Soft Pastry Recipe 🤤

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (for sweet pastry)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
• 1/2 cup cold water (or more as needed)
• 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice (optional, helps to tenderize the dough)

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Dry Ingredients:
   • In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar (if using for sweet pastry), and salt. Mix well.
2. Cut in the Butter:
   • Add the chilled, cubed butter to the flour mixture. Use a pastry cutter or your fingers to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. There should be pea-sized pieces of butter still visible.
3. Add the Liquid:
   • Mix the cold water with the vinegar or lemon juice, if using.
   • Gradually add the cold water mixture to the flour and butter mixture, stirring gently with a fork until the dough starts to come together. You may not need all the water, or you might need a little more. The dough should be soft but not sticky.
4. Form the Dough:
   • Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently knead it a few times to bring it together into a cohesive ball. Be careful not to overwork the dough.
5. Chill the Dough:
   • Flatten the dough into a disk and wrap it in plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before using. This helps to relax the gluten and make the dough easier to roll out.
6. Roll Out the Dough:
   • Once chilled, roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to your desired thickness, usually about 1/8 inch for most pastries.
7. Use the Dough:
   • Use this soft pastry dough for pies, tarts, galettes, or any recipe that calls for a tender pastry crust. Follow the specific baking instructions for your chosen recipe.

Tips:

• Cold Ingredients: Ensure that the butter and water are very cold. This helps to create a tender, flaky crust.
• Resting the Dough: Allow the dough to rest in the refrigerator after rolling it out and before baking. This helps to prevent shrinkage.
• Blind Baking: For some recipes, you might need to blind bake the crust (pre-bake it without filling). To do this, line the rolled-out dough with parchment paper and fill it with pie weights or dried beans. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for about 15 minutes, then remove the weights and parchment and continue baking until lightly golden.

Enjoy your soft pastry dough in your favorite sweet or savory recipes!