Ingredients
Pastry
- 250 g all-purpose flour about 2 cups plus 1 tbsp; weighing is more accurate
- 125 g cold unsalted butter about 9 tbsp, diced
- 0.25 tsp fine salt
- 2 tbsp ice-cold water 30 ml initially; add up to 2 tbsp (30 ml) more only if needed
Equipment
- Mixing bowl and pastry cutter
- Rolling Pin
- 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom
- Parchment and ceramic pie weights or dry beans
- Baking tray
Instructions
Make and chill
- Mix flour and salt in the bowl. Add cold butter and cut or rub it in briefly until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with a few small butter pieces. If the butter softens, refrigerate the bowl before continuing.
- Sprinkle in 2 tablespoons cold water and toss with a fork. Add further water a teaspoon at a time, only until a squeezed handful holds together; usually 30–60 ml total. Press into a disk without kneading, wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Roll on a lightly floured surface to about 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick and wide enough to line the pan. Lift the dough in, ease it into the corners without stretching, trim the excess and patch any small gaps with scraps. Prick the base lightly with a fork, then refrigerate the lined pan for another 30 minutes.
Blind-bake
- Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Place the tart pan on a baking tray. Line the cold shell with crumpled parchment and fill with pie weights up to the sides. Bake for 20 minutes, until the edges begin to set.
- Lift out parchment and weights carefully. Bake for another 10–15 minutes until the base is dry and lightly golden. If edges color too fast, shield them with foil. Cool before removing from the pan or adding a filling. Follow a specific filled-tart recipe if it needs a partially baked rather than fully baked shell.
Nutrition
Serving: 1portions (one 9-inch shell)Calories: 225kcal
Video
Notes
Storage and safety: Wrap unbaked dough and refrigerate up to 2 days or freeze up to 1 month; thaw in the refrigerator. Keep a plain cooled baked shell covered in a dry place for up to 1 day. Storage of a filled tart depends on its filling. Never eat raw flour dough. This card includes no filling and no sugar.
Nutrition: Approximately 225 kcal per (one 9-inch shell) serving, calculated from the stated ingredient amounts and 8 equal portions. It is an estimate, not a measured analysis; brands, trimming, retained oil and serving sizes vary. Optional accompaniments are excluded.
Cost: Illustrative US grocery budget assumptions for the ingredient portions consumed: flour $0.44, butter $1.10, salt $0.02, water $0.01. Calculated before rounding, total US$1.57 for the whole recipe, about US$0.20 per serving. These are assumptions, not a store quote; tax, delivery and energy are excluded.
Video: Sarah Cook demonstrates the handling techniques for shortcrust pastry. Follow this card’s flour and butter amounts, chilling stages and blind-baking instructions. Follow this card's quantities and cooking and storage guidance.
