Short Sweet Pastry
Short Sweet Pastry
(makes approx. 650g)
This is the pastry I use for sweet tart shells. It’s from my book Handfuls of Sunshine and my kids love it so much they will eat the cooked pastry unfilled (the ultimate compliment).
Some of my recipes call for only half a batch of sweet pastry. When this is the case, freeze the other half, well wrapped for a rainy day. Trust me, your later-self will thank you – it is akin to freezer-gold! I do so love to have a batch or two of pastry ready and waiting in the freezer. It feels like such a treat to know that in the case of a tart-emergency, one is never too far away! Simply defrost it in the fridge overnight and proceed as instructed in the recipe.
Ingredients
200g unsalted butter, softened
40g icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1 egg, lightly beaten
350g plain flour
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
Method
Place softened butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low until smooth. Add the icing sugar and vanilla bean paste and mix again until well combined. You’re not looking for a light and fluffy texture here, just a uniformly creamy consistency. Add the egg and continue to beat on medium speed until the mixture comes together, scraping down the side of the bowl once or twice. It can take a few minutes for the egg to incorporate, especially if your kitchen is cold, so just take your time here.
Add the flour and salt to the bowl and mix on low speed until the pastry just comes together. Tip the whole lot out onto a clean work surface and gently bring the pastry and any loose flour together with your hands. Squish and knead ever so slightly until smooth and then divide the pastry in two. Roll each portion into a little fat log. Wrap well and place in the fridge to chill for an hour or two (or up to 2 days), or until the pastry is firm enough to work with.
If your pastry has been in the fridge for longer than a couple of hours, leave it out at room temperature for 30-60 minutes before using as directed in the recipe.
