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pastry & cake

old-fashioned sweet shortcrust pastry

method

This pastry is perfect for making apple and other sweet pies. Even if you’ve never made pastry before, as long as you stick to the correct measurements for the ingredients and you follow the method exactly, you’ll be laughing. The one place where you can experiment is with flavouring. If you don’t fancy using lemon zest, try another dry ingredient like orange zest instead. Or a pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg or cocoa powder. Vanilla seeds are great too. Just remember to be subtle and don’t go overboard with any of these flavours!

Try to be confident and bring the pastry together as quickly as you can – don’t knead it too much or the heat from your hands will melt the butter. A good tip is to hold your hands under cold running water beforehand to make them as cold as possible. That way you’ll end up with a delicate, flaky pastry every time.

Sieve the flour from a height on to a clean work surface and sieve the icing sugar over the top. Using your hands, work the cubes of butter into the flour and sugar by rubbing your thumbs against your fingers until you end up with a fine, crumbly mixture. This is the point where you can spike the mixture with interesting flavours, so mix in your lemon zest.

Add the eggs and milk to the mixture and gently work it together till you have a ball of dough. Flour it lightly. Don’t work the pastry too much at this stage or it will become elastic and chewy, not crumbly and short. Flour your work surface and place the dough on top. Pat it into a flat round, flour it lightly, wrap it in clingfilm and put it into the fridge to rest for at least half an hour.

Jen from Recipease says - "This is a brilliant lesson where we teach you the basics to get perfect sweet shortcrust pastry each time. We then use seasonal ingredients to create a delicious pie that you finish off and take home to bake and enjoy (the filling will change throughout the year – but the pastry techniques will stay the same). This pastry can then be used for delicious treats like, Christmas mince pies and sweet tarts both large and small".

• from Jamie at Home

ingredients

• 500g organic plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• 100g icing sugar, sifted
• 250g good-quality cold butter, cut into small cubes
• zest of 1 lemon
• 2 large free-range or organic eggs, beaten
• a splash of milk

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tried this recipe or a similar one? share your tips...

1. by Stu on Thu 22 Dec 2011 @ 15:54

Is it me being stupid? Can't find a temp or time for cooking

2. by fiona on Wed 21 Dec 2011 @ 15:32

help!! THIS RECIPE DOESNT MENTION A BOWL AND I HAVE NEVER MADE PASTRY ON A BOARD BEFORE!! HOW EASY IS IT?

3. by fiona on Wed 21 Dec 2011 @ 15:20

am i right in thinking that this recipe doesnt use a mixing bowl? just make it on a board? im a bit nervous about that. yet it says even if you havent made pastry before you can make this.............help

4. by Matt B on Sun 18 Dec 2011 @ 19:00

I have added crushed cardamom seeds to the pastry for a different twist. Hope the flavors work! We will find out in 30 mins time! :-~

5. by Scott on Sat 10 Dec 2011 @ 16:11

I've tried this recipe for everything and I love it!!! Makes a really lovely thin and compact pastry and tastes amazing! Works for everything! I have used it for chocolate tarts, custard tarts and more. I have also been using this recipe for mince pies for the festive season and if you just make sure you roll it out thin enough it makes fantastic pastry! Yum Yum!<br />

6. by Margaret on Mon 28 Nov 2011 @ 20:41

<br /> Jamie have you got a simple Crumbed Sweet Short Pastry recipe? I had one which was great but misplaced it and haven't been able to find another since. Thanks. Cheers.

7. by lisa on Fri 25 Nov 2011 @ 13:01

wei love your shows and a lot of your reciepes but i dont think my son we ever forgive you for getting rid of turkey twizzlers lol

8. by diane on Thu 24 Nov 2011 @ 16:06

oliver's shortcrust for pies

9. by Melanie on Mon 19 Sep 2011 @ 02:31

I have used this recipe (without the lemon zest) to make chocolate tart, blueberry crostata & strawberry crostata. Perfect crust.

10. by jams on Mon 29 Aug 2011 @ 15:36

Made two fantastic lemon meringue pies with this recipe for pasry and got to say they were masterpieces!!

11. by Emma on Wed 29 Jun 2011 @ 08:04

I halved the recipe and found it plenty for one apple pie. I baked the left over pastry into biscuits and iced them for the kids. The lemon zest really makes a difference to the flavor. Thanks Jamie.

12. by martina power on Mon 02 May 2011 @ 18:25

trying for the first time - but no instructions for oven temp or how long to cook for ?<br /> help !

13. by hannah gross on Sun 12 Dec 2010 @ 21:30

fantastic recipe xxxxxxxxxxxxx

14. by Angela on Sun 12 Dec 2010 @ 03:03

I used exact amounts as required except I used good quality margarine which was frozen at the time of mixing to make it ice cold, iced water instead of milk and 2 eggs but 2 small size 2 eggs instead of 2 large. It came out perfect!

15. by Paul nut-magnet on Sun 27 Dec 2009 @ 17:48

5. Sarah Sun 03 May 2009 @ 12:25
"I'd like to try and make my own pastry for the blackberry and apple pie but my husband is allergic to eggs. Is there an alternative recipe I could use, please? I don't want to miss out and I'd like to avoid buying it pre-made from the supermarket. Please help! Thanks Sarah"

Sarah.. omit the eggs and replace with one heaped teaspoon of baking powder. Bind with cold water not milk and for this recipe it doesn't need to be left overnight. I also added 50g of caster sugar to the ingredients and this creates an almost shortbread texture to the pastry. The thicker you use this pastry on the top the better as it produces a firm golden crust with a cake like texture on the inside of the pie.

Paul

16. by steph on Thu 24 Sep 2009 @ 11:30

Surely you mean to sieve the flour and icing sugar into a bowl, not a work surface, however clean??

17. by bebe on Thu 23 Jul 2009 @ 02:00

I got a quick question, I left my dough overnight in the fridge and this morning when I took it out it was hard like a stone! Wonderin if it can still be used

18. by Lucas on Fri 03 Jul 2009 @ 15:28

i've tried to make it, but i didn't remember the recepie so i've put less than a splash of milk and forgot to put the sugar, a total disaster. I haven't baked yet but i am lucky i live in Brazil, so i have plenty of fresh good quality Dulce de Leche and tropical fruits!!!

19. by Russell on Mon 15 Jun 2009 @ 09:54

I made this shortcrust pastry for the first time, i was relatively pleased with the result.

Except when I blind baked the mixture it started to sag on the sides, was this because I forgot the freezing bit? Also, I think next time I might like to experiment using one egg only as this batch came out quite wet. :(

Nevertheless, I made it and did the pear and chocolate tart (also one of JO's recipe's)

20. by Sarah on Sun 03 May 2009 @ 12:25

Hi Jamie,

I've tried quite a few of your recipes and I love them all (especially your curry sauce recipe which my husband and I enjoy every Saturday night)! I'd like to try and make my own pastry for the blackberry and apple pie but my husband is allergic to eggs. Is there an alternative recipe I could use, please? I don't want to miss out and I'd like to avoid buying it pre-made from the supermarket. Please help!

Thanks
Sarah

21. by Rose Dean on Tue 17 Feb 2009 @ 02:34

Hi Jamie,

I love ALL your shows and you never cease to amaze me as to how simple good and healthy recipes can be. Also I admire your great effort and determination to ensure people in Britain (and whoever watch your show) eat healthily using fresh ingredients and not processed food. I was quite shocked when I saw the school dinners being served in the UK and how you managed to turn them around and how that have made a vast improvement in the students' behaviour, etc. Plus to involve their parents in this effort complement the effort as good food at school is not enough if they eat "junk" food at home.

So Jamie... Keep up the good work!! Don't stop making great shows!!

P/S: I'll try your shortcrust pastry after this.

22. by tom reed on Thu 12 Feb 2009 @ 17:27

how much pastry does this recipe make????

23. by cherrie on Tue 13 Jan 2009 @ 16:43

im looking for recipes that i can blend veggies so i can get my kds to eat moe fruit and veg and me as well.like a sauce to pore over my mash spuds i love my mash.thank you cherrie

24. by Sue on Thu 27 Nov 2008 @ 22:05

It's shortcrust pastry recipe.
Similar to most other shortcrust pastry recipes.
It's useful if you want to make shortcrust pastry.

25. by Kristiina on Mon 17 Nov 2008 @ 16:51

I made the pastry (with a different filling - sorry don't like blackberries!) yesterday, and it was the first time I had made pastry for a pie in my life. I found it simple enough, and tastes great. My dough ended up a little dry though, as it cracked a lot when I rolled it, so I think I did not use enough milk. Also, as a first time pastry maker, I would have found it helpful to be told to separate the dough into two pieces before putting it in the fridge. When I cut it in half it was awkward to get into a round shape. But live and learn, and I know what to do next time! All in all I enjoyed this recipe because it was very straight forward, other pastry recipes can be quite intimidating. Thanks Jamie!

26. by Louise on Fri 17 Oct 2008 @ 15:56

I made 2 apple & blackberry pies in September this year using your pastry recipe. I gave one to my neighbor and my family had the other. All I can say is, gorgeous. My neighbor keeps asking for the recipe. I will point her in the direction of your websire. Thank you.

27. by ash on Sat 11 Oct 2008 @ 17:10

made apple tarts with this pastry and they were really great! thanks jamie

28. by Emma on Mon 22 Sep 2008 @ 15:22

i am opening a small business part of a school project and was looking for tasty recipes gladly thanks to your website it made it a success and i got to keep the £200 pounds i made :)

29. by Annette on Sat 20 Sep 2008 @ 13:16

Hi Jamie

My daughter has just opened a coffee shop and uses your pastry recipes which are superb, love your TV program and get inspired by you, thanks Jamie x

30. by Courtney on Tue 15 Jul 2008 @ 07:24

Hi!
I just wanted to say I love your show. I love the way you cook and how rustic it is, a lot of people in the states don't really cook like that so it's very refreshing to see someone who does. You're doing a great job!!!

31. by Denise Franco de Andrade Tozetto on Thu 10 Jul 2008 @ 00:05

Hi Jamie,
I don't like to cook but wacthing to your show I became a very good cooker.
You are the best and I love you.
Your wife is a very lucky woman.
Kisses from Brasil.....

32. by dean on Fri 27 Jun 2008 @ 08:19

I cooked this pastry last weekend for a baked chocolate tart(which tasted absolutely great) I found it quick and easy to make. The main thing to remember is not to handle the to much because if you do it becomes stretch, and chewy(oh nooo)instead of crumby and crunchy. In the recipe Jamie says to put zest of a lemon in for some flavouring,next time I'll leave that out because i didnt really like the lemon in the pastry,other wise it is absolutely fantastic and I urge everyone else to go out and have a go

33. by patricia culling on Fri 13 Jun 2008 @ 16:24

your blackberry and apple pie receipe brought back wonderful memories of my late husband , who would have agreed that it is the best pie in the world it makes my mouth water just thinking about it with cream or custard just wonerful

34. by Donna on Thu 12 Jun 2008 @ 16:55

great, a recipe i needed and searched high and low for, thankyou Jamie

35. by Gemma on Thu 29 May 2008 @ 22:08

hiya jamie!

just wondering could you please put some more recipe's to do with bacon on the site please, as most of your recipe's on this site have been spot on with flavour
thanks
Gemma

36. by Maya Rae on Thu 29 May 2008 @ 00:17

I have just made up a fantastic recipe:
HONEY-DIPPED CHERRY WAFER!
Ingriendients:
4 chocolate wafer slices
3 cherries per cherry slice
honey
1st: Lay the wafer slices on a plate.
2nd: Put the honey on the wafers.
3rd: Put the cherries on top of the honey and wafer.
4th: Refrigerate, freeze, or eat right away!Delicious!!!

37. by danny on Wed 28 May 2008 @ 11:35

i have to say that im not overly inspired buy your cooking but you are the modern day delia. you show how simple and fun cooking can be to those who fear the kitchen. Plus you have managed to get people to realize that using quality not exspensive ingrediants gets a better result. the young boy or girl at the top of this list who had a winge about school dinners. you cant blame him for feeling that way its the parents who feed there kids crap all the time that are to blame there not thinking about there health or future its likely there more concernd with fag money and beer money. so i have to say i dont get inspired buy your cooking but i do feel inspired buy your drive to educate people to eat better.
thanks jamie hat of to you.......;-}

38. by ehcoma on Tue 27 May 2008 @ 08:12

I'm a chinese girl.And i like you cook .i saw your program in my country's tv .i like the feeling of cook!

39. by AneF (belgium) on Sun 25 May 2008 @ 22:53

I'm a "chef" and I know what is "to cook" mean,but your are the best, the one, the unique.What you've done in the school was fantastic. Please, divorce and marry me.

40. by suha on Sun 25 May 2008 @ 19:34

i would like to know the recipe which i saw in an episode that jamie went to his old school and taught children how to do a 1)bread with mozzerella cheese and 2)chicken in the oven where could i find these recipes in which book

41. by Vanessa on Fri 23 May 2008 @ 18:25

hey jamie i looove you
i can't seem to find a healthy dessert that i like wat would u recomend

did i mention i loooove u

42. by Bob on Thu 22 May 2008 @ 10:40

my favorite dessert is mcflurry
but ur ideas are good too

43. by elley on Wed 21 May 2008 @ 19:02

im how making it and i cant wait till its done spinach makes me go crazy i love spinach when it hasnt been cooked try it now!!!!!

44. by John Burns on Sun 18 May 2008 @ 01:52

HI Jamie, Miss you on TV here in the states, but glad to finally find your website. Love some of your recipes and putting them together here in my flat in old San Francisco. I wonder if you could pass on, or post the recipe for Chocolate Creme Brulee? You had it on your TV show, it was so simple I didn't write it down but rather dashed into the kitchen. Easy to make and absolutely fantastic. I gorged out, but the next day I'd forgotten how to make it. After five or so years I'm up for another batch, if you have the time . . . much appreciated. Your fans, John and Carol

45. by McdonaldsRocker! on Sat 17 May 2008 @ 15:32

Yeah! Turkey Mmm Fattie ROCK!!

46. by oer. on Fri 16 May 2008 @ 22:37

no thats yur problem mate. bring back turkey twizzlers =]

47. by mother on Fri 16 May 2008 @ 04:04

anyone who doesn't like Jamie's cooking will obviously live off of junk like Mcdonald's and get fat and die young so that's their problem!

48. by donna on Wed 14 May 2008 @ 21:59

If you ever have time in your busy schedule Dale Grove EBD Secondary center @ Ashton U Lyne M/C The pupils would be delighted (so would the staff) x

49. by donna on Wed 14 May 2008 @ 21:53

that nabeel doesnt know he talking about, I work in a special needs school and your dinners have made a 85% difference to there behavior has changed dramaticly since the new menu.
Thank you from all the pupils @ dale grove x

50. by GraÃ§a (Portugal on Tue 13 May 2008 @ 14:26

I like the way you show your receipts on tv,
Here in Portugal you have a lot of fans,
Keep with the good work!!

51. by Amy Watson on Tue 13 May 2008 @ 08:32

I really like your dressings like the tomato sauce and chutney. Love your cooking. Your the best.

52. by Taylor Neering on Mon 12 May 2008 @ 15:40

I am imspired by your work of using organic material your kitchen on FoodNetwork is so almost amish looking i love it!

53. by Andy Wright on Mon 12 May 2008 @ 13:11

Hello Jamie,
your strawberry things are the dogs dangly bits. from a brit who lives in Germany

54. by GB on Sun 11 May 2008 @ 19:43

I just want to thank you for al the fantastic recipes and showing me and the rest of the world that great food doesnt has to be difficult to make. Please never stop, you are an inspiration to all people who love making great food and also to those who just love eating it.

55. by Gloria A. A. on Sun 11 May 2008 @ 07:50

My family and I love pies and I have been never able to get a pastry that is crumbly and tasty.

Will try Jamie's recipe, my husband loves his cooking style and gets "inspired " after watching his program here in Singapore..!

Will get back with comments over the result.

56. by Monika on Sat 10 May 2008 @ 11:32

I don't know what nabeel got? If he was critisized for his meals, he can test Jamie's. These recipes are easily done and very tasty.
And I love the recipes 'cause you use fresh regional products.

57. by Despina on Tue 29 Apr 2008 @ 19:38

So Easy to make! I never thought I can make the crust and always boght it. Now I am so pleased with the results I will always make it myself!

58. by Kavitha on Sun 23 Mar 2008 @ 05:22

I can't believe nabeel cannot appreciate what jamie's done to improve the school dinners. He'll learn to appreciate it later when he's older and hopefully, wiser!!

59. by mark on Fri 14 Mar 2008 @ 19:09

jamie mate you have inspired me so much i fell out of love for cooking at one point until i started to read your books so for that i thank you !!!!

60. by Kristina on Sun 09 Mar 2008 @ 23:33

I was never interested on cooking. After I have seen your program in food channel, I loove to get into the kitchen and try what I have learned from you. You are the best! Thank you!!

61. by dimitra on Mon 03 Mar 2008 @ 18:04

you are the best!!!!!!!!!i am studing how to cook in a school(le monde)because of you!!love greece

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