The best recipe for shortcrust pastry. Delicate, crunchy, no nausea

Shortcrust pastry it’s something without which it’s hard to imagine many baked goods – both sweet and savory. Although its preparation seems very simple, the final effect is not always satisfactory. The key to creating the perfect cake is the proper selection of ingredients and their proportions. In addition, there is an appropriate kneading time. Are you wondering how to make a good shortcrust pastry that will delight you with its taste and consistency? Below you will find some practical tips that will help you avoid basic mistakes – some of them you will probably hear about for the first time.

One of the most important element of shortcrust pastry is flourbecause its fragility largely depends on it. What flour is best for shortcrust pastry? Low wheat flour is the ideal choice gluten-free, e.g. cake type 450 or krupczatka. It is important that it is fresh and carefully sifted before use – then it will be more aerated, which will make the dough lighter. Remember to avoid flours with a high gluten content, e.g. those intended for baking bread.

Another important aspect in preparing shortcrust pastry there is an appropriate time for kneading it – one small mistake is enough for your baking not to turn out as it should. Does shortcrust pastry need to be kneaded for a long time? The answer is no – the shorter you work on it, the better the effect you can count on. Kneading it for a long time causes the fat contained in it to heat up quickly from the heat of your hands and the ambient temperature – as a result, the dough shrinks or deforms during baking, and after cooking it becomes too hard. It is recommended to knead them only until the ingredients are combined, preferably using a mixer or food processor. It’s worth it before rolling it out wrap them in cling film and place them in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

To answer your question, how to make good shortcrust pastryyou cannot ignore the issue of fat, without which your baking will not succeed. As in the case of flour, its selection is of great importance – in the basic version it is most often butter, but the secret of the unique structure of shortcrust pastry is addition in the form of lard. You can use it in a one-to-one ratio with butter or in a smaller amount, replacing about 30 percent. fat in the recipe. Thanks to him it will become brittlebut at the same time less brittle and more delicate inside. An additional advantage of lard is that it tolerates baking at high temperatures, and the dough with it stays fresh longer. However, it is important that it is well cooled when combining it with other ingredients.

Shortcrust pastry it’s easy to prepare as long as you handle it properly. What else do you need to remember when preparing it apart from the aspects mentioned above? If you want it to be perfect, try to follow the following rules:

1. Instead of regular sugar, use powdered sugar, which dissolves faster during baking and combines better with the other ingredients.
2. If the dough is too dense while kneading, add some cold water or water.
3. During hot weather, put not only the cake but also the baking tin in the fridge.
4. After filling the form with dough, prick it with a fork to prevent it from bulging during thermal processing.
5. Do not remove the cake from the pan immediately after baking as it may be damaged. Wait a few minutes until it cools down a bit.

Sources: guster.pl