Trex Recipe For Shortcrust Pastry

PERFECT SHORTCRUST PASTRY RECIPE

Steps:

• Measure out the flour into a mixing bowl with a kitchen food scale.
• Add the salt
• Gently sift flour and salt together
• Add the egg yolks and gently mix with your hands
• Slowly add the water bit by bit as you work the dough with your hands.
• You may not need all the water, so ensure you only add a little bit at a time, work it into the dough and if you still need more, add a little more, until your shortcrust pastry dough is the right consistency.
• Mix the dough until you have a soft pastry dough that pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
• Gently tip the pastry onto a lightly floured surface.
• Form the dough into a ball with your hands
• Take care to not overwork the dough.
• Gently flatten the pastry into a disc and wrap in saran wrap or press n' seal.
• Chill the dough in the fridge for about 3 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 392 degrees.
• Roll out your shortcrust pastry to the same size as your pie tin on a lightly floured surface.
• Allow a little extra crust to hand over the rim of the pie tin.
• Gently lift the pastry and line the pie tin.
• Press firmly into the corners and sides.
• Prick the base of the pastry crust all over with a fork
• Line the crust with parchment paper and fill with a layer of baking weights or baking beans.
• Blind bake pie crust for 10-12 minutes
• Remove pie crust from oven and gently remove the baking beans/beads and parchment paper
• Gently brush crust with beaten egg wash
• Return to oven for another 5-8 minutes to dry out the crust and seal it.
• Remove from the oven and trim the pie crust sides.
• Set aside shortcrust pie shell to cool while you prepare your filling.

BAKEWELL TART RECIPE

Steps:

• Method
• Grease a 20cm 8 inch fluted loose bottomed tart tin

HOW TO MAKE PERFECT SHORTCRUST BY HAND OR MACHINE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients
• Place the flour, salt, and butter in a large, clean bowl.
• Rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs, working as quickly as possible to prevent the dough from becoming warm.
• Add the water to the mixture. Using a cold knife, stir until the dough binds together. Add more cold water a teaspoon at a time if the mixture is too dry. Form the dough into a ball.
• Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for a minimum of 15 minutes and up to 30 minutes.
• Use the shortcrust dough in your favorite pie, tart, or quiche recipe.
• Place the flour, salt, and butter into the bowl of the processor.
• Using only the pulse setting, pulse until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Avoid overmixing if you can. (Too much handling can result in hard, dry pastry.)
• Through the funnel on the top of the processor, slowly add the water a little at a time until the mixture comes together in a ball.
• Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least 15 minutes and up to half an hour.
• Use in your desired pie, tart, and quiche recipe. Enjoy.

PERFECT SHORTCRUST PASTRY

Steps:

• Weigh out the 1lb self raising flour and remove 3 tablespoons if you are making sweet pastry, 2 tablespoons if you are making savoury. Then add 2 tablespoons of cornflour and 1 tablespoon of icing sugar for sweet pastry and 2 tablespoons of cornflour and the salt for savoury. Place into the food mixer, I have a Kenwood K Mix but any will do the same job although food processors will do the job much quicker and it is easy to overwork the pastry with them, so be careful. You can do it by hand of course.
• Cut the butter and Trex into small cubes and put in the Kenwood with the K beater on to rub the fat into the flour, have on slow speed until it resembles breadcrumbs.
• Add the 1 egg and enough cold water whilst the machine is still running until it starts to come together. Stop the mixer and combine the dough into a ball, wrap it in clingfilm and put in the fridge for at least an hour. Never, ever over handle pastry or add too much water, this will make it tough - it should feel soft and come together with just a little encouragement.
• Roll out with a little flour make your desired recipe and cook at 220 degrees until golden brown. I always put pies on a flat baking sheet preheated with the oven. This pastry will be golden and short and melt in the mouth, almost like shortbread.

MINI MACARONI CHEESE TARTS

Steps:

• Step 1 Preheat the oven to gas 6.
• Step 2 Oil muffin tins.
• Step 3 For the pastry:-
• Step 4 Weigh out the flour, salt, butter and trex into a bowl.
• Step 5 Rub in the fats.
• Step 6 Add water to mix to a dough.
• Step 7 Roll out the dough and cut out the bases.
• Step 8 For the filling:-
• Step 9 Boil the macaroni till it is cooked.
• Step 10 Whilst still on the hob.
• Step 11 Drain and add the butter to the pan.
• Step 12 Next add the flour and keep mixing.
• Step 13 Add the milk, mustard powder and cheese and turn off the heat.
• Step 14 Spoon into pastry cases.
• Step 15 Sprinkle with cheese.
• Step 16 Bake for 20 minutes till golden brown.