Soft Pastry Dough RECIPE

Here’s a simple recipe for soft pastry dough that you can use for pies, tarts, or any other baked goods that require a tender, flaky dough:

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (plus extra for rolling)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar (optional, depending on your filling)
• 1 cup unsalted butter (cold and cut into small cubes)
• 1/4 cup ice-cold water (more if needed)

Instructions:

1. Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, and sugar (if using). Whisk them together to ensure everything is evenly distributed.
2. Cut in the butter: Add the cold, cubed butter to the flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter, fork, or your hands, work the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized pieces of butter still visible. This is what gives the dough its flakiness.
3. Add water: Slowly add the ice-cold water, a tablespoon at a time, mixing gently with a fork or your hands. Add just enough water for the dough to come together when pressed (it should not be sticky).
4. Form the dough: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently knead the dough a few times until it just comes together, but avoid overworking it.
5. Chill the dough: Divide the dough into two equal discs, wrap each in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before rolling it out. This helps relax the gluten and makes the dough easier to work with.
6. Roll and use: After chilling, roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to your desired thickness for your recipe. Then use it for your pies, tarts, or other pastries!

Tips:

• For extra flakiness, you can add a bit of shortening along with the butter.
• If the dough feels too dry, you can add a tiny bit more ice water, but don’t overdo it.

This should give you a soft, tender dough that holds together well and bakes up beautifully!