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Tips on pastry-making

Hand method

If you are using the hand method to make your pastry, then make sure your fingertips are as cool as possible. Hot hands do not a good pastry make. The hand method can be a bit laborious but if you do have time on your side, it can be rather enjoyable and relaxing.

Food processor method

If you’re short of time and have a food processor I would recommend using it. With this method you don’t need to worry about hot hands! Steps on how to use the food processor can be found for savoury and sweet shortcrust. It is not suitable for puff, suet or hot water crust pastries.

The right pastry for the right recipe

Pastries using butter as the main fat should only be used for recipes that require a short time to bake as butter has a lower melting point than other fats. If your filling requires longer to cook and asks for a shortcrust pastry, it is advisable to use lard or vegetable shortening instead of butter as these have a higher melting point. If you want to bake the pastry for longer than possible for an all-butter shortcrust, but you want to maintain a buttery taste then a mixture of butter and lard or shortening will work well. If a pie requires a raw meat filling, then only hot water crust will do. The method of adding hot lard and water to the flour creates a much tougher pastry suitable for baking pies requiring well over an hour to cook the meat (e.g. Melton Mowbray Pork Pie or Yorkshire Pork Pie).

Vegetarians and Vegans

Obviously using lard in pastry is not possible for vegetarians or vegans so if a recipe’s ingredients include lard just replace it with vegetarian shortening such as Trex or Crisco. Vegans can replace recipes requiring butter with a dairy-free butter such as Vegan Gold. If making a suet crust just replace the beef suet with vegetable suet.

Blind baking

Many of the fillings for tarts are rather wet (e.g. custard tarts) and if placed over uncooked pastry will result in the dreaded ‘soggy bottom’. It is therefore necessary to ensure the pastry is cooked through before adding the filling. This requires ‘blind baking’ the pastry. However, many of the recipes with ‘wet’ fillings use rough puff pastry. This is much more waterproof than shortcrust so when using rough puff there’s no need to blind bake.

Equipment

Yellow bowl, weighing scales, food processor, tart tin, rolling pin, pastry brush, knife, sieve, measuring jug, baking paper, kitchen foil
  • Sieve
  • Large bowl or food processor
  • Clingfilm
  • Clean work surface, preferably marble
  • Rolling pin
  • Pastry brush
  • Greaseproof paper
  • Baking beans
  • Tart cutters
  • Tart tins
  • Cake tins
  • Pie dishes
  • Pork pie dollies


Shortcrust pastry

Hand method

  • Flour being poured through a sieve into yellow mixing bowl from perspex bowl.
    Step 1
    Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl.
  • Lumps of butter in flour in yellow mixing bowl.
    Step 2
    Chop ice cold fat(s) into small cubes and add to the flour.
  • Hands rubbing butter into flour in yellow mixing bowl on wooden surface.
    Step 3
    Using cool fingertips rub the fat(s) into the flour bringing your hands up to get air into the mixture.
  • Hand holding cup with egg yolk under pouring cold water from tap over sink.
    Step 4
    Add a splash of cold water to an egg yolk.
  • Hand holding cup of mixture of egg yolk and water being whisked.
    Step 5
    Whisk the egg yolk with the cold water.
  • Hands mixing butter into flour in yellow mixing bowl on wooden surface.
    Step 6
    Pour into the pastry and using your hands bring the mixture together to form a dough.
  • Hands moulding shortcrust party on wooden surface.
    Step 7
    Place on a work surface and form into a ball.
  • Ball of shortcrust pastry wrapped in clingfilm on wooden surface.
    Step 8
    Wrap in clingfilm (and place in the fridge for half an hour).
  • Wooden surface spread with flour.
    Step 9
    Lightly flour the work surface.
  • Ball of shortcrust pastry on sheet of clingfilm.
    Step 10
    Unwrap the pastry and place on the work surface.
  • Hand flouring surface of a rolling pin on floured wooden surface.
    Step 11
    Lightly dust a rolling pin with flour.
  • Hands rolling out shortcrust pastry with rolling pin on floured wooden surface.
    Step 12
    Roll the pastry to the required thickness turning the pastry round as you go to create a shape as round as possible.
  • Hands lining tart tin with shortcrust pastry on floured wooden surface.
    Step 13
    Line the pie tin with the pastry leaving at least a centimetre overhang.
  • Rolled out pastry lid being spread over top of pie base and filling with rolling pin on floured wooden surface.
    Step 14
    Place pie top over the base and filling.
  • Hands crimping edges of shortcrust pie.
    Step 15
    Crimp the edges with fingers OR...
  • Hand using end of wooden spoon to crimp edges of shortcrust pie on floured wooden surface.
    Step 16
    ... crimp the edges with the handle of a wooden spoon.
  • Shortcrust pastry pie being trimmed with knife on floured wooden surface.
    Step 17
    Trim the edges.
  • Shortcrust lid of pie uncooked, crimped with hole pierced in the middle.
    Step 18
    Make a hole in the middle.
  • Rolled out shortcrust pastry with leaves cut out for decoration. Metal leaf stamp.
    Step 19
    Cut out shapes from the trimmings.
  • Hand holding down pastry leaf on floured surface with knife cutting leaf veins into leaf.
    Step 20
    Decorate the shapes.
  • An egg in a cup being whisked.
    Step 21
    Whisk an egg in a cup to make eggwash.
  • Fingers wiping beaten egg on pastry leaf for decorating shortcrust pie. Floured wooden surface.
    Step 22
    Use your finger to coat the underside of the shapes with eggwash.
  • Half decorated shortcrust pie in tart tin on floured wooden surface.
    Step 23
    Place the shapes on the pie.
  • Hand glazing top of shortcrust decorated pie with beaten egg using red pastry brush.
    Step 24
    Eggwash the top of the pie.
  • Uncooked glazed decorated shortcrust pie in tart tin on floured wooden surface.
    Step 25
    Place the pie in the oven for the specified time.
  • Glazed and decorated shortcrust pie on white plate on bamboo surface.
    Step 26
    Allow the pie to cool a little before removing from the tin and placing on a serving dish.

Food processor method

  • Blade placed in food processor.
    Step 1
    Attach the metal blade to the food processor.
  • Flour being tipped into food processor through a sieve from perspex bowl.
    Step 2
    Sift the flour and salt into the bowl of the food processor.
  • Flour and chunks of butter in food processor bowl for shortcrust pastry.
    Step 3
    Chop ice cold fat(s) into small cubes and add to the flour.
  • Finger switching on a food processor.
    Step 4
    Turn the processor on and whizz for a minute or two. Switch off.
  • Hand holding a cup and the other hand whisking egg yolk and iced water together.
    Step 5
    Beat an egg yolk with a splash of cold water.
  • Egg yolk being poured into opening of food processor into flour and butter mix for shortcrust pastry.
    Step 6
    Pour the egg mixture into the processor via the lid opening.
  • Short crust pastry mix being processed in a food processor.
    Step 7
    Turn the processor on and process until the pastry forms a ball. This should take a few minutes. If it is still not forming a ball add a little water.
  • Ball of shortcrust pastry in food processor.
    Step 8
    Remove the pastry ball from the processor and place on the worktop.
  • Piece of shortcrust dough wrapped in clingfilm.
    Step 8a
    Wrap with clingfilm and place in the fridge.
    Continue from step 9 of the hand method.
  • Wooden surface spread with flour.
    Step 9
    Lightly flour the work surface.
  • Ball of shortcrust pastry on sheet of clingfilm.
    Step 10
    Unwrap the pastry and place on the work surface.
  • Hand flouring surface of a rolling pin on floured wooden surface.
    Step 11
    Lightly dust a rolling pin with flour.
  • Hands rolling out shortcrust pastry with rolling pin on floured wooden surface.
    Step 12
    Roll the pastry to the required thickness turning the pastry round as you go to create a shape as round as possible.
  • Hands lining tart tin with shortcrust pastry on floured wooden surface.
    Step 13
    Line the pie tin with the pastry leaving at least a centimetre overhang.
  • Rolled out pastry lid being spread over top of pie base and filling with rolling pin on floured wooden surface.
    Step 14
    Place pie top over the base and filling.
  • Hands crimping edges of shortcrust pie.
    Step 15
    Crimp the edges with fingers OR...
  • Hand using end of wooden spoon to crimp edges of shortcrust pie on floured wooden surface.
    Step 16
    ... crimp the edges with the handle of a wooden spoon.
  • Shortcrust pastry pie being trimmed with knife on floured wooden surface.
    Step 17
    Trim the edges.
  • Shortcrust lid of pie uncooked, crimped with hole pierced in the middle.
    Step 18
    Make a hole in the middle.
  • Rolled out shortcrust pastry with leaves cut out for decoration. Metal leaf stamp.
    Step 19
    Cut out shapes from the trimmings.
  • Hand holding down pastry leaf on floured surface with knife cutting leaf veins into leaf.
    Step 20
    Decorate the shapes.
  • An egg in a cup being whisked.
    Step 21
    Whisk an egg in a cup to make eggwash.
  • Fingers wiping beaten egg on pastry leaf for decorating shortcrust pie. Floured wooden surface.
    Step 22
    Use your finger to coat the underside of the shapes with eggwash.
  • Half decorated shortcrust pie in tart tin on floured wooden surface.
    Step 23
    Place the shapes on the pie.
  • Hand glazing top of shortcrust decorated pie with beaten egg using red pastry brush.
    Step 24
    Eggwash the top of the pie.
  • Uncooked glazed decorated shortcrust pie in tart tin on floured wooden surface.
    Step 25
    Place the pie in the oven for the specified time.
  • Glazed and decorated shortcrust pie on white plate on bamboo surface.
    Step 26
    Allow the pie to cool a little before removing from the tin and placing on a serving dish.

Sweet pastry

Hand method

  • Step 1
    Place the softened butter and icing sugar in the bowl.
  • Icing sugar and butter being mixed together with electric hand whisk in yellow mixing bowl.
    Step 2
    Use an electric whisk and whisk until you have a smooth paste.
  • Egg being beaten into icing sugar and butter mixture for sweet pastry in yellow mixing bowl.
    Step 3
    Add an egg.
  • Egg being beaten into icing sugar and butter mixture for sweet pastry with an electric hand whisk.
    Step 4
    Whisk in the egg thoroughly.
  • Flour being poured into sweet pastry mix through a sieve.
    Step 5
    Sift in the flour.
  • Sweet pastry being stirred with spatula in yellow mixing bowl.
    Step 6
    Fold the flour into the sweet paste until fully incorporated. Use your hands to form a ball.
  • Patted down lump of sweet pastry dough on sheet of baking paper.
    Step 7
    Place a piece of greaseproof paper on the board and place the dough on top of it.
  • Patted down sweet pastry dough on baking paper. Baking paper sheet over the top.
    Step 8
    Place another piece of greaseproof paper on top of the dough.
  • Sweet pastry being rolled out between baking paper with rolling pin. Hands holding rolling pin.
    Step 9
    Roll to a flat disc of about 3mm thickness and place in the fridge for half an hour.
  • Rolled out sweet pastry on baking paper. Baking paper on top being peeled off.
    Step 10
    After half an hour, remove from the fridge and peel the upper sheet of greaseproof paper from the pastry.
  • Sweet pastry lining a tart tin with baking paper being peeled off the pastry.
    Step 11
    Line the tart tin with the pastry and remove the other piece of greaseproof paper.
  • Step 12
    Trim the edges and prick with a fork. Place in the fridge for 20 minutes, then blind bake.

Food processor method

  • Blade placed in food processor.
    Step 1
    Attach the metal blade to the food processor.
  • Hand tipping flour into bowl of food processor from perspex bowl.
    Step 2
    Place the icing sugar in the processor bowl.
  • Icing flour and lumps of butter in bowl of food processor.
    Step 3
    Add the softened butter.
  • Butter and icing sugar mixture in food processor.
    Step 4
    Turn processor on and whizz to a smooth paste.
  • Hand pouring beaten egg yolk in a cup into the top opening of a food processor.
    Step 5
    Whisk an egg in a cup by hand, then pour into the food processor and whizz until fully incorporated.
  • Hand tipping flour into food processor through a sieve. Other hand holding sieve.
    Step 6
    Sift in the flour and process.
  • Sweet pastry dough being lifted out of food processor.
    Step 6a
    Scoop out the pastry from the processor bowl.

    The remaining steps are identical to those of the Steps 7–12 of the "hand" method, above.
  • Patted down lump of sweet pastry dough on sheet of baking paper.
    Step 7
    Place a piece of greaseproof paper on the board and place the dough on top of it.
  • Patted down sweet pastry dough on baking paper. Baking paper sheet over the top.
    Step 8
    Place another piece of greaseproof paper on top of the dough.
  • Sweet pastry being rolled out between baking paper with rolling pin. Hands holding rolling pin.
    Step 9
    Roll to a flat disc of about 3mm thickness and place in the fridge for half an hour.
  • Rolled out sweet pastry on baking paper. Baking paper on top being peeled off.
    Step 10
    After half an hour, remove from the fridge and peel the upper sheet of greaseproof paper from the pastry.
  • Sweet pastry lining a tart tin with baking paper being peeled off the pastry.
    Step 11
    Line the tart tin with the pastry and remove the other piece of greaseproof paper.
  • Step 12
    Trim the edges and prick with a fork. Place in the fridge for 20 minutes, then blind bake.

Rough puff pastry

Hand method only

  • Flour being poured through a sieve into yellow mixing bowl from perspex bowl.
    Step 1
    Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl.
  • Hands grating butter into flour in yellow mixing bowl.
    Step 2
    Grate ice cold butter into the flour (or chop the butter into very small chunks).
  • Grated butter mixed with flour in yellow mixing bowl.
    Step 3
    Gently stir the grated (or chunked) butter into the flour so all the butter is coated with the flour.
  • Water being poured from measuring jug into flour and butter in yellow mixing bowl.
    Step 4
    Pour in the water.
  • Rough puff pastry dough in yellow mixing bowl.
    Step 5
    Mix until you have a firm but lumpy dough.
  • Ball of rough puff pastry dough on floured wooden surface.
    Step 6
    Place the dough on a work surface.
  • Rough puff pastry mixture in cling film.
    Step 7
    Cover with clingfilm and place in the fridge for half an hour.
  • Step 8
    Lightly flour the work surface.
  • Ball of rough puff pastry dough placed in cling film on floured wooden surface.
    Step 9
    Unwrap the pastry and place on the work surface.
  • Hand flouring surface of a rolling pin on floured wooden surface.
    Step 10
    Lightly dust a rolling pin with flour.
  • Rolled out rough puff pastry showing marbling effect on floured wooden surface.
    Step 11
    Roll the pastry to a rectangle, three times long as it is wide. The pastry should have a marbled effect from the lumps of butter.
  • Rolled out rough puff pastry showing marbling effect with top third folded down. Floured wooden surface.
    Step 12
    Fold the top third down to the centre.
  • Folded rough puff pastry showing marbling effect on floured wooden surface.
    Step 13
    Fold the bottom third over that.
  • Folded rough puff pastry dough showing marbling effect with rolling pin on floured wooden surface.
    Step 14
    Give the pastry a quarter turn.
  • Rolled out rough puff pastry with rolling pin on floured wooden surface.
    Step 15
    Roll out to the same size rectangle as before. 

    Repeat the folding in Steps 12,13 and 14 three more times.  

    As you continue to fold and roll out the pastry, the marbling will disappear.

  • Folded rough puff pastry on floured wooden surface. Tiled background.
    Step 16
    Give the pastry a final fold, wrap in clingfilm and place in the fridge for half an hour.
  • Rolled out rough puff pastry with rolling pin on floured wooden surface.
    Step 17
    Take out of the fridge and roll out to the desired thickness. Continue to follow your recipe.

Suet crust pastry

Hand method only

  • Flour being poured through a sieve into yellow mixing bowl from perspex bowl.
    Step 1
    Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl.
  • Suet being poured into yellow mixing bowl from perspex bowls.
    Step 2
    Add the suet.
  • Hand stirring suet into flour in yellow mixing bowl.
    Step 3
    Stir in the suet thoroughly.
  • Water from measuring jug being poured into flour in yellow mixing bowl.
    Step 4
    Add enough cold water to form a soft, elastic dough that leaves the bowl cleanly.
  • Floured wooden surface.
    Step 5
    Lightly flour the work surface.
  • Hands kneading suet crust pastry on floured wooden surface.
    Step 6
    Place the pastry on the work surface and knead for a couple of minutes.
  • Hand flouring surface of a rolling pin on floured wooden surface.
    Step 7
    Lightly dust a rolling pin with flour.
  • Hands rolling out suet crust pastry with rolling pin. Floured wooden surface.
    Step 8
    Roll the pastry out to the desired thickness and continue to follow your recipe (there’s no need to chill the pastry before rolling out).

Hot water crust pastry

Hand method only

  • Lumps of lard in copper saucepan being melted over hob.
    Step 1
    Place the lard and water in a small saucepan.
  • Copper saucepan of melted lard on hob.
    Step 2
    Heat until the lard has melted.
  • One hand pouring flour into sieve from perspex bowl. Other hand holding sieve over yellow mixing bowl.
    Step 3
    Sift the flour, salt and pepper into a large mixing bowl.
  • One hand pouring melted lard from saucepan into flour in yellow mixing bowl. Other hand holding wooden spoon.
    Step 4
    Pour in the warm lard and water mixture.
  • One hand holding large mixing bowl with hot water crust pastry in it. The other hand mixing with a wooden spoon.
    Step 5
    Use a wooden spoon to stir the lard and water mixture into the flour.
  • Hands kneading hot water crust pastry in yellow mixing bowl.
    Step 6
    Finish mixing the dough with your hands.
  • Hands kneading hot water crust pastry on bamboo surface.
    Step 7
    Knead for a few minutes and form into a ball. Cover with clingfilm and place in the fridge for half an hour.
  • Hands rolling out pastry with rolling pin. Floured wooden surface.
    Step 8

    If using a metal mould

    Roll the pastry out to the required thickness and size.
  • Hot water crust pastry lining a loaf tin. Floured wooden surface.
    Step 9

    If using a metal mould

    Carefully line the mould with the pastry.
  • Loaf tin lined with hot water crust pastry filled with meat and herbs. Floured wooden surface.
    Step 10

    If using a metal mould

    Place the filling in the pastry-lined mould.
  • Half crimped hot water crust pie top. Floured wooden surface.
    Step 11

    If using a metal mould

    Place the pastry lid on the top and crimp, either with your fingers or the handle of a rolling pin.
  • Top of hot water crust pie decorated with kitchen foil funnel. Floured wooden surface.
    Step 12

    If using a metal mould

    Make a hole in the middle and roll up a small piece of kitchen foil to act as a funnel which is placed in the hole to prevent the filling seeping out onto the top of the pie. Decorate the top of the pie.
  • Uncooked pie top decorated and egg washed. Kitchen foil funnel. Floured wooden surface.
    Step 13

    If using a metal mould

    Use a beaten egg to glaze the pie.
  • Hands moulding hot water crust pastry round jar covered in clingfilm. Bamboo surface.
    Step 14

    For hand-raised pies

    Oil a jar or dolly and cover with clingfilm. Place in the centre of the dough and use your hands to raise it up around the jar.
  • Hands using knife to trim hand raised hot water crust pie. Bamboo surface.
    Step 15

    For hand-raised pies

    Trim round the top of the pastry and remove the jar leaving the clingfilm inside the raised pie.
  • Hand raised hot water crust pie uncooked. Hand pulling out clingfilm.
    Step 16

    For hand-raised pies

    Carefully remove the clingfilm from the raised pie.
  • Raised hot water crust pie uncooked and filled with meat filling on bamboo surface.
    Step 17

    For hand-raised pies

    Place the filling in the raised pastry.
  • Hands placing top on hand-raised hot water crust pastry on floured wooden surface.
    Step 18

    For hand-raised and moulded pies

    Place the ‘lid’ on top of the pie.
  • Hands crimping raised hot water crust pastry pie on bamboo floured surface.
    Step 19

    For hand-raised and moulded pies

    Crimp round the edges to secure.
  • Two hands either side of hand raised pie on floured bamboo surface.
    Step 20

    For hand-raised pies

    Once the pie is finished place in the fridge for 2 hours to firm up.
  • Uncooked raised pie with egg wash and kitchen foil funnel on baking sheet.
    Step 21
    Remove from the fridge and place on a greased baking sheet. Make a small hole in the centre. Roll up a small piece of kitchen foil to make a funnel and place it in the centre hole. Use beaten egg to glaze the pie on the top and round the sides. Then place in the oven for the required cooking time.

Blind baking

  • Uncooked pastry base in tart tin with fork marks in surface. Wooden floured surface.
    Step 1
    Remove the pastry case from the fridge where it has been chilling.
  • Hands scrunching up baking paper over uncooked pastry base in tart tin.
    Step 2
    Crumple up a piece of greaseproof paper into a ball.
  • Hands opening out scrunched baking paper.
    Step 3
    Unwrap the paper and flatten out.
  • Hands cutting baking paper to fit a pastry base in a tart tin.
    Step 4
    Place the paper over the pastry and trim round the edges.
  • Hands pouring baking beans from glass jar into baking paper lining a pastry base in tart tin.
    Step 5
    Fill with baking beans and place in the oven for 10 minutes.
  • Tart tin holes filled with pastry bases, baking paper and baking beans.
    Step 6
    If blind baking tarts you will need small pieces of greaseproof paper and enough beans to fill each tart.
  • Hands holding up baking paper filled with baking beans over a raw pastry base.
    Step 7
    Remove from the oven and gather the greaseproof paper at the edges and remove (along with the baking beans) from the pastry.
  • Hands holding cup of beaten egg and whisking with small hand whisk.
    Step 8
    Beat an egg.
  • Hands brushing pastry case with beaten egg with red pastry brush. Cup of beaten egg. Bamboo chopping board.
    Step 9
    Brush the pastry with the beaten egg.
  • Baked pastry base in tart tin on wooden surface.
    Step 10
    Return to the oven for a further 10 minutes (or whatever your recipe says) or until the pastry is cooked and the egg wash is dry. Continue with your recipe.
© Dr Caroline Gordon 
2026
Illustrations by Chichi Parish
Site by Anselm Eustace