Sweet Shortcrust Pastry

[cantkeepawayforever]

With mince pie season upon us, I would love a good sweet shortcrust pastry recipe.

I have and usually use a very old recipe from my grandmother, which has a very high butter to flour ratio and adds a spoonful of sugar and an egg yolk. However, it’s not ‘sweet’.

Can anyone suggest a recipe that will work, and is as close as possible to ‘commercial’ mince pie pastry?

@cantkeepawayforever bbcgoodfood is always a "go to"

I prefer “not sweet” pastry with mince pies as the mince is pretty sweet itself.

my rule of thumb is “half fat to flour”

Thanks! I’m completely fine with normal shortcrust & ratios - just looking for that extra bit of crumbly luxury for mince pies. The BBC recipe is very similar to my grandmother’s, but with icing sugar not caster, so I might try that out first.

To make the pastry shorter (more crumbly) reduce the amount of flour.

Mary Berry's recipe has always worked well for me and pastry usually hates me. Even shop bought will do weird stuff if I touch it.

I always use Nigellas star topped mince pie recipe for pastry. Never fails!

Thanks for reminding me to buy mincemeat
I use this recipe and had plenty of compliments
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/mince-pies
@cantkeepawayforever

My grandmother’s is 8 oz flour to 5.5 oz fat, egg yolk, water, dessertspoon caster sugar, and is very short but not sweet.

BBC is 8 oz to 4.25 oz, 2 tablespoons icing sugar, whole egg.

Mary Berry looks like 8 oz flour to 5.5 oz fat, 1 oz icing sugar, whole egg.

Think I’ll try Mary as closest ratio but more sugar.

Ooh, @LeftBoobGoneRogue , that one looks even sweeter! Looks like I have a range to try out (such s hardship!)