How to Make Homemade Shortcrust Pastry For Italian Desserts, Without a Stand Mixer (VIDEO)

Learn how to make homemade shortcrust pastry for Italian desserts like Crostata or Torta della Nonna, without a stand mixer.

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If you like Italian cuisine, you know that a flaky, buttery shortcrust is essential for making perfect pies, quiches, and tarts. However, you may not have access to a stand mixer to properly combine the ingredients. Have no fear! With a few simple tools found in any kitchen, such as a bowl and a pastry cutter, you can make tender and delicious shortcrust pastry from scratch.

In this article, you’ll learn insider tips and tricks for making shortcrust pastry for Crostata and Tarts by hand, from the ideal ingredient ratios to proper mixing and chilling techniques. We will call this kind of shortcrust pastry “Milano shortcrust pastry“. Follow this easy recipe, and you’ll be able to create golden, crisp pastry for all your baking needs without the need for any specialized equipment. Say goodbye to store-bought pie crusts, and hello to flavorful homemade Pies and Crostate!

What is Milano Shortcrust Pastry

Shortcrust pastry is a type of pastry often used for the base of sweet and savory pies. It is made from flour, fat, and water. The fat, which is usually butter, is rubbed into the flour to create a breadcrumb-like texture. Then, a liquid ingredient is added, and the mixture is gently mixed until it comes together as a dough.

Shortcrust pastry has a crisp, crumbly texture. It is more neutral in flavor than other pastry types like puff pastry. The classic shortcrust pastry ratio is half fat to flour, by weight. Using equal amounts of butter and flour will result in a rich, crumbly pastry. For a lighter pastry, use two thirds flour to one third butter.

The Milano shortcrust pastry, designed by the famous pastry chef Iginio Massari, is one of the basic preparations of classic pastry making, ideal for making crumbly biscuits, delicious tartlets and mouth-watering tarts.

Ingredients You’ll Need for This Homemade Milano Shortcrust Pastry Recipe

300 g Tipo 00 flour or all-purpose flour, sifted (2.4 cups) – To make shortcrust pastry at home without a stand mixer, you will need all-purpose flour or pastry flour, which has a lower gluten content. Using flour with a lower gluten content helps ensure a crumbly, crisp pastry. For most recipes, all-purpose flour will work well, but for an even flakier result, pastry flour is ideal.
200 g butter, soft but still plastic (0.88 cup) – High-quality butter with a fat content of at least 80% is essential for homemade shortcrust pastry. Butter provides flakiness. For best results, use butter that is cold and cut into small cubes.
1 egg yolk – Adding egg yolk to shortcrust pastry serves multiple purposes. The egg yolk contributes richness and tenderness to the pastry due to its fat content. It also helps bind the dough together, providing structure and making it easier to work with. Additionally, egg yolks lend a golden color to the pastry when baked, enhancing its visual appeal. Overall, incorporating egg yolks into shortcrust pastry results in a delicious, flavorful, and well-textured final product.
75 g icing sugar (0.6 cup) – Adds sweetness and helps create a tender texture.
2 tablespoons acacia honey – Enhances the sweetness and adds a subtle floral flavor.
1 teaspoon cold water – Helps bind the ingredients together and adjust the dough’s consistency. Using cold water helps prevent the butter from melting, which is important for achieving a flaky texture.
1/3 teaspoon salt – While salt is optional, adding a pinch of salt helps enhance the flavors of the butter and other ingredients. Table salt or kosher salt will work, but add it sparingly.
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1 vanilla pod – Infuses the pastry with a warm, aromatic vanilla flavor.
Zest of half a lemon – Adds a bright, citrusy flavor to complement the other ingredients.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Making Milano Shortcrust Pastry by Hand

To make homemade shortcrust pastry without a stand mixer, follow this step-by-step instructions:

Mixing the Ingredients

In a bowl, add the soft but still firm butter (1) and mash it until creamy, using a fork. Next, add the sugar, honey, and vanilla to the bowl. Using the fork, mix everything together continuously. The goal is for the butter to absorb the honey and sugar without being whipped.

Now, dissolve the salt in a small amount of water. Make sure the salt dissolves completely so that it doesn’t affect the taste. Add the salt, lemon zest, egg yolk, and sifted flour to the bowl (2). Begin mixing with the fork and then switch to using your hands. Knead the mixture quickly, being careful not to overheat the dough. The dough is ready when your hands stay clean. (3)

Kneading and Chilling the Dough

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead 8–10 times, just until the dough comes together. Flatten it with your hands, wrap in plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight (4). This will allow the fats and sugars to stabilize, making the dough easier to work with when rolling it out.

Now, your shortcrust pastry is ready to be used in the creation of delicious biscuits and delicious tarts.

Rolling and Baking

Allow the chilled dough to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes, then roll out and bake as directed in your recipe. Homemade shortcrust pastry requires a delicate touch, so handle the dough as little as possible to ensure a light and flaky result. With some patience, you’ll be making perfect pastry in no time!

Watch Homemade Shortcrust Pastry Video Recipe

How to Store Milano Shortcrust Pastry

The Milano shortcrust pastry dough can be kept frozen in the freezer for approximately 3 weeks. Once ready to use, simply thaw the dough in the refrigerator and allow it to sit at room temperature before working with it to prepare pies or cookies.

Tips and Tricks for Perfect Homemade Shortcrust Pastry Without a Mixer

Use cold ingredients

The key to a light and flaky pastry is to keep the fat cold. Make sure all ingredients like butter, lard or vegetable shortening are chilled before using. Cold fat creates air pockets when it melts, giving pastry its characteristic flakiness.

Don’t overmix

An important step in making shortcrust pastry without a stand mixer is not overmixing the dough, as this can make the pastry tough. Only mix the dough until it just comes together. Overworking the dough can also cause the gluten in the flour to develop, making the pastry elastic rather than crumbly.

Work quickly

Work as quickly as possible to avoid the fat from softening. Only handle the pastry enough to bring it together. Overworking the pastry can make it tough.

Rest the pastry

Chilling the dough before rolling it out is also important. This allows the flour to hydrate and the fat to firm up, making the dough easier to roll out thinly and evenly. The dough should chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

How to bake the shortcrust pastry

Brush the pastry with egg wash or milk before baking to get a golden, glazed finish. Bake the pastry at a high temperature, around 200 °C (ca 400 °F), then reduce the temperature to 170 °C (ca 350 °F) once you’ve added the pie filling.

Shortcrust pastry can be baked blind before adding fillings, or baked with the filling in the pie.

For crostata and tarts, blind bake the pastry case before adding the filling. Prick the base with a fork, line with parchment paper and baking beads or rice and bake at 200 °C (ca 400 °F) for about 15 minutes. Remove lining and continue baking for 10 more minutes until the pastry is light golden brown. Allow to cool completely before adding the filling.

Blind baking the pastry ensures it is crisp and helps avoid a soggy bottom. It also means the Crostata or tart can be assembled ahead of time if needed.

Popular Italian Desserts That Use Shortcrust Pastry

Several Italian desserts feature shortcrust pastry as a key component in their preparation. Some traditional Italian desserts that use shortcrust pastry include:

Classic Crostata: Italian fruit tarts with a flaky shortcrust pastry base and a variety of fruit fillings such as apricot, cherry, or berry.
Torta della Nonna: A classic Italian dessert consisting of a shortcrust pastry shell filled with creamy custard and topped with pine nuts and powdered sugar.
Crostata di Ricotta: A ricotta tart with a shortcrust pastry base, creamy ricotta cheese filling, and often flavored with citrus zest or chocolate.
Fresh Fruit Tart: A shortcrust pastry base, a delicious pastry cream and colored fresh fruit.

Shortcrust pastry is a versatile and essential element in many beloved Italian desserts, adding a delicious and textural component to these sweet treats.