, but as a result it can also handle wetter and heavier fillings without fear of sinking, leakage or