Sweet Shortcrust Pastry
You can use this pastry for a closed tart like an apple tart or for small mince pies or individual jam tarts
SERVES
10
PEOPLE
PREP TIME
30
MINUTES
COOKING TIME
15
MINUTES
Ingredients
225g plain flour, sieved
a pinch fine sea salt
140g cold butter, cubed
60g golden caster sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
For the glaze:
1 egg, beaten
For the filling:
280ml cream
400g dark chocolate, broken
into small even size pieces
70g butter
Method
Add the salt to the sieved flour and stir them together in a large bowl. Add the small cubes of butter and rub them into the flour until it looks like rough breadcrumbs.
Stir the sugar into the beaten egg to dissolve it slightly and add this to the flour mixture until it comes together as a dough.
Wrap the pastry dough in baking parchment and place into the fridge to firm up for about two hours.
Heat the oven to 180ËšC/ gas mark 4. Grease and flour a loose base tart tin. I use one that is 11 in. You can use the paper from the block of butter to grease the tin or tear a square of baking parchment and rub a teaspoon of butter onto this. If it is a fluted tart tin, make sure you get into all the crevices. Add a teaspoon of flour into the greased tin and swirl it around so that all of the butter is covered in flour. You can line the base of the tin with parchment as well if you would prefer, to ensure it lifts out easily. Set the prepared tart tin aside in a cool or cold place while you roll your pastry.
Roll the pastry into a disc a few centimetres larger than your tart tin and gently nudge it into the tin. Do not stretch the pastry. Prick the base all over with a fork. Put a disc of parchment paper into the tart case and fill this with baking beans or some clean coins. I find metal coins work well as they heat at the same rate as a metal tart tin which ensures that the pastry bakes evenly. The coins not only conduct heat for a good crust, but the weight of them is also good for preventing the dough from bubbling.
Bake the tart case blind for 12 minutes until the edges are just starting to colour. Remove the beans, coins, or whatever you used to blind bake. Be careful when removing coins, because they will be very hot.
Brush the inside of the pastry case with the beaten egg. Place the case back into the oven for another five minutes or until it is golden. Allow to cool completely in the tin.
To make the filling, heat the cream until it is shivering. Just before it boils, remove it from the heat then add the chocolate and butter and stir until glossy.
Allow to firm up for about five minutes then pour it into your cold tart case.
Serve as soon as it the topping cools and firms up.
