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Classic Shortcrust Pastry for Pie and Other Baking
Instructions
This is an old recipe for making the classic shortcrust pastry, you could say from "mom's cookbook". Let's prepare all the products according to the list above on a clean work surface ready for the cooking step.
The flour must be sifted in advance through a fine-mesh sieve. This can be done with a regular sieve or a modern sieve cup with built-in handle.
The butter in this recipe should be used very cold, straight from the freezer, where it has been for several hours. It will be easier to work with this cold butter, and it even affects the taste of the finished baked goods. Previously, margarine was used in this old recipe, but now it is butter for the better finished result.
In a large, deep mixing bowl, pour in the sifted flour. Coat the frozen butter well with the flour from all sides for the easiest grating step.
Our task at this point is to grate the frozen butter on the coarse side of a box grater into the flour.
During the grating preparation process, the butter should be coated in flour several times to prevent the grated pieces from sticking together into clumps.
Put away the grater and continue working with your clean hands. Rub the flour together with the butter between your palms to turn it into fine crumbs. This step should be done quickly so that the butter doesn't warm up from the heat of your hands.
Don't forget to add a pinch of salt to the flour mixture for the most balanced finished flavour profile.
Mix the salt evenly through the mixture with a spoon. The next step is to make a well in the centre of the flour-butter crumble.
In a separate small bowl, pour in the baking soda and add the vinegar to extinguish it. Wait briefly for the bubbling chemical reaction to occur, and pour the contents of the small bowl into the well in the flour-butter mixture.
It's better to use sour cream with twenty percent fat content for the dough. If you take a lower fat percentage, the finished dough will turn out noticeably sour.
Add six tablespoons of sour cream into the same well where the extinguished baking soda is already waiting.
Combine the wet and dry ingredients using a spoon to start the mixing.
Then remove the spoon and continue doing everything by hand. You don't need to knead the dough, just gently gather it together into one smooth ball. This will take no more than two minutes total.
The classic shortcrust pastry for the pie is almost ready. But you can't shape the pie from it immediately. The dough needs time to rest properly in the refrigerator for at least two hours, but it's better to leave it to rest overnight for the best finished result. Transfer the dough ball to a resealable plastic bag or wrap it in cling film. Send it to the refrigerator.Now our properly compacted shortcrust pastry is ready. You can proceed with further preparation of the planned baked goods.In the end, you will get a very tasty classic shortcrust pastry for the pie, which will go absolutely beautifully with any sweet or savoury filling.
Tips
- 1
Use frozen butter rather than soft butter for the most beautifully crumbly finished pastry texture, since the frozen butter grates into uniform fine pieces that produce the proper "shortcrust" character. Soft butter would simply combine into a smooth dough rather than the desired crumble. The brief planning step of freezing the butter the night before genuinely matters for the most authentic finished shortcrust texture every single time at home.
- 2
Work the dough as briefly as possible, since overworking develops gluten that produces a noticeably tough finished pastry rather than the desired crumbly texture. To pair this beautifully versatile shortcrust pastry base with another properly classic homemade pie filling for a complete baking project, try our beautifully aromatic savory pie with onions and processed cheese as the perfect savory filling option for this exact dough recipe.
- 3
Rest the finished dough in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before rolling, since the resting time lets the gluten relax and the butter pieces re-firm for the most beautifully workable rolling texture. Overnight resting in the fridge produces the absolute best finished result. The brief patience for proper resting genuinely matters for the most beautifully tender finished baked pastry every single time at home.
- 4
Roll the chilled dough between two sheets of baking paper to avoid sticking and to maintain the cold dough temperature for the best finished pastry texture. For another properly classic homemade dessert recipe to add variety to your baking menu, try our beautifully tender royal curd pie in the oven (Tsarskaya Vatrushka) as a beautifully indulgent sweet pie alternative that uses a similar shortcrust crumble approach.
FAQ
Can I make this dough without sour cream? +
Yes, you can substitute the sour cream with full-fat plain yoghurt, buttermilk, crème fraîche, or even an equal mix of milk and a small spoonful of vinegar (let stand 5 minutes to "sour"). Each substitute brings a slightly different finished flavour profile to the dough. The sour cream version produces the most properly traditional Russian-style finished pastry texture, with a beautifully tender crumbly mouthfeel. Avoid using plain milk alone, since the lack of acidity prevents proper baking soda activation in the dough.
How long does this dough keep? +
Store the prepared shortcrust dough wrapped tightly in cling film in the refrigerator for up to three days for best results. The dough actually develops flavour during the resting time, so making it a day or two in advance produces a noticeably better finished baked result. For longer storage, freeze the dough wrapped in cling film and foil for up to three months. Thaw frozen dough overnight in the refrigerator before rolling for the best workable finished texture without any sticking or tearing during rolling.
Can I add sugar to make this a sweet pastry? +
Absolutely. Add 2-4 tablespoons of granulated sugar or sifted icing sugar to the flour mixture before adding the butter for a properly sweet shortcrust suitable for fruit pies, sweet tarts and dessert pastries. The sugar produces a slightly more delicate finished texture that browns more readily during baking. For an even more flavourful sweet version, add a teaspoon of pure vanilla extract or grated lemon zest alongside the sugar for added fragrance in the finished baked dessert pastries.
What can I bake with this dough? +
This versatile shortcrust dough works absolutely brilliantly for a wide range of baked goods including savoury pies (like our onion and cheese savory pie), sweet fruit pies, jam tartlets, classic Russian curd pies (vatrushka), individual quiches, mince pies, almond shortbread cookies, simple butter biscuits, and even fancy decorated cookies for the holidays. The slight tang from the sour cream pairs beautifully with both sweet and savoury fillings, making this single base dough recipe genuinely useful for nearly any baking project on the home weekend menu.
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