Sweet pastry (without eggs)

Sweet pastry can be used in place of traditional shortcrust pastry in a variety of dessert recipes including fruit tarts and frangipane tarts.

Unlike traditional sweet shortcrust pastry, or pâte sucrée, it is made without egg.

It can be prepared either by hand or using a food processor and can be prepared in advance for convenience.

This pastry dough is perfect for making sweet tarts such as pistachio frangipane, French lemon tart, cherry Bakewell tart, fruit crumble tart, iced Bakewell tarts, mince pies, and frangipane mince pies.

As an alternative to this recipe you may also like to try traditional sweet shortcrust pastry or sweet almond pastry.

The quantities in this recipe for sweet pastry are sufficient to line a 20 cm (8") diameter tart dish.

Ingredients

• 160 grams plain flour (all purpose flour) - plus a little extra for rolling out.
• 80 grams salted butter - chilled.
• 40 grams caster sugar - if you do not have any you can make your own caster sugar from granulated sugar.
• Water - enough to bind the pastry dough.

How to prepare

Using a food processor - place the flour and butter in the food processor and pulse until it resembles breadcrumbs.

By hand - rub the butter into the flour until is resembles crumbs.

Add the sugar and mix.

Add a small amount of water (just enough to bind the pastry dough) and pulse (or mix by hand) until the ingredients form a ball of dough.

How to store

• Wrap in cling film and store in the fridge for up to 2 days.
• The pastry can also be frozen for up to a month, either as a ball of dough or after lining a tart dish.

Tips

• Leave to rest for at least 30 minutes before rolling out.
• After chilling, leave the pastry to return to room temperature before rolling out.

Recipes using sweet pastry