Shortcrust is a basic pastry or pie crust that can be used in both sweet and savory dishes, and is altogether quick and easy to make. However getting that nice light, crumbly texture is down to technique. When you discover how to make shortcrust pastry you will find that the temperature of the ingredients is all important.

This guide will reveal to you how to ensure that the fat used does not melt when you are "rubbing" the mixture, ensuring that you get a nice crumbly, air filled base from which to create your short crust pastry.

With simple tools and very basic ingredients, you can achieve a delicious shortcrust pastry. The recipe includes only plain flour, butter or margarine, a little salt and water. You can add other seasoning or flavors as desired, a great addition is a little grated cheese, if you are going to use it for a cheese flan for example.

Shortcrust pastry can be prepared in advance and stored in the fridge for a day or two, wrapped tightly in plastic, until you are ready to use it, however it does not freeze well.

You will need a bowl in which to mix your pastry and some measuring equipment, like scales and spoons to ensure your ingredients are of the correct quantities, and don't forget the sieve for the flour.

The quantities used will be determined by the amount of pastry you need, but should always be half fat to flour by weight.

• 250g (8oz) Plain Flour
• 125g (4oz) Butter
• Pinch of salt
• 4-5 tbsp cold water

Variations

Some variations can be applied to these ingredients to cater for taste or health reasons:

1. Using organic flour has its appeal, however be sure that it is a light flour, heavy flours do not lend themselves to a good short pastry.
2. Margarine can be used to substitute the butter.
3. Include 1tbsp of caster sugar at the same time as the salt, if a sweet pastry is desired.
4. Half milk and half water may be used for a slightly richer pastry.

1. Sieve the flour into the bowl from a slight height to capture air.
2. Ensure your butter or margarine is very cold, cut into small pieces, about the size of a standard dice
3. Place the pieces of "fat" into the flour.
4. Start to "rub" the fat into the flour. This is achieved by gently squeezing small amounts of fat between the tips of your fingers with sufficient flour to start creating tiny balls or crumbs.
5. The secret to getting the right texture is cold fingers, if you feel the fat melting because of your body temperature, stop working, dunk your fingers in cold water, dry them and continue working.
6. Continue "rubbing" the fat into the flour until you have a bowl full of crumbly bits that do not stick to each other. These should be tiny and very light, like fresh breadcrumbs, and if you pick them up between your fingers and drop them, they should fall back down separately.

Now we will be "gluing" the whole mess together, with water.

1. Add the chilled water a little at a time and gently role the ingredients so that they stick together.
2. Do not squeeze the mixture, this will create heat and cause the butter to melt.
3. Keep working with the water and mixture until you have a "lump" that is neither sticky nor falling apart. It should just press together and stay that way.
4. Wrap in plastic film and chill before use.