Sweet Shortcrust Pastry

The recipe, step by step

Homemade sweet shortcrust pastry is one of those useful recipes that is well worth mastering. Crisp, buttery and delicately sweet, it makes a wonderful base for fruit tarts, tartlets, mince pies and other filled desserts.

The secret is to keep the pastry cold and handle it as little as possible. Working the dough too much warms the butter and develops the gluten in the flour, which can make the finished pastry tougher and more likely to shrink during baking.

Resting the dough is just as important. Once mixed, I shape it into a flat disc and chill it for at least an hour before rolling. Then, after lining the tart tin, I like to chill it again before baking. It takes a little patience, but it makes the pastry much easier to work with and gives a better finished crust.

This style of sweet pastry is often known as pâte sucrée and is especially good for fruit tarts. I use it for recipes such as my Apricot Streusel Tart, Sour Cherry Ricotta Tart and Cherry Bakewell Tart. It also makes a lovely simple biscuit dough, rather like a sablé or shortbread.

Recipe Highlights

• Easy to make: The method is straightforward and requires only a handful of ingredients.
• Crisp and buttery: The pastry bakes into a light, crisp shell with a rich buttery flavour.
• Perfect for desserts: Ideal for fruit tarts, tartlets, mince pies and other sweet pastry cases.
• Make ahead: The dough benefits from chilling, so it is an excellent pastry to prepare in advance.
• Nut-free: The basic recipe contains no nuts.
• Quantity: Approximately 500 g pastry, enough for a 25 cm / 10-inch flan tin or around eight 10 cm / 4-inch tartlet tins.
• Preparation: 15 minutes.
• Chilling: 1 hour.
• Total: 1 hour 15 minutes.

Why You’ll Love This Sweet Shortcrust Pastry

A reliable sweet pastry recipe opens up all sorts of possibilities in the kitchen. Once you have the dough prepared, you can turn it into everything from an elegant fruit tart to a tray of small jam tarts or Christmas mince pies.

The icing sugar gives the pastry a fine, delicate sweetness without making it overly sugary. Meanwhile, the eggs enrich the dough and help everything come together into a smooth pastry that is easy to roll once properly chilled.

It is also a useful recipe to make ahead. Preparing the dough the day before means that when you are ready to bake, most of the work has already been done.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Plain flour: Use 250 g plain or all-purpose flour. It provides the structure for the pastry while keeping the finished crust tender.
• Butter: Use 100 g butter. Keep it very cold before mixing so it does not soften while you rub it into the flour.
• Icing sugar: Use 100 g icing sugar (US powdered sugar). Caster sugar can also be used. Icing sugar gives the pastry a particularly fine texture and an even sweetness.
• Fine sea salt: Add a pinch of fine sea salt to balance the sweetness and bring out the buttery flavour.
• Eggs: Use 2 eggs, approximately 50 g each, chilled. They bring the ingredients together while adding richness and structure to the dough.

How to Make Sweet Shortcrust Pastry

Prepare the Ingredients

1. Chill the butter: Cut the butter into small cubes and place it in the freezer for 20–30 minutes before you begin. Keeping the butter cold is particularly important when making pastry.

Make the Dough

2. Combine the flour and butter: Sift the 250 g plain flour into a large mixing bowl. Add the cold diced butter and rub it into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Try not to overwork the mixture. As the butter warms, the dough can become more elastic and more likely to shrink when baked.

3. Add the sugar and salt: Add the 100 g icing sugar and a pinch of fine sea salt, then mix until evenly distributed.

4. Add the eggs: Add the 2 chilled eggs and mix until the ingredients begin to come together.

5. Bring the dough together: Knead the dough just 2–3 times with the palm of your hand until smooth. Avoid continued kneading.

Chill the Pastry

6. Shape the dough: Form the pastry into a ball and then flatten it into a disc. A flat disc chills more evenly and is easier to roll afterwards.

7. Wrap and chill: Wrap the pastry in greaseproof paper or cling film and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow the dough to rest.

When you are short of time, chill the dough in the freezer for around 30 minutes instead.

The pastry is then ready to roll and use for your chosen tart, tartlet or pie.

Nigel’s Recipe Tips

Keep Everything Cold

The golden rule with sweet shortcrust pastry is to keep the ingredients, equipment and your hands as cool as possible.

Because your fingertips naturally warm the butter while rubbing it into the flour, cutting the butter into small cubes and freezing it for 20–30 minutes beforehand makes the process much easier.

Don’t Overwork the Dough

Once the eggs have been added, work the dough only enough to bring it together. Excessive kneading develops the gluten in the flour and warms the butter. Both can produce a tougher pastry and increase the amount it shrinks during baking.

Make It by Hand

For a normal batch, I prefer making this pastry by hand because it gives you much more control over how much the dough is handled. A food processor is more useful when making larger quantities.

Use as Little Flour as Possible When Rolling

Use just enough flour on your work surface and rolling pin to prevent the dough from sticking. Adding too much extra flour can make the pastry heavier and drier.

Don’t Skip the Chilling

Chilling allows the dough to rest and makes it easier to roll. After lining your tart tin, chilling the pastry again before baking can also help it hold its shape.

Give Cold Pastry a Moment Before Rolling

Very cold pastry can be firm and prone to cracking. After taking it from the refrigerator, give it a short time to become pliable enough to roll without breaking apart.

Get a Crisp Pastry Base

Place a heavy baking tray in the oven while it preheats, then place your tart tin directly on the hot tray.

The extra heat underneath helps the pastry base bake more effectively and become crisp.

Variations

Citrus Sweet Pastry

Finely grate the zest of a lemon, lime or orange into the flour before adding the butter. Citrus zest works particularly well with fruit-filled tarts and gives the pastry itself another layer of flavour.

Use Caster Sugar

Caster sugar can be used instead of icing sugar. The finished texture will be slightly different, but it still produces a good sweet pastry.

Use the Dough for Biscuits

This dough can also be rolled and cut into simple biscuits, producing a crisp, buttery result similar to sablé biscuits or shortbread.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is Sweet Shortcrust Pastry Used For?

It is ideal for sweet tarts, tartlets, small pies, mince pies and other desserts that need a crisp pastry shell.

The dough can also be used to make simple biscuits.

Is Sweet Shortcrust Pastry the Same as Savoury Shortcrust?

The techniques are similar, but this pastry contains 100 g icing sugar and two eggs, giving it a richer, sweeter character. For savoury dishes such as quiches and pies, use my Shortcrust Pastry instead.

Why Does My Pastry Shrink?

The most common causes are allowing the dough to become too warm, overworking it or not giving it enough time to rest. Keep the ingredients cold, handle the dough lightly and chill it properly before baking.

Why Is My Sweet Pastry Tough?

The dough has most likely been worked too much or too much additional flour has been incorporated while rolling. Handle the pastry as little as possible once the eggs have been added.

Can I Make the Pastry in a Food Processor?

Yes, particularly when making a large quantity. For a single batch, I prefer making it by hand because it is easier to control how much the dough is worked.

How Long Should I Chill Sweet Shortcrust Pastry?

Chill the dough for at least 1 hour. When you are short of time, it can be placed in the freezer for approximately 30 minutes.

How Much Pastry Does This Recipe Make?

The recipe makes approximately 500 g of pastry, enough to line a 25 cm / 10-inch flan tin or around eight 10 cm / 4-inch tartlet tins.

Tools You’ll Need

• Large mixing bowl
• Sieve
• Rolling pin
• Digital kitchen scales
• Cling film or greaseproof paper

Storage and Freezing

Storing

Wrap the prepared sweet shortcrust pastry well in cling film or greaseproof paper and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Keeping it well wrapped prevents the surface from drying out and protects the pastry from absorbing other flavours from the fridge.

Freezing

Wrap the prepared pastry securely in cling film and freeze for up to 1 month.

Defrost it in the refrigerator before rolling and using.

Nutrition

Serving: 100 g sweet shortcrust pastry.

Calories: 431.76 kcal · 22% DV
Total Fat: 18.61 g · 27% DV
Carbohydrates: 58.27 g · 22% DV
Sugars: 19.78 g · 22% DV
Protein: 7.85 g · 16% DV
Sodium: 52.82 mg · 3% DV
Fibre: 1.35 g · 5% DV

% Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.

Nutrition information is provided as an estimate and may vary depending on the ingredients and portion size used.

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