Nigella Sweet Shortcrust Pastry Recipe

This sweet shortcrust pastry is buttery, soft, and perfect for pies and tarts. It’s easy to make at home with just a few simple ingredients. Once chilled and rolled, it bakes up crisp and holds any sweet filling well.

Ingredients Needed:

• 225g/8oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• pinch salt
• 120g/4¼oz fridge-cold butter cut into 1cm/½in cubes
• 2 tbsp icing sugar
• 1 free-range egg, beaten with 2 tsp very cold water

How To Make Sweet Shortcrust Pastry Recipe?

1. Add flour and butter to processor: add flour and salt to a food processor, then add the cold butter cubes. Pulse a few times until it looks like coarse crumbs.
2. Mix in sugar and egg: add the icing sugar and pulse again quickly to mix. Pour in the egg and cold water mixture, then pulse just until the dough starts to come together.
3. Make by hand if needed: if making by hand, put flour in a bowl and grate in the butter using a box grater. Lightly toss it in the flour with your fingers.
4. Rub until crumbly: rub the butter into the flour using your fingertips until the mix looks crumbly. Stir in the icing sugar and salt.
5. Form the dough: Add the beaten egg mixture and mix with a table knife to form a rough dough. Tip it onto a floured surface and gently press it into a ball.
6. Chill the dough: wrap the dough in cling film or place in a container and chill in the fridge for 20–30 minutes.
7. Roll and shape: To use, lightly flour your surface and roll the dough into a circle about 4mm/⅛in thick. Roll it over the rolling pin and gently place it in your pie dish. Trim the edges, cover, and chill again for 20 minutes before filling and baking.

Recipe Tips:

• Use very cold butter: this helps make the pastry flaky. Warm or soft butter can melt too fast and make the dough greasy. Keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to use it.
• Don’t overmix the dough: once it starts coming together, stop mixing. Overworking it makes the pastry tough instead of light and crisp.
• Chill the dough before rolling: chilling helps the dough rest, stops it from shrinking in the oven, and makes it easier to roll.
• Roll it gently and evenly: press lightly with your rolling pin and turn the dough often to keep the thickness even and stop it from sticking.
• Chill again after lining the dish: this final chill helps the pastry keep its shape while baking and gives you a neater, more professional look.

How To Store Leftovers?

• Refrigerate: First, let the sweet shortcrust pastry cool to room temperature if it’s just been made. Then wrap it tightly in cling film or place it in an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Freeze: Let the pastry dough cool to room temperature. Wrap it well in cling film, then place it in a freezer bag or container. Freeze for up to 2 months.

Nutrition Facts:

• Calories: 220 kcal
• Total Fat: 15g
• Saturated Fat: 9g
• Cholesterol: 55mg
• Sodium: 60mg
• Potassium: 35mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 19g
• Dietary Fiber: 1g
• Sugars: 3g
• Protein: 3g

Try More Nigella Lawson Recipes:

• Nigella Chicken Chasseur Recipe
• Nigella Chicken And Leek Pie Recipe

Nigella Sweet Shortcrust Pastry Recipe

Course: DessertCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking timeminutes

Calories

220

kcal

This sweet shortcrust pastry is buttery, soft, and perfect for pies and tarts. It’s easy to make at home with just a few simple ingredients. Once chilled and rolled, it bakes up crisp and holds any sweet filling well.

Ingredients

• 225g/8oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting

• pinch salt

• 120g/4¼oz fridge-cold butter cut into 1cm/½in cubes

• 2 tbsp icing sugar

• 1 free-range egg, beaten with 2 tsp very cold water

Directions

• Add flour and butter to processor: add flour and salt to a food processor, then add the cold butter cubes. Pulse a few times until it looks like coarse crumbs.
• Mix in sugar and egg: add the icing sugar and pulse again quickly to mix. Pour in the egg and cold water mixture, then pulse just until the dough starts to come together.
• Make by hand if needed: if making by hand, put flour in a bowl and grate in the butter using a box grater. Lightly toss it in the flour with your fingers.
• Rub until crumbly: rub the butter into the flour using your fingertips until the mix looks crumbly. Stir in the icing sugar and salt.
• Form the dough: Add the beaten egg mixture and mix with a table knife to form a rough dough. Tip it onto a floured surface and gently press it into a ball.
• Chill the dough: wrap the dough in cling film or place in a container and chill in the fridge for 20–30 minutes.
• Roll and shape: To use, lightly flour your surface and roll the dough into a circle about 4mm/⅛in thick. Roll it over the rolling pin and gently place it in your pie dish. Trim the edges, cover, and chill again for 20 minutes before filling and baking.

Notes

• Use very cold butter: this helps make the pastry flaky. Warm or soft butter can melt too fast and make the dough greasy. Keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to use it.
• Don’t overmix the dough: once it starts coming together, stop mixing. Overworking it makes the pastry tough instead of light and crisp.
• Chill the dough before rolling: chilling helps the dough rest, stops it from shrinking in the oven, and makes it easier to roll.
• Roll it gently and evenly: press lightly with your rolling pin and turn the dough often to keep the thickness even and stop it from sticking.
• Chill again after lining the dish: this final chill helps the pastry keep its shape while baking and gives you a neater, more professional look.