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1
By far the best way to make shortcrust pastry is to use a food processor. It’s very quick and easy, but more importantly, it keeps all the ingredients cold, which is essential when making shortcrust pastry.
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Add the flour, salt, and butter to the processor with the blade tool attached.
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Pulse the machine until you have a fine breadcrumb consistency; this should only take 30 to 45 seconds.
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Next step; set the machine running while slowly pouring in the ice-cold water.
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Once the pastry comes together and starts rolling around the machine, it’s done (see the video), once again, this should only take 30 to 45 seconds to complete.
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Once done, remove it from the machine.
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You should now have around 350g / 12½oz of pastry.
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Bring the pastry together and form it into a 3” round disc shape.
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Wrap it in cling film, refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using it.
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Blind baking the pastry case:
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Preheat your oven to 180°C / 355°F / Gas mark 4.
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Grease a 23cm / 9in loose base flan or pie tin.
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Roll out your pastry to a 3mm thick circle (see video for example)
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Once rolled out, roll it onto you rolling pin.
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Unroll the pastry onto the greased flan tin leaving plenty hanging over the edge of the tin.
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Carefully tuck the pastry down into the corners of the tin with your fingers, then trim off the excess pastry, using a spare piece of pastry press it down into the corners of the tin where the side meets the base.
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Using a fork, prick a few holes in the base of the pastry, this is called docking the pastry.
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Scrunch up a circle of parchment paper that’s larger than the tin, place it on top of the pastry and gently press it down.
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Fill the case with ceramic or dried beans and gently press it down, (I use raw uncooked rice in the video).
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Place the tin in the preheated oven, and bake for 30 minutes.
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Make up some egg-wash using a small egg.
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Once baked remove the pastry case from the oven, leave the oven running, but reduce the temperature to 170°C / 340°F / Gas mark 3.
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Carefully lift out the blind baking beads, and while it’s still hot, brush egg-wash all over the inside of the pastry case, sides and base, place the tin back in the oven and bake for 5 minutes to set the egg, this is what I call, waterproofing the case.
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Preparing the filling:
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Grate the cheese and finely slice the spring/green onions.
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Whisk up the eggs, cream and salt in a large jug or bowl, until it’s loose and runny.
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Building up the Quiche:
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Spoon the Branston pickle on the base of the pastry case and spread it out.
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Spread the cheese loosely over top of the pickle, save a little for the top of the quiche.
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Add a few of the sliced green onions.
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Pour in the egg mixture in the case up to just below the top of the case sides.
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Add the remaining cheese and onions on the top.
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Now very carefully without spilling any, get it into the oven, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
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Once cooked, get it out of the oven, allow it to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before removing it from the tin.
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The quiche will appear well risen at this point, but don’t be disappointed when it goes flatter again, this is normal for quiche.
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Slice and serve hot or cold, it’s delicious either way.
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Enjoy.
Method
Ingredients
Pastry Ingredients:
200g / 7oz Plain or All-purpose flour
100g / 3½oz Butter (Unsalted If Possible)
60g / 60mls Ice cold water
4g / ½tsp Salt
Filling:
400g / 14oz Branston pickle
115g / 4oz Mature Cheddar cheese
6 Eggs (large)
1tbls Double/Heavy Cream
55g / 2oz Spring onions (finely sliced)
Salt n Pepper
1 Egg (small for egg-wash)
Silicone Utensil Holder & Drip Pad
Loose Base Pie/Flan Tin (24cm/9.5in)
Adjustable Stainless Steel Rolling Pin
Skeleton style Oven Gloves. Rated for up to and not beyond 260°C / 500°F.
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