Mary Cadogan's step-by-step recipe for the foolproof way to make a shortcrust pastry case
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Trim your flan
Trimming the edge of the flan after cooking gives you a neater edge with less shrinkage.
Chill your butter
Use butter straight from the fridge and cold water to keep the pastry mix cool while you work.
Roll with it
Shortcrust pastry freezes more successfully when it has been rolled out or shaped as required, either baked or unbaked, rather than as a lump of dough.
Rice is nice
If you don’t have baking beans, use uncooked rice or pasta, then keep them to use each time.