Shortcrust Pastry - Sweet

Ingredients

• optional: 1 vanilla pod
• 125g/4½oz butter
• 100g/3¾oz icing sugar
• a small pinch of salt
• 255g/9oz flour
• zest of ½ a lemon
• 2 egg yolks, preferably free-range or organic
• 2 tablespoons cold milk or water

Method

• Score down the length of the vanilla pod, if using, and remove the seeds (keep the pod for making vanilla sugar).
• Cream together the butter, icing sugar and salt and then rub in the flour, vanilla seeds, lemon zest and egg yolks.
• When the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs, add the cold milk or water. Pat and gently work the mixture together until you have a ball of dough, then flour it lightly.
• Wrap the dough in clingfilm and place in the fridge to rest for at least an hour.

When you need to use the pastry remove from the fridge and use straight away. Alternatively, you can freeze this pastry for later use.