Gluten-free Shortcrust Pastry Recipe - BEST EVER! - Becky Excell | Gluten Free Food Blog

Gluten-free Shortcrust Pastry Recipe - BEST EVER!

Gluten-free shortcrust pastry recipe - golden, buttery and slightly flaky, perfect for sweet and savoury pies, tarts and pasties. Easy to make by hand or in a food processor, using a supermarket gluten-free flour blend.

Keyword gluten-free pastry recipe, gluten-free shortcrust pastry

Prep Time 20

Chilling time 30

Total Time 50

Servings batch

Calories 2203kcal

Author Becky Excell

Equipment

Rolling pin with guides
Baking paper
23cm fluted tart tin if making a pastry case
Ceramic baking beans if making a pastry case
Food processor if making in a food processor

Ingredients

300 g gluten-free plain flour plus extra for dusting
1½ tsp xanthan gum
145 g butter very cold and cubed (use Stork hard margarine if dairy-free)
3 tbsp caster sugar add only if making sweet pastry
1 tsp salt add only if making savoury pastry
2 large eggs beaten

Instructions

To create the dough by hand:

Place your flour and xanthan gum into a large mixing bowl and mix. Stir in the caster sugar if making sweet pastry, or the salt if making savoury pastry. Make sure your butter is cold and straight from the fridge! Cut it into small cubes and rub it into the flour using your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
Beat your eggs together and gradually add them, cutting them into the mixture using a knife until it comes together. If there are still dry crumbs that won't come together, add cold water a teaspoon at a time, mixing with the knife after each addition. Only add water if needed.
Gently bring together into a ball - it should be very slightly sticky, but not wet or unmanageable.
Wrap your pastry in cling film or place into a sandwich bag. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes until firm yet workable. If it's too hard to roll, leave it at room temperature briefly to soften slightly. It's ready to use in whatever recipe you're following!

To create the dough in a food processor:

Mix together the flour, xanthan gum and either the caster sugar or salt. Add to your food processor with the cold, cubed butter and blitz until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
Add the beaten eggs and pulse until it comes together into a dough, then stop. If needed, add cold water a teaspoon at a time, pulsing briefly after each addition.
Wrap your pastry in cling film or place into a sandwich bag. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes until firm yet workable. If it's too hard to roll, leave it at room temperature briefly to soften slightly. It's ready to use in whatever recipe you're following!
Whichever method you use, do avoid pulling or stretching the dough, even before rolling it out - gluten-free pastry doesn't have the elasticity of regular pastry, so this can cause it to crack and tear.

To blind bake a 23cm tart case (optional depending on what you're using it for!):

Preheat your oven to 200C/180C fan and place a large baking tray inside to heat up.
Once your pastry dough is chilled, place it onto a lightly floured sheet of non-stick baking paper. Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll it out into a large circle, around 2mm thick.
Transfer the pastry sheet into a 23cm fluted, loose-bottom tin. I do this by supporting the pastry as I gently invert it into the tin, with equal overhang on all sides. Peel off the baking paper.
Next, use your fingers to carefully ease the pastry into place so that it neatly lines the tin. Lift the overhanging pastry to help ease it into the corners rather than pulling or stretching it. Using your thumb, gently press a little of the overhanging pastry back down into the tin to make the sides slightly thicker. Smooth any noticeable cracks with a finger very lightly dipped in water, gently pressing the pastry together.
Allow the overhang to do its thing - we’ll trim the overhang after chilling it. Lightly prick the base of the pastry case several times with a fork and then place into the fridge for 15 minutes.
After chilling, use a rolling pin to roll over the top of the tin, instantly removing the overhang and flattening down the pastry.
Next, loosely line the base of the pastry case with a piece of scrunched up baking paper and fill with baking beans (or rice if you don’t have any). Place onto the hot baking tray in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, remove the baking paper and baking beans, then bake for a further 5 minutes. Optionally, brush the inside of the case with a little extra egg white then return to the oven for an extra minute - this helps to prevent soggy bottoms for wet fillings!
You're done! At this point, you can use the pastry case to make a quiche, lemon tart or Bakewell tart etc.

If making something else (like pasties, pop tarts, mince pies etc)

Once chilled, place your pastry onto a lightly floured sheet of non-stick baking paper. Roll out with a lightly floured rolling pin to the thickness specified in the recipe you're making. Use the baking paper to support the pastry when lifting or folding it, without pulling or stretching it. Follow that recipe's instructions for filling, any further chilling and baking.

Notes

Yield: One batch makes enough pastry for a 23cm tart case, 12 mince pies with lids or two large Cornish pasties. For a 23cm pie with a pastry lid, make approximately 1½ quantities.

Flour: I use FREEE by Doves Farm gluten-free plain white flour. Use a gluten-free plain flour blend rather than a single flour.

Sweet or savoury: Add the caster sugar for sweet pastry OR the salt for savoury pastry - you don't need both.

Make ahead: Keep the dough well wrapped in the fridge overnight. If it's too firm to roll, let it soften slightly at room temperature first.

Freezing: Wrap the dough well and freeze for up to 2 months. Defrost in the fridge before using.

Timings: The preparation and chilling times are for the dough only. Allow additional time for shaping and baking, depending on what you're making.

Nutrition