My Shortcrusty pasty is always dry, What am I doing wrong?

[twinklingfairy]

Well, ok I will fess up immediately (my poor mum would be mortified) Her shortcrust pastry is always so dry it is the stick to the top of your mouth as it searches out any moisture going type.
Going to make my own mincepies this year (I know! Crazy early, but I love Love love love mince pies!!)
So looking to get into practice now.

Looking for advice/recipies.

I tried putting it in the fridge, after making up, before rolling out, as it was suggested by someones Granny after I tasted her melt in the mouth variety and realised that my mums just didn't do it.
Anyway, I digress. It didn't work, they were still dry as anything.

Help

Are you adding enough liquid? Not so that it goes all 'claggy', but so that it binds together without loads of crumbs. Have to confess that I make it in a food processor and haven't done it by hand for over 20 years.

you need to use butter not marg, egg yolk and little water.

making it, buy it ready made

The most important things are 1) don't overwork it and 2) allow it to rest between making and rolling it and between rolling it out and baking it.

If you need a recipe, try Good Housekeeping or this one looks fine in terms of quantities.

Follow the recipe but...make the pastry the day before you are going to need it and make sure you don't overwork the gluten in the flour because that will make it tough and shrink. So, when you add the liquid, just mix the dough enough to bring it together and don't worry if there are a few crumbly bits- pack it into a ball in some clingfilm and by the time you roll it out the next day it will come together. If you can't leave it overnight, it will need at least a couple of hours.

Roll the pastry out then place on a tray to rest in the fridge for at least a couple of hours, the longer the better. Then cut out your mince pies and bake.

Use pastry flour if you can, plain flour will do if not.

I promise your pastry will be melt in the mouth!

agree with cereal - always use butter, and egg yolk mixed with an ice cube in a jug so can pour into food processor and stop quickly once it starts to come together.

If you rest it as hairymelons suggests, you should be able to roll it out really thinly, which IMO is the secret to a really fabulous mince pie. That and my secret ingredient.

Too much water (which evaporates on baking) will make it dry. Egg yolk is better because it's richer and contains protein so will bind the pastry more effectively.

Don't overwork your pastry. I think it's to act like you don't care about the pastry and that you are too cool and don't want to hang out with it. Make it,and then throw it in the fridge like you never want to see it again. (then sneakily roll it out after it's had a nice rest)

Sounds bonkers, works for me

Surely butter would make it shorter/drier?

My friend uses Stork to make her pastry and it always turns out beautifully.

Also, instead of using your fingers to rub it into crumbs, use a fork to mash it. It really works well.

I don't understand why but if ever I put mine in the fridge - it cracks when I'm rolling it out. I need soooo much more practice with my pastry. It's never been perfect yet!

Pastry cracks when it's been either overworked or is too cold to roll out. Try taking out of the fridge 20 mins before you roll it to let it come to temperature. If it's still cracking, work the dough less when you add the liquid.

Butter is harder to work with than marg because it has a higher water content but it tastes sooo much nicer!

Ah - I see- thanks hairy. I had been taking it out and trying to roll it straight away= bits of pastry dropping off everywhere and me sticking it back together like a quilt!

Listen to Hairy, I have followed her pastry advice in the past and she KNOWS!

Ah, thanks for the endorsement, Rooby! Glad it worked out for you, I'd hate to get a bad rep

Another alternative is to roll straigh away, put it in the tin, prick the pastry all over, then put it in the freezer. It needs at least 30 minutes, but you can leave it for weeks if you like. Then cook directly from frozen. If you do this you don't need to use beans when you blind bake.

It depends on what I am making as to whether I use egg yolk or water, for mince pies my favourite is half butter half lard made up with water.

I have tried a recipe from here, and a packet mix. Have now tried a Nigella Lawson one. Which said to freeze it for 20mins after mixing, then pulsing in a mixer before adding freshly squeezed, then cooled, orange juice in place of water.
The first was just a bit odd. The second was ok but softened up in the tin and became not so nice.
The last is fresh from the oven and has a puff pastry type of consistency.
It tastes very nice, but not sure that it tastes like shortcrust pastry.
Or perhaps I have forgotten what it should taste like anymore haha

Will have to try your way next hairy!