2. All-Butter Shortcrust (European Style)
Ingredients (for 1 9-inch tart shell)
2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
1 cup (2 sticks / 226 g) cold unsalted butter, cubed
½ cup (60 g) powdered sugar
1 large egg yolk
1–2 tbsp cold milk (optional, if dough is too dry)
Pinch of salt
Instructions
1️⃣ Combine dry ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, powdered sugar, and salt.
2️⃣ Cut in butter
Add cold, cubed butter. Using fingertips or a pastry cutter, rub/cut butter into flour until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs with some pea-sized butter pieces.
3️⃣ Add egg yolk
Stir in the egg yolk and mix gently. If the dough is too dry, add 1–2 tbsp cold milk until it just comes together.
4️⃣ Chill the dough
Form dough into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 30–60 minutes.
5️⃣ Roll out and line pan
Lightly flour the surface and rolling pin. Roll dough into a circle slightly larger than your tart pan. Gently transfer dough to pan, trim excess, and press into edges.
6️⃣ Blind-bake
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line dough with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake 15–18 minutes until edges are lightly golden. Remove weights and bake an additional 5 minutes if needed.
Tips for Perfect All-Butter Shortcrust
Keep butter cold to maintain tender, crumbly texture.
Handle dough as little as possible — overworking = tough crust.
Chill dough before rolling to prevent shrinking.
Use egg wash or sugar sprinkles for extra golden, sweet edges.
