Use for richer style savoury tarts, quiches and pies and for sweet tarts and tartlets where the filling is exceptionally sweet and a buttery but not sweet pastry is preferred.

Ingredients

• 1½ cups flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 150 grams butter, chilled and diced
• 2 egg yolks
• 1-2 tablespoons chilled water

Method

1. Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Using your fingertips rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine crumbs.
2. Use a knife and cut in the egg yolks and sufficient water until the pastry begins to form large clumps, which when a small portion is gathered in the hand and pressed it stays together.
3. Turn the dough out and bring together. Wrap in greaseproof paper and refrigerate for 1 hour before using.

Food Processor Method

1. Place the flour, salt and butter into a food processor, fitted with the metal blade and process until the mixture resembles fine crumbs.
2. Pulse in the egg yolks and sufficient water until the mixture forms small moist balls of dough. Sufficient water has been added when you can gather a small amount of the mixture in your hand and press it together to form a larger mass, that holds its shape.
3. Turn out and bring together, kneading only lightly wrap in greaseproof paper and refrigerate for 1 hour before using.

To use

1. Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured bench to 3-mm thickness. Use to line the base and sides of 4-5cm x 8-10cm tartlet tins or 10-12 standard-sized muffin tins or a 23cm flan tin. For best results, bake blind. Line the pastry-lined tarts with baking paper and fill with baking blind material (like dried pulses, rice or ceramic beads). Bake at 190C for 15 minutes or until the edges begin to brown. Remove the baking blind material and paper and return to the oven for a further 8-10 minutes or until the cases are browned and well-cooked.

Cooks Tips

Do not process pastry until it forms a ball in a food processor. It will be tough from over processing and having had too much water added.