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Desserts

Shortcrust Dough

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Prep
15 minutes plus 30 minutes chilling
Total
15 min
Serves
one 9-inch crust
Shortcrust Dough

Rich, crumbly, and buttery, a shortcrust dough that bakes into a tender, sandy pastry. It is the base for tarts, pies, and shortbread, held together by butter rather than water.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cups (160 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup (115 g) cold butter, cubed
  • 1/4 cup (50 g) sugar
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 to 2 tbsp cold milk
  • pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. 1
    Rub the cold butter into the flour, sugar, and salt until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
  2. 2
    Add the egg yolk and just enough cold milk to bring it together into a dough. Do not overwork it.
  3. 3
    Flatten into a disc, wrap, and chill 30 minutes.
  4. 4
    Roll out and line your tin, then chill again before baking.

Cook's Note

Handle the dough as little as possible and keep everything cold. Warm hands and overworking are what turn shortcrust from tender to tough. Chill the lined tin before baking to prevent shrinkage.

How to Use This

Roll to 1/4 inch, line a tart or pie tin, chill, then blind-bake or fill and bake per your recipe.

Why This Foundation Works

Keeping the butter cold and rubbing it in as small pieces gives short, tender crumbs instead of a tough crust: the fat coats the flour and blocks gluten from forming. Chilling before baking sets the shape so the crust holds instead of slumping.

Make It Yours

  • Leave out the sugar for a savory tart or quiche crust
  • Add lemon zest or vanilla for shortbread
  • Swap the milk for cold water for a slightly crisper crust

Leftover Strategy

The raw disc keeps refrigerated for 3 days or frozen for a month. Baked crust keeps 2 days in an airtight tin.

Common Questions

What is the difference between shortcrust and shortbread?

Same family, different ratio. Shortbread uses more butter and sugar and is eaten as a cookie; shortcrust is a firmer pastry for tarts and pies.

Why is my shortcrust tough?

Usually overworking or warm butter. Keep everything cold, mix just until it comes together, and let it rest.

Why chill shortcrust before baking?

Chilling firms the butter so the crust holds its shape and shrinks less in the oven.