Sweet Pastry

23cm/9” tart or flan dish, parchment paper, ceramic baking beans and 2 x mixing bowls

150g Doves Farm Organic Plain White Flour
75g butter
75g caster sugar
3 egg yolks
butter, for dish
flour, for dusting

190°C, Fan 170°C, 375°F, Gas 5

Sweet Pastry

1. Pre-heat the oven.
2. Rub some butter around the inside of 23cm/9” tart or flan dish or insert a baking liner.
3. Put the flour into a mixing bowl.
4. Chop the butter into cubes and add them to the bowl.
5. Using a fork or pastry blender, work the butter cubes and flour together until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
6. Stir in the sugar.
7. Add the egg yolks and stir to combine.
8. Using your hands, gather the mix together to form a smooth ball of pastry dough.
9. Dust the work surface with flour, put the dough in the middle and sprinkle it with flour.
10. Roll out the pastry into a circle 5cm/2” larger than your dish and lift it into the dish, OR simply press it into the baking dish using your fingers.
11. Cut away any pastry that hangs over the edge of the dish.
12. Prick the pastry all over with a fork.
13. Chill until required.

Blind Baking

1. Lay a large piece of parchment paper over the raw pastry, making sure all the edges are covered.
2. Scatter ceramic baking beans (or rice or flour) over the parchment paper, spreading them all over the surface.
3. If the pastry is to have a cold filling, bake for 15-18 minutes then remove from the oven and carefully lift the parchment paper and contents off the pastry. Return the pastry to the oven and cook for a further 5-6 minutes. Fill according to your recipe.
4. If the pastry is to be filled and cooked again, bake for 10-12 minutes then remove from the oven, carefully lift the parchment paper and contents off the pastry and return it to the oven and cook for a further 4-5 minutes without browning too much.
5. Fill and bake according to your recipe.