Eggless Shortcrust Pastry

The eggless shortcrust pastry is an excellent alternative for those who are allergic or follow a vegan diet. Here’s how you can prepare it:

Ingredients

• 250 g of all-purpose flour
• 100 g of powdered sugar
• 100 g of cold butter, cubed (for a vegan version, use margarine or vegetable butter)
• A pinch of salt
• Cold water as needed (about 50-60 ml)

Preparation

1. In a bowl, sift the flour and powdered sugar, and add the pinch of salt.
2. Add the cold, cubed butter. Work the mixture with your fingertips until you get a sandy and homogeneous mixture. If you opt for a vegan version, make sure that the margarine or vegetable butter are very cold.
3. Gradually add the cold water, a spoonful at a time, until the dough starts to come together. It is important not to overwork the dough to ensure that the shortcrust pastry is crumbly.
4. Form a ball with the dough, wrap it in cling film, and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before using it.
5. After resting, roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface and proceed with your recipe, whether it’s for a tart or cookies.

Remember that the eggless shortcrust pastry might require a bit more care when rolling out because the absence of eggs makes it slightly less elastic, but the result will still be delicious.

Curiosity

Shortcrust pastry is one of the classic doughs in Italian pastry making, and its eggless version is well suited for preparing sweets for people with particular dietary needs. Being versatile, it can be flavored with lemon zest, cinnamon, or vanilla, depending on your taste.