Cocoa Shortcrust Pastry

Cocoa shortcrust pastry is a sweet dough base enriched with cocoa powder, perfect for tarts, cookies, and pie bases. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

• 250 g of all-purpose flour
• 150 g of cold butter, cubed
• 100 g of icing sugar
• 30 g of unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 whole egg (and possibly 1 yolk, if necessary to bind the dough)
• A pinch of salt
• (Optional) a teaspoon of vanilla extract or the grated zest of one lemon to flavor

Preparation

1. In a bowl, sift together the flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, and salt to avoid lumps and aerate the mixture.
2. Add the cubed cold butter and work with your fingertips or with a mixer until you obtain a sandy mixture.
3. Incorporate the icing sugar and mix well.
4. Add the egg and, if desired, the vanilla or lemon zest. Mix quickly without overworking the dough to avoid warming the butter.
5. If the dough is too dry or crumbly, you can add an extra yolk to help bind the ingredients.
6. As soon as you have a homogeneous dough, wrap it in cling film and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before using it. This will allow the butter to firm up, making the dough easier to roll out.
7. After the resting time, roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface or between two sheets of parchment paper to the desired thickness. From here, you can proceed with your recipe, whether it be a tart, cookies, or the base of a cake.

A little tip: to add an Italian touch, you could include some hazelnut or almond grains in the dough, to give a richer flavor and a crunchy texture once baked.

Curiosity

Shortcrust pastry has ancient origins and is used in different variations across Europe. The addition of cocoa, besides giving a more intense and decisive flavor, makes it perfect for more indulgent recipes and can be a great way to surprise guests by adding a variation to the classic dough.