Mary Berry Sweet Shortcrust Pastry Recipe

Mary Berry’s Sweet Shortcrust Pastry is a rich, buttery dough used as the essential base for classic British tarts, flans, and pies. Ideally the butter should be taken straight from the refrigerator and the dough handled as little as possible to ensure the pastry remains light, crisp, and crumbly after baking.

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Mary Berry Sweet Shortcrust Pastry Recipe Ingredients

• 225 g (8 oz) plain flour
• 150 g (5 oz) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
• 25 g (1 oz) icing sugar (confectioners’ sugar)
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 tbsp cold water (if needed)

How To Make Mary Berry Sweet Shortcrust Pastry Recipe

1. Rub in the Fat: Sift the plain flour and icing sugar into a large chilled mixing bowl. Add the cold, cubed butter and use your fingertips to rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Work quickly to prevent the heat from your hands from melting the butter.
2. Bind the Dough: Make a well in the center of the breadcrumb mixture. Pour in the beaten egg. Use a round-bladed knife or a cold fork to stir the mixture until it starts to clump together into a dough.
3. Adjust Consistency: If the dough feels too dry and won’t come together, add the cold water one teaspoon at a time. The dough should be firm but not sticky.
4. Knead and Chill: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it very briefly—only for a few seconds—to form a smooth ball. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and flatten it into a disc. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
5. Roll Out: Once chilled, roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface to about 3 mm (1/8 inch) thickness. Ensure you roll in one direction and turn the pastry frequently to prevent sticking.
6. Line the Tin: Carefully drape the pastry over your rolling pin and lift it into a tart tin. Press it gently into the corners and leave the excess hanging over the edges (this prevents shrinkage).
7. Blind Bake: Chill the lined tin for another 15 minutes. Prick the base with a fork, line with parchment paper and baking beans, and bake in a preheated oven at 200°C (180°C fan/Gas 6) for 12 to 15 minutes before removing the weights and baking for 5 more minutes until golden.

Recipe Tips

• Cold Hands, Cold Bowl: Mary Berry always emphasizes keeping everything cold. If your kitchen is hot, run your hands under cold water before starting the rubbing-in process.
• Icing Sugar Secret: Using icing sugar instead of caster sugar results in a finer, more delicate “short” texture that is characteristic of high-quality French-style tarts.
• Don’t Overwork: Excessive kneading develops gluten, which makes the pastry tough and causes it to shrink significantly in the oven.
• The Overhang: Always leave the excess pastry hanging over the edge of the tin during the blind bake. You can trim it with a sharp knife once the pastry is cooked for a perfectly neat, professional edge.

What To Serve With Mary Berry Sweet Shortcrust Pastry

Pastry accompaniments are sweet, flavorful fillings frequently used to transform a simple crust into a centerpiece dessert. Ideally the fruit or custard filling should be cooled completely before being poured into the pre-baked shell to maintain the pastry’s crispness.

• Mary Berry Lemon Tart Filling
• Fresh glazed strawberries and crème pâtissière
• Warm apple or apricot compote
• A dollop of clotted cream or pouring cream

How To Store Mary Berry Sweet Shortcrust Pastry

• Refrigerate: The raw dough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Ensure it is wrapped tightly to prevent it from absorbing fridge odors.
• Blind Baked Shell: You can bake the tart shell up to 24 hours in advance. Store it in a cool, dry place (not the fridge, as it will go soft) in an airtight container.
• Freeze: Raw pastry dough freezes perfectly for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before rolling out.

Mary Berry Sweet Shortcrust Pastry Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 210 kcal (per serving/slice of crust)
• Carbohydrates: 22g
• Protein: 3g
• Fat: 12g
• Fiber: 1g
• Sugar: 4g

Nutrition information is estimated based on 8 servings for one large tart shell.

FAQs

Try More Recipes:

• Mary Berry Apricot Tart Recipe
• Mary Berry Humble Pie Recipe
• Mary Berry Apple Blackberry Pie Recipe