Web exclusive recipe: Lorraine's easy savoury and sweet shortcrust pastry

Updated: 15:01 EDT, 8 January 2011

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Oh, go on. Give it a go! I know pastry is the nemesis of the average person’s baking repertoire, but do try these recipes, even if just the once. The ingredients differ slightly for the savoury and sweet versions, so follow the list for the one you need, but the method is virtually the same

Makes about 450g-500g

SAVOURY SHORTCRUST PASTRY

250g plain flour
125g cold butter cubed
2 egg yolks
large pinch of salt
1–2 tbsp water if needed

SWEET SHORTCRUST PASTRY

250g plain flour
125g cold butter cubed
2 egg yolks
2 tbsp caster sugar
large pinch of salt
1 tbsp single cream or milk if required

Put the flour and butter in a food processor and blitz to breadcrumbs. If using your hands, rub the butter and flour together until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolks (and if making sweet pastry, the sugar) and a pinch of salt and stir together with a knife.
Squidge the mixture together into a ball. If the pastry feels very dry add the water (or if making sweet pastry, the cream or milk), but try and get by without for a more tender pastry. Once the pastry is all squidged together, pop it in the fridge to rest for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, remove it from the fridge and let it warm up a little (if you use it straight from the fridge and try to roll it out, the pastry will just be a hopeless crumbly mess). Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured board and use as required.

First published in YOU, Mail on Sunday