Shortcrust Pastry

There are several dough recipes which you can use for your favorite pastries and none of it is wrong.  The texture and tastes may vary but all of them are as good as the other. So I gathered and tested a few to make comparisons. Each of these are delectable, so why not try them.  The ingredients are easy to remember and the preparation is as good as 1-2-3...since you will be following 7 similar steps for these pastry doughs. Just get acquainted with the ingredients, memorize them and your good to go. From my kitchen to yours, sharing these recipes --




Procedure for working with the dough:

1. Heap the flour in a surface or in a big bowl and make a well.
2. Put in the butter, salt and sugar.
3. Using your fingertips, mix and cream these ingredients.
4. Slowly, draw in the flour working delicately to achieve a grainy texture.
5. Add the milk or water and incorporate gently with your fingertips until the dough holds together.
6. Using your palm of your hand, work with the dough by pushing it away from you 4 or 5 times until it is smooth.
7. Roll it into a ball, wrap in cling film and refrigerate until ready to use.

Pâte Brisée
        A shortcrust pastry popular as a based crust for quiche, tarts and pie both savoury and sweet.  It's butter content is higher relative to flour making it delicate, crumby and light. 
This can be kept in airtight container in the fridge for a week and unto 3 months in the fridge.

Ingredients:
250g  all-purpose flour
150g  unsalted butter, cut into small cubes and slightly softened
1 tsp fine salt
pinch of caster sugar
1 egg
1 tbsp cold milk


Pâte a Foncer
        Also known as flan pastry. This is less delicate and less fragile than the pâte brisée
but tastes as good. A crisper texture and is high;y recommended for Empanadas. Storage life is one week in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer.

Ingredients:
250g  plain flour
125g   unsalted butter
1 egg
1 tsp caster sugar
1/2 tsp fine salt
40 ml cold water


Sweetcrust pastry
       A pastry dough with higher proportion of sugar and butter. The crust is delicate and more crumby on the palate, which is why eating it soon after cooking is recommended.



Pâte Sucrée
       A sweet pastry mostly used for fruit tarts. Can be made in advance and kept well wrapped in the fridge for several days or frozen up to 3 months.

Ingredients:
250g  all-purpose flour
100g  unsalted butter
100n icing sugar
pinch of salt
2 eggs


Pâte Sablée    
       More fragile and delicate to work with.  Like pâte sucrée it melts in the mouth.
Storage life is a week if well rapped and 3 months if frozen.

Ingredients:
250g  plain flour
200g unsalted butter
100g icing sugar
pinch of salt
2 eggs


There you go. Feel free to enjoy it!