Shortcrust pastries, also called dry or friable doughs, are the backbone of classic baking. They are used as a base or support for fillings in tarts, tartlets, quiches, and even in dry cookies. The key to their success, and what gives them their name, is their unique texture: they crumble or melt easily in the mouth, due to one fundamental characteristic: very little gluten development.

The science behind this is simple and beautiful: if we work the dough minimally and use cold ingredients (especially the fat), we prevent the flour proteins from forming that elastic network we call gluten. Instead, the fat wraps around and isolates the flour particles. The result, after baking, is a dough that does not have the elastic structure of, for example, bread dough, but a delicate, crumbly texture. Therefore, the primordial secret is: work very little and avoid giving it heat.

The Chemistry of Perfect Dough: Why Cold Rules

When we talk about shortcrust pastries, temperature control is an obsession, and it's not accidental. There are two weighty reasons why the butter should be cold and why we use ice water:

1. Gluten Inhibition: Gluten develops mainly in the presence of water and movement. By using cold ingredients, we slow down the hydration of the flour.
2. Lamination Effect: When the fat is cold, it does not fully integrate with the flour, but forms small granules or flakes. When baked, this cold fat melts, leaving small empty spaces. Those spaces are what create that desired "short" or "sandy" texture. If the butter were soft (pomade), it would mix completely, resulting in a denser and less friable dough.

Mastering these doughs is not just about the recipe, but about the technique. There are three major "families" that every home baker should know: the Brisée, the Sablée, and the Sucrée.

1. Pâte Brisée: The Savory Versatility (And Sometimes Sweet)

Pâte Brisée (broken dough) is the most neutral and versatile of the three, as it contains little or no sugar. It is ideal for bases that will hold hearty savory fillings, such as quiches, vegetable tarts, or pâté bases. Its flavor is perfectly complemented by salt and spices.

Pâte Brisée Ingredients

• 250 gr. of all-purpose flour
• 5 gr. of salt
• 1 egg
• 30 cc of cold water (from the refrigerator)
• 125 gr. of cold butter (cut into cubes)

Method (The Sablage)

1. Initial Preparation: Sift the flour with the salt.
2. The Sanding Secret (Sablage): In a food processor, mix these ingredients with the cold butter cut into cubes. Process only until a fine sand or granule is obtained, similar to coarse sand. It is key that there are no large chunks of butter and that it does not form a paste.
3. Quick Union: Incorporate the egg and cold water. Process or mix only until a dough ball is obtained, barely united. The dough should look rough and imperfect.
4. Mandatory Rest: Wrap it in plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least half an hour (ideally 1 hour). This rest relaxes the small amount of gluten that may have formed, facilitates rolling, and solidifies the fat.

2. Pâte Sablée: The "Sandy" Dessert Texture

Sablée means "sandy" in French, and that is exactly its charm. This dough carries more fat and sugar than the Brisée, and is often prepared only with egg yolks, which increases its friability. The absence of water makes it more delicate to work with and more brittle to eat. It is the perfect base for sweet tarts and alfajor bases.

Pâte Sablée Ingredients

• 150 gr of softened butter
• 3 egg yolks
• 250 gr. of flour
• 5 gr. of salt
• 100 gr of powdered (icing) sugar
• Zest of ½ lemon

Method (The Creaming)

1. The Beating (Cremage): In a bowl, beat the butter (at room temperature, softened) with the powdered sugar until lightened and a pale, frothy cream is obtained. The Sablée uses the creaming method to incorporate air and give that sandy texture. Flavor with the lemon zest.
2. Yolk Integration: Add the yolks and combine until a homogeneous cream is obtained.
3. Final Union: In another container, sift the flour with the salt and form a well (or crown), place the previous mixture in the center and integrate everything without kneading. Try not to give it too much heat with your hands! It is better to use two bench scrapers or spatulas.
4. The Fraisage: Perform fraisage twice until homogenous. Fraisage is the process of flattening and dragging the dough with the palm of your hand across the counter to quickly unite it. This ensures that the ingredients mix without developing gluten.
5. Chilling and Rest: Then, cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

3. Pâte Sucrée: Extreme Sweetness and Delicacy

Sucrée means "sugared" and is the sweetest and most delicate of all. Unlike the Sablée (which uses only yolks), the Sucrée incorporates a whole egg, which gives it a slightly more resistant structure than the Sablée, making it easier to handle for rolling and shaping, and helping it maintain its shape better when baked. It is also suitable for making cookies.

Pâte Sucrée Ingredients

• 250 gr all-purpose flour
• 135 gr. of sugar
• 2 tablespoons of vanilla extract
• 110 gr. of softened butter
• 5 gr. of salt
• 1 whole egg

Method (Similar to Creaming)

1. Creaming and Flavor: Beat the softened butter with the sugar until lightened. Flavor with the vanilla extract.
2. Egg: Add the whole egg to obtain a cream.
3. Union with Dry Ingredients: In another bowl, sift the flour with the salt and form a well. Place the first preparation in the center of the well and combine everything without kneading. Remember not to give it too much heat with your hands; use spatulas or bench scrapers.
4. Fraisage and Chilling: Perform fraisage twice until homogenous. Then, cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator.

Master Tips for Blind Baking

The baking process is just as important as the dough preparation. Shortcrust pastries are baked at temperatures ranging from 160° and 180° C (320°F to 350°F).

What mold to use?

For this type of dough, a fluted mold is convenient, ideally one with a removable bottom, or a pastry ring. If we use mini-sized molds, we cut the already rolled dough with a cookie cutter or glass slightly larger than our mold, and place it over the mold, adapting it well to the sides.

The "Blind Baking" Technique

For tarts that require a wet filling (such as lemon meringue pie, cream quiches, or cheesecakes), blind baking is crucial. This means baking the dough alone before adding the filling.

1. Final Chilling: One idea is to assemble the dough in the mold and let it rest for a few extra minutes in the refrigerator or freezer before placing it in the oven. This hardens the fat and helps the edges stay straight.
2. Weighting: Prick the base with a fork and cover with aluminum foil or parchment paper. On top of this paper, place a weight that can be rice, dried beans, clean pebbles, or special ceramic weights. This prevents the dough from puffing up in the center and, most importantly, keeps the edges from sinking.
3. Baking: Bake for 10 to 15 minutes at 180° C (350°F) with the weights on. Then, remove the weights and paper, and bake for 5 to 10 more minutes (or until lightly golden), depending on whether the dough will return to the oven with the filling or not.

It is extremely important that the dough is cold and minimally worked! Otherwise, the gluten relaxes too quickly with the heat and the dough tends to shrink or sink.

Final Storage Tips

• Raw Storage: Shortcrust pastries keep very well in the refrigerator, wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 3 days. They can also be frozen for several months. When defrosting, do so slowly in the refrigerator.
• Baked Storage: A baked tart shell (blind baked) can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days, ready to be filled instantly.

As you can see, the world of shortcrust pastries is fascinating. Once you understand the golden rule (cold and minimal kneading), you can apply it to any recipe.