I use this pastry dough mostly for tart/pie base, but it can be used for cookies. You can create all sort of flavours by adding extra ingredients such as Vanilla, Cocoa Powder, Instant Coffee Powder, etc. This is a very simple, easiest, one-bowl ‘Sweet Shortcrust Pastry’ recipe, and the portion is perfect for my 22.5cm Pyrex pie dish.

Ingredients

100g Butter *softened
2 to 4 tablespoons Caster Sugar
1 Egg Yolk
1 cup (*250ml) Plain Flour

Method
  1. Mix softened Butter and Sugar until smooth. Add Egg Yolk and mix until creamy.
  2. Add Plain Flour and mix as you cut the butter mixture into flour. After mixing, it might look too DRY, but do not add Water. Use your hands to bring the mixture together into dough.
  3. For tart/pie base, simple spread the dough in a baking dish evenly and press using your fingers. If you want to roll the dough into a sheet, place the dough between 2 sheets baking paper, roll until 3-4mm thick, then refrigerate until firm.
  4. For cookies, place the dough on a sheet of plastic warp, shape into a log, and wrap it. Refrigerate until firm. When it is firm, remove and discard the plastic wrap, and slice the dough into 8mm thick rounds. Bake in 170℃ oven.