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Helping you achieve pastry perfection
Although it’s widely believed that pastry is one of the more challenging culinary techniques to master, our guide is here to show you there’s no mystery when it comes to making mouth-watering pies, pasties and patisserie treats.
Discover the different ways of making pastry
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Your Questions
Do you have any gluten-free pastry recipes?
All of the pastry recipes on these pages can also be made using gluten-free flours.
Do I have to mix pastry by hand?
All shortcrust pastries can be mixed using a food processor. Place the flour and salt into the bowl with the butter, then pulse until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add just enough water to bind to a soft but not sticky dough, and make sure you do not over-process the pastry. Kneading the pastry has to be done by hand.
Do I have to use my pastry as soon as it's been made?
All of the pastry recipes given (with the exception of the dough recipe for the pissaladière) can be made up to three days in advance and stored in the fridge. They can also be frozen for up to three months.
I don’t think my hands are cool enough to make good pastry – do you have any tips?
To chill your hands down, try running them under cold water for a minute. Make sure you dry them thoroughly before making the pastry and always use your fingertips only to rub the fat into the flour – this helps keep the mixture as cool as possible. You can also keep your mix cool by only adding cold or chilled water and, on hot summer days, it’s worth chilling the bowl and the flour in the fridge for half an hour before you start.
My pastry always turns out too tough – what am I doing wrong?
Knead your pastry just lightly enough to ensure it is smooth. If you knead any longer, you’ll overwork the pastry and it will become tough on baking.
How can I stop my pastry shrinking when I bake it?
Pastry must always be chilled in a fridge after making. This helps it to relax which in turn will help to prevent it shrinking on baking. Additionally, instead of trimming excess pastry from a tart case before baking blind you could also leave it overhanging the tin. Once the pastry has been baked blind you can then simply trim the excess using a sharp knife for a perfect finish.
How do I avoid soggy-bottomed pastry?
Follow our instructions for baking blind. This ensures your pastry is cooked through before adding the filling for recipes such as tarts and quiches, reducing the likelihood of a soggy-bottomed disaster.
How do I stop air bubbles forming and damaging my pastry?
Pricking the pastry base lightly before baking blind prevents it from bubbling up on cooking – but be careful to ensure that the fork does not go all the way through the pastry.
What can I do to keep the base of my pastries even?
Adding dried beans, peas or rice, or ceramic baking beans to weigh pastry down during baking blind ensures an even rise.
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RICOTTA WITH BASIL & TOMATO TART
CLASSIC PISSALADIÈRE
CLASSIC STRAWBERRY TART
HOT SMOKED SALMON & WATERCRESS TART
CHICKEN & LEEK PIE
Apple sponge tart