Ingredients
- 200g plain flour
- Pinch of salt
- 70g unsalted butter
- 80g caster sugar
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
- Rub the butter into the flour and salt until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
- Stir in the sugar then make a well in the centre for the egg and vanilla.
- Using a knife, bring the mixture together. If the pastry looks too crumbly sprinkle some water on to it. Not too much – just enough to bring together.
- Shape the dough into a ball and sit it on a sheet of clingfilm. Flatten slightly into a disc then wrap up and chill for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan oven 180°C/400°F/Gas mark 6. Grease two 12 hole patty tins. This recipe will make 18 tarts.
- Roll the pastry out between two sheets of baking paper. Using a round cutter slightly bigger than the patty hole, cut out circles of pastry. You’re aiming for the pastry to be thin but not see-through. About 4mm thick. Once all the pastry cases are cut out and sitting in the patty tins, put the tins in the fridge for about 10 minutes. This will limit shrinkage on cooking.