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  Preheating the oven

  Preheat the oven at the top and bottom. If the baking time is 30 minutes or less, even fan and gas ovens will need to be preheated. If the baking time exceeds 30 minutes, fan and gas ovens will not need preheating.

  Preparing the baking tin or baking sheet

  Grease the baking tin or baking sheet generously and evenly with soft margarine or butter using a baking brush. Do not use oil because it would run down the side of the tin.

  When making biscuits by squeezing the dough through a pastry bag (or cookie press) it is necessary to line the baking sheet with baking parchment, but still grease the baking sheet to stop the parchment does not slide about.

  For biscuits which are cut out and then put on the baking sheet it is not necessary to grease the baking sheet. If you only have one baking sheet and are baking several batches, prepare pieces of baking parchment the size of the baking sheet, place the biscuits on it and slide it onto the flat side of the baking sheet without the biscuits slipping.

  Mixing and sifting flour and baking powder

  If cocoa is included, mix it with the flour as well.

  Sifting aerates the flour and distributes the baking powder evenly throughout it. This makes the pastry lighter.

  Wholemeal flour and baking powder can only be mixed together since the coarser texture of the wholemeal prevents it being sifted.

  Adding the other ingredients

  Put the flour in a mixing bowl and add the other ingredients such as sugar, butter or margarine and possibly eggs. Break each egg separately in a cup in order to check its freshness. Short pastry does not necessarily include eggs. Depending on the recipe the pastry is made without egg, or with, for instance, crème fraîche or a little water.

  The margarine or butter should be soft (easy to spread). This is why it is important to take the butter or margarine out of the refrigerator in good time. But if the butter or margarine is too soft the pastry will be difficult to work and will "pull together" when baking.

  Never add more flour than indicated in high-fat dough recipes, because it makes them crumbly and the pastry becomes hard when baking.

  Mixing the ingredients to make a dough

  Mix together all the ingredients with a hand mixer with kneading hook, first briefly at the lowest setting, then at the highest setting to make a dough. Then using your hands form into a ball (when intended for a springform tin) or a cylinder (when intended for a baking sheet or for biscuits) to make it easier to roll out. If the dough is sticky, wrap it in clingfilm and put in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

  Rolling out the dough

  Before rolling out the dough, remove all remnants of dough from the work top and sprinkle lightly with flour so that the dough does not stick. Knead the chilled dough briefly with your hands. When rolling out the dough, the rolling pin must simply roll lightly over the dough; do not press too hard. If the dough sticks to the worktop while being rolled out, slide a knife or spatula under it to loosen. Alternatively, instead of rolling out the dough on a floured worktop, the dough can be rolled between two layers of clingfilm or in a freezer bag previously cut open.

  If the dough becomes sticky while being rolled out, wrap it in clingfilm again and put it back in the refrigerator. This will solidify the butter or margarine in the dough so that the dough will no longer be sticky.

  Rolling out the dough for biscuits is easier because you can do it in smaller amounts. Cut out the biscuits with a pastry cutter so as to waste as little dough as possible, because repeated kneading, flouring and rolling out will make the dough increasingly drier and more brittle. Dip the pastry cutter in flour now and again to ensure that the dough does not stick to it.

  Putting rolled out dough on a baking sheet

  A fragile rolled-out piece of dough can be transferred easily to a baking sheet if it is first wound around a rolling pin, then unwound onto the baking sheet.

  Rolling out dough for springform tins or flan dishes

  Pastry cases for fruit pies can be baked in flan dishes or spring-form tins.

  If using a springform tin, roll out two-thirds of the dough and line the greased base of the springform tin. For the sides of the pastry case, knead a level tablespoon of flour into the rest of the dough (following the recipe) so that it holds better, form into a cylinder, place round the dough base against the sides of the tin and press with two fingers until it is 3 cm/11⁄4 in high.

  Then prick the base with a fork here and there to prevent air bubbles from forming.

  Pre-baking pie cases

  Dough intended to be used as a pastry case should be pre-baked so that the pastry remains crisp and does not become soggy with a moist filling.

  Roll out part of the dough and line the base of a greased spring-form tin. Prick the base several times with a fork to prevent the formation of air bubbles and pre-bake with the side of the spring-form tin in place. Then prepare the sides of the flan case as described above but without adding more flour.

  Lining tartlet moulds

  Place the well-greased tartlet moulds very close to each before lining them with the dough. First, place the rolled out dough loosely over the cases, then press the dough lightly into the cases. Roll the rolling pin over the moulds and press down on the edges. Cut the dough round the moulds using a knife.

  Blind-baking tartlet or flan cases

  Dough intended for pies with a cold filling (cream or fruit) must be baked blind. To do this, roll out the dough to the size of the flan dish, line the greased flan dish and prick several times with a fork. Fill the moulds or flan dish with dried pulses (peas or beans) and bake. This will ensure that the base of the flan case remains flat and the sides do not collapse.

  Baking shortcrust pastry

  Bake the shortcrust pastry following the instructions in the recipe. As soon as it is done, remove immediately from the mould or baking sheet. Shortcrust pastry bases baked in a springform tin should be immediately loosened from the base but allowed to cool down on it so that they do not loose their shape.

  Place the baked pastry on a rack (on the springform tin base) to cool down. They should lie flat and not be on top of each other to ensure that they keep their shape. Warm, freshly baked shortcrust pastry is soft and only becomes crisp and crumbly when it has cooled down.

  Storing

  Uncooked shortcrust pastry will keep for several days in the refrigerator if wrapped in clingfilm or placed in a freezer bag. It can also be frozen but it must then be allowed to defrost still wrapped at room temperature.

  Short crust pastry bases can be wrapped in aluminium foil and stored for a few days in the refrigerator.

  Small pastries and biscuits must be stored in airtight containers.

  SHORTCRUST PASTRY

  30 | Basic recipe for tartlets or biscuits

  For about 8 tartlet moulds (diameter about 10 cm/4 in) or baking sheet:

  some fat or baking parchment

  For the shortcrust pastry:

  150 g/5 oz (11⁄3 cup) plain (all-purpose) flour

  1 pinch baking powder

  50 g/13⁄4 oz (4 tablespoons) sugar

  100 g/31⁄2 oz (3⁄8 cup) soft butter or margarine

  1. Preheat the oven. Grease the tartlet moulds or line the baking sheet with baking parchment.

  2. To make the dough, mix together the flour and baking powder, sift into a mixing bowl and add the other ingredients. Stir with a hand mixer, first briefly at the lowest setting, then at the highest setting until the dough is formed. Then roll it into a ball using the hands.

  3. Roll out the dough thinly, line the moulds with it and prick several times with a fork. If making biscuits, roll out the dough about 1⁄2 cm/3⁄16 in thick, cut out using a pastry cutter of your choice and place on the baking sheet lined with baking parchment. Sprinkle with sugar crystals or cinnamon. Put the tartlet moulds on a grid or the baking sheet without a grid in the oven.

  Top/bottom heat: about 180 °C/350 °F (preheated),

  Fan ov
en: about 160 °C/325 °F (preheated), Gas mark 4 (preheated),

  Baking time: about 15 minutes for tartlets or 10 minutes for biscuits.

  4. Remove the tartlets from the moulds immediately after they have been taken out of the oven and leave to cool down on a rack. Remove the biscuits with the baking parchment from the baking sheet and put on a rack to cool down.

  Tip: Fill the tartlets with fruit of the season and pour glaze over the fruit. Coat the biscuits with icing and dust with icing (confectioner’s) sugar.

  SHORTCRUST PASTRY

  31 | Biscuits

  For guests (about 75 pieces/4 baking sheets)

  Preparation time: about 50 minutes

  Baking time: about 8 minutes per baking sheet

  For the baking sheet:

  baking parchment

  For the shortcrust pastry:

  250 g/9 oz (21⁄2 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour

  1 level teaspoon baking powder

  75 g/3 oz (3⁄8 cup) sugar

  3 drops vanilla essence in 1 tablespoon sugar

  1 pinch salt

  1 medium egg

  125 g/41⁄2 oz (5⁄8 cup) soft butter or margarine

  In addition:

  1–2 tablespoons icing (confectioners’) sugar

  100 g/31⁄2 oz jelly, e.g. redcurrant jelly

  70 g/3 oz plain chocolate

  Per piece:

  P: 1 g, F: 2 g, C: 5 g, kJ: 167, kcal: 40

  1. Preheat the oven and line the baking sheet with baking parchment.

  2. To make the dough, mix together the plain (all-purpose) flour and baking powder, sift into a mixing bowl, add the other ingredients and stir with a mixer with kneading hook, first briefly at the lowest setting, then at the highest setting until the dough is formed. Then roll it into a ball using your hands.

  3. Roll out small amounts of the dough very thinly and cut out round biscuits, 4 cm/21⁄2 in in diameter. Cut out a small hole 1.5 cm/5⁄8 in in diameter in 35–40 of them, to make ring-shaped biscuits. Put the biscuits on the prepared baking sheet and put in the oven.

  Top/bottom heat: about 180 °C/350 °F (preheated),

  Fan oven: about 160 °C/325 °F (preheated), Gas mark 4 (preheated),

  Baking time: about 8 minutes per baking sheet.

  4. Remove the biscuits with the baking parchment from the baking sheet and leave to cool down. Dust the ring-shaped biscuits with icing (confectioner’s) sugar, coat 35–40 of the plain biscuits with a thin layer of redcurrant or other jelly which has been stirred to obtain a smooth consistency. Now place a ring-shaped biscuit coated in icing (confectioner’s) sugar on top of each plain biscuit coated with the jelly.

  5. Coat half of the remaining biscuits with the jelly and put the other half on top. Chop up the chocolate coarsely, melt in a container in a bain-marie over low heat and pour over the plain biscuits or dust them with icing (confectioner’s) sugar.

  Tip: It is easier to put the biscuits on the baking sheet first and then cut out the centres.

  Variation: Instead of using jelly, the biscuits can be coated with nougatine (warm up over a bain-marie and stir to obtain a smooth consistency).

  SHORTCRUST PASTRY

  32 | Angels’ eyes

  Sophisticated–easy (about 140 pieces/3 baking sheets)

  Preparation time: about 40 minutes, excluding cooling time

  Baking time: about 15 minutes per baking sheet

  For the baking sheet:

  baking parchment

  For the shortcrust pastry:

  250 g/9 oz (21⁄2 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour

  1 level teaspoon baking powder

  100 g/31⁄2 oz (1⁄2 cup) sugar

  3 drops vanilla essence in 1 tablespoon sugar

  1 pinch salt

  yolks of 3 medium eggs

  150 g/5 oz (3⁄4 cup) soft butter or margarine

  In addition:

  whites of 2 medium eggs

  75 g/21⁄2 oz blanched chopped almonds

  4 tablespoons redcurrant or other jelly

  2 teaspoons water

  Per piece:

  P: 1 g, F: 1 g, C: 2 g, kJ: 97, kcal: 23

  1. To make the dough, mix together the flour and baking powder, sift into a mixing bowl, add the other ingredients and stir with a hand mixer with kneading hook, first briefly at the lowest setting, then at the highest setting until the dough is formed. Then form it into a ball using your hands. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and put in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

  2. Meanwhile preheat the oven and line the baking sheet with baking parchment.

  3. Mould the dough into 7 cylinders (40 cm/16 in long), cut into pieces 2 cm/3⁄4 in long and then form them into small balls.

  4. Whisk the egg whites with a fork. Dip one side of each ball of dough in the beaten egg white, then press into the chopped almonds. Then place the balls of dough with the non-almond side downwards on the baking sheet and make a hollow in each ball of dough using the handle of a wooden spoon. Put the baking sheet in the oven.

  Top/bottom heat: about 180 °C/350 °F (preheated),

  Fan oven: about 160 °C/325 °F (preheated), Gas mark 4 (preheated),

  Baking time: about 15 minutes per baking sheet.

  5. When the biscuits are done, remove from the baking sheet with the baking parchment and put on a rack (with the baking parchment) to cool down.

  6. Bring the jelly with water to the boil and fill the hollowed centre of the biscuits using a teaspoon.

  Tip: Redcurrant or raspberry jelly are the most suitable for the purpose. But yellow jam can also be used, which should first be rubbed through a sieve. If the jelly begins to set again, warm it up once more.

  SHORTCRUST PASTRY

  33 | Florentine biscuits

  Classic (about 100 pieces/3 baking sheets)

  Preparation time: about 40 minutes, excluding cooling time

  Baking time: about 20 minutes per baking sheet

  For the baking sheet:

  some fat

  baking parchment

  For the shortcrust pastry:

  150 g/5 oz (11⁄3 cup) plain (all-purpose) flour

  50 g/13⁄4 oz (4 tablespoons) sugar

  3 drops vanilla essence in 1 tablespoon sugar

  1 medium egg

  75 g/21⁄2 oz (3⁄8 cup) soft butter or margarine

  For the filling:

  50 g/2 oz butter

  50 g/13⁄4 oz (4 tablespoons) sugar

  4 teaspoons runny honey

  125 ml/4 fl oz (1⁄2 cup) whipping cream

  50 g/2 oz candied cherries

  100 g/31⁄2 oz blanched chopped almonds

  100 g/31⁄2 oz chopped hazelnut kernels

  4 teaspoons ground hazelnut kernels

  For the coating:

  100 g/31⁄2 oz plain chocolate

  Per piece:

  P: 7 g, F: 31 g, C: 33 g, kJ: 183, kcal: 44

  1. Preheat the oven. Grease the baking sheet and line with baking parchment.

  2. To make the dough, sift the plain (all-purpose) flour in a mixing bowl, add the other ingredients and stir with a hand mixer with kneading hook, first briefly at the lowest setting, then at the highest setting until the dough is formed. Then roll it into a ball using your hands.

  3. Roll the dough out thinly, cut out round biscuits (diameter about 5 cm/2 in) and put them on the greased baking sheet lined with baking parchment, and pre-bake until light golden yellow.

  Top/bottom heat: about 180 °C/350 °F (preheated),

  Fan oven: about 160 °C/325 °F (preheated), Gas mark 4 (preheated),

  Baking time: about 8 minutes per baking sheet.

  4. Leave the biscuits to cool down on the baking sheet placed on a rack.

  5. To make the filling, melt together the butter, sugar and honey in a small saucepan while stirring, heat up and cook until the mixture begins to brown. Add the whipped cream and stir until the sugar has dissolved.

  6. Cut the candied cherries into pieces and add to the whipped cream, butt
er and sugar mixture together with the almonds and hazelnuts. Cook over low heat while stirring until the mixture has thickened. Leave to cool for about 10 minutes, then spoon the mixture with 2 teaspoons onto the cooled biscuits. Put the baking sheet back in the oven and bake the biscuits at the same temperature for about 12 minutes until done.

  7. Remove the biscuits with the baking parchment from the baking sheet and put on a wire rack to cool down.

  8. To make the coating, coarsely chop the chocolate and melt in a container in a bain-marie over low heat. Coat the underside of the biscuits with a thin layer of chocolate. Put the biscuits on baking parchment until the chocolate has set.

  Tip: If the dough is too soft, wrap in clingfilm and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

  Variation: To make 20–25 large Florentine biscuits, cut out circles (diameter 8.5 cm/31⁄2 in) and pre-bake as described in the recipe, then spread the filling on top. The second stage of the baking is about 15 minutes.

  SHORTCRUST PASTRY

  34 | Heidesand

  Classic (about 160 pieces/ 4 baking sheets)

  Preparation time: about 60 minutes, excluding cooling time

  Baking time: about 15 minutes per baking sheet

  For the baking sheet:

  baking parchment

  For the shortcrust pastry:

  250 g/9 oz (11⁄8 cup) softened butter or margarine

  250 g/9 oz (11⁄8 cup) sugar

  3 drops vanilla essence in 1 tablespoon sugar

  1 pinch salt

  4 teaspoons milk

  350 g/12 oz (31⁄2 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour

  1 level teaspoon baking powder

  Per piece:

  P: 1 g, F: 1 g, C: 3 g, kJ: 107, kcal: 26

  1. Melt the butter in a pan, allow to brown lightly, then pour into a mixing bowl and refrigerate for about 45 minutes.

  2. Soften the hardened butter again using a hand mixer with whisk, set at the highest setting. Gradually stir in the sugar, vanilla sugar, salt and milk. Continue stirring until the mixture becomes creamy.