Category: Baking, Pastry, Sweet or Savoury, Quiche & Tart Base
Servings: Makes enough for one 23–25 cm pie/tart
Prep Time: 15 minutes (+ chilling 30–60 minutes)
Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients:
- 315 g all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp sugar (optional – for sweet pies)
- 225 g cold butter, cubed (or coconut oil, chilled)
- 6–8 tbsp ice-cold water
Instructions:
1. Mix dry ingredients:
In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, and sugar (if using).
2. Add butter:
Add cold butter cubes. Rub in with your fingertips (or pulse in a food processor) until mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs with a few pea-sized butter pieces.
3. Add water:
Add ice-cold water 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing gently until dough just comes together.
4. Form and chill:
Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently form into a disc (do not knead). Wrap in cling film and chill for at least 30 minutes before rolling.
Food Processor Method:
- Pulse flour, salt, and sugar 2–3 times to combine.
- Add cold or frozen butter cubes. Pulse 8–12 short pulses until mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-sized butter pieces.
- Drizzle in ice-cold water 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing once or twice after each addition. Stop as soon as the dough starts clumping.
- Tip onto a surface, gently press into a disc (don’t knead). Wrap and chill 30–60 minutes.
Pro Tips:
- Cold butter = flaky crust.
- If dough cracks while rolling, let it rest for 5 minutes.
- Always chill again after lining your pie dish before baking.
- Coconut oil can be used as a substitute for butter; keep it in the fridge until hardened before use.
