Blind Baking Short Crust Pastry

Cook Time 30 minutes

Servings makes 1 tart shell

Ingredients

250g butter, cold and cubed

500g biscuit, pastry & cake flour

2 tsp cold water

1 egg yolk, optional

Method

Place flour and butter into a bowl. Use your fingers to work the butter and flour together until it forms a crumb-like consistency. Add the water and egg yolk if you’re using, and mix until incorporated and the dough has formed.

Tip out onto a clean surface and form into a disc. Cover this cling wrap and chill in the fridge for an hour.

Preheat oven at 190° C.

Grease and flour a 28cm (approx.) tart mould.

Roll out pastry to be approx. 2mm thick and then lay the mould with the pastry. Place a piece of baking paper over the laid pastry, followed by cooking beans (or rice). Blind bake for 15-20 minutes, removing the baking beans and paper halfway through the cooking process.