Sweet Shortcrust Pastry Tart

Step 1

Add flour, butter cubes, icing sugar and a pinch of salt into a mixing bowl.

Step 2

Rub with fingertips until the mix resembales fine breadcrumbs

Step 3

Add egg yolks, vanilla essence and ice cold water. Use a fork to begin forming together.

Step 4

Check texture with your hands, it should be soft and pliable, like playdough. If its dry and cracking add more ice cold water a splash at a time until the right texture. Try not to handle it too much!

Step 5

Form into a flat rounded shape. Wrap in cling film or greaseproof paper. Rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, the longer the better.

Step 6

Preheat oven to 160°C / 320F fan.Lay down a sheet of greaseproof paper larger than the tart tin. Flour your pin anytime it gets sticky.Use the rolling pin to beat and soften the pastry enough to roll. Roll pastry away from you once, turn greaseproof paper ¼ turn and repeat always rolling only once each time before turning. Until it is bigger than your tart tin allowing for extra to overhang.

Step 7

Roll pastry on to the pin, unroll gently over the tart pan.

Step 8

Take some of the excess pastry and roll into a ball, use this pastry ball to push the pastry into the base and around the edges. Lift the edges whilst you are pushing to prevent stretching/ cracking.

Step 9

Trim away excess pastry

Step 10

Use a fork to poke holes into the base of pastry. For best results chill for another 15 minutes.

Step 11

Using the greaseproof paper you rolled on, crumple it up into a ball. Then uncrumple it and place in tart. Add your baking beads / rice / beans

Step 12

Bake in 160°C / 320°F fan oven for 15 minutes. Gather up paper to remove the baking beads and bake for a final 5 minutes.

Step 13

You pastry case is now ready to be filled with whatever sweet treat you desire?!

Step 14

Try our Butterscotch Tart or Bakewell Tart