SHORTCRUST PASTRY
42 | Nutty plaited loaf
Good for preparing in advance (about 16 pieces)
Preparation time: about 35 minutes
Baking time: about 40 minutes
For the baking sheet:
some fat
For the shortcrust pastry:
300 g/10 oz (3 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
1 level teaspoon baking powder
100 g/31⁄2 oz (1⁄2 cup) sugar
3 drops vanilla essence in 1 tablespoon sugar
100 g/31⁄2 oz (1⁄2 cup) soft butter or margarine
150 g/5 oz crème fraîche
For the filling:
200 g/7 oz ground hazelnut kernels
100 g/31⁄2 oz (1⁄2 cup) sugar
1 medium egg
white of 1 medium egg
2–3 drops almond essence
3 tablespoons water
For the coating:
yolk of 1 medium egg
1 teaspoon milk
For the apricot glaze:
4 teaspoons apricot preserve
2 teaspoons water
Per piece:
P: 5 g, F: 17 g, C: 29 g, kJ: 1191, kcal: 285
1. Preheat the oven at the top and bottom and grease the baking sheet.
2. To make the dough, mix together the flour and baking powder, sift into a mixing bowl, add the other ingredients and stir with a hand mixer with kneading hook, first briefly at the lowest setting, then at the highest setting until the dough is formed. Then roll it into a cylinder.
3. To make the filling, stir all the ingredients together in a bowl and mix well.
4. Roll out the dough to make a rectangle (of about 40 x 35 cm/ 16 x 14 in) and spread the filling on top, leaving about 1 cm/3⁄8 in along the edges without filling.
5. Roll up the dough starting from the long edge. Now cut the roll in half lengthways along the middle. Make sure that the cut is exactly in the middle so that the plait will be even. Plait the strands of dough with the cut surface upwards, put on the greased baking sheet and press the ends together.
6. Beat together the egg yolk and milk and coat the plait with it. Put the baking sheet in the oven.
Top/bottom heat: about 180 °C/350 °F (preheated),
Fan oven: about 160 °C/325 °F (not preheated), Gas mark 4 (not preheated),
Baking time: about 40 minutes.
7. To make the apricot glaze, rub the apricot jam through a sieve, boil with the water in a pan to thicken and coat the plait with it immediately after removing it from the oven.
SHORTCRUST PASTRY
43 | Kalter Hund ("Cold dog")
Classic–For children (about 20 pieces)
Preparation time: about 65 minutes, excluding cooling time
For a rectangular tin (25 x 11 cm):
1 large freezer bag
Chocolate mixture:
150 g/5 oz plain chocolate
450 g/16 oz full milk chocolate
150 g/5 oz coconut fat
200 ml/7 fl oz (7⁄8 cup) whipping cream
2 sachets vanilla sugar or 6 drops vanilla essence in 3 tablespoons sugar
In addition:
about 250 g/9 oz butter biscuits
Per piece:
P: 4 g, F: 19 g, C: 23 g, kJ: 1167, kcal: 279
1. Line the rectangular tin or bread tin with a freezer bag cut open for the purpose.
2. To make the chocolate mixture, coarsely chop the milk and plain chocolate. Finely chop the coconut fat, put in a pan with the chocolate and cream and melt, stirring well. Finally, stir in the vanilla sugar.
3. Line the prepared tin with a layer of butter biscuits, breaking the biscuits into pieces if necessary. Spread some of the chocolate mixture on top, just enough to cover the biscuits. Fill the tin with alternate layers of chocolate mixture and biscuits (7–8 layers).
4. Refrigerate the tin for about 5 hours or, even better, overnight so that the chocolate mixture sets properly.
5. Remove from the tin by loosening with a knife and pulling gently at the freezer bag. Place it very gently on a plate and carefully pull off the freezer bag. It is best served chilled and cut in slices.
Tip: You can also add 2 tablespoons of grated orange zest to the chocolate mixture.
44 | Redcurrant meringue tart
Fruity (about 12 pieces)
Preparation time: about 45 minutes
Baking time: about 72 minutes
For a springform tin (diameter 26 cm/10 in):
some fat
For the shortcrust pastry:
250 g/9 oz (21⁄2 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
65 g/2 oz (1⁄4 cup) sugar
3 drops vanilla essence in 1 tablespoon sugar
1 pinch salt
1 medium egg
125 g/41⁄2 oz (5⁄8 cup) soft butter or margarine
In addition:
2 teaspoons plain (allpurpose) flour
For the filling:
500 g/18 oz redcurrants whites of 5 medium eggs
175 g/6 oz (7⁄8 cup) sugar
100 g/31⁄2 oz blanched chopped almonds
60 g/2 oz (6 tablespoons) cornflour (cornstarch)
Per piece:
P: 6 g, F: 14 g, C: 44 g, kJ: 1389, kcal: 332
1. Preheat the oven and grease the base of a springform tin.
2. To make the dough, sift the flour into a mixing bowl, add the other ingredients and stir with a hand mixer with kneading hook, first briefly at the lowest setting, then at the highest setting until the dough is formed. Then roll it into a ball using your hands.
3. Roll out two-thirds of the dough and line the base of the spring-form tin. Knead 2 teaspoons flour into the rest of the dough and roll into a long cylinder. Place this round the base and press against the sides of the mould to form an edge 4 cm/11⁄2 cm high. Prick the base here and there with a fork, put on a shelf in the bottom third of the oven and pre-bake the dough case.
Top/bottom heat: about 200 °C/400 °F (preheated),
Fan oven: about 180 °C/350 °F (preheated), Gas mark 6 (preheated),
Baking time: about 12 minutes.
4. To make the filling, wash the redcurrants, drain and remove from the stalks. Beat the egg whites until very stiff and gradually fold in the sugar. Now carefully incorporate the almonds and cornstarch and finally stir in the redcurrants.
5. Spoon the redcurrant and egg white mixture into the pastry case while it is still hot to form a dome. Return the mould to the bottom third of the oven and bake the tart until golden brown.
Top/bottom heat: about 180 °C/350 °F (preheated),
Fan oven: about 160 °C/325 °F (preheated), Gas mark 4 (preheated),
Baking time: about 60 minutes.
6. Let the tart cool down in the mould for 1–2 hours and then remove it very carefully from the mould.
Tips: Serve with whipped cream.
To beat the egg whites very stiff you must ensure that the bowl and whisk are completely free of fat and that there are no traces of egg yolk in the egg white.
Any remaining egg yolk can be used to make Berliner Bobbes.
SHORTCRUST PASTRY
45 | Cherry crumble cake
Fruity–for children (about 12 pieces)
Preparation time: about 60 minutes, excluding cooling time
Baking time: about 52 minutes
For a springform tin (diameter 26 cm/10 in):
some fat
For the shortcrust pastry:
150 g/5 oz (11⁄3 cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
1 pinch baking powder
100 g/31⁄2 oz (1⁄2 cup) sugar
3 drops vanilla essence in 1 tablespoon sugar
1 pinch salt
1 medium egg
100 g/31⁄2 oz (3⁄8 cup) soft butter or margarine
For the filling:
1 kg/21⁄4 lb sour cherries
100 g/31⁄2 oz (1⁄2 cup) sugar
20 g/1 oz (2 tablespoons) cornflour (
cornstarch)
about 2 teaspoons sugar
For the crumble:
150 g/5 oz (11⁄3 cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
100 g/31⁄2 oz (1⁄2 cup) sugar
3 drops vanilla essence in 1 tablespoon sugar
100 g/31⁄2 oz (3⁄8 cup) soft butter or margarine
Per piece:
P: 4 g, F: 15 g, C: 55 g, kJ: 1565, kcal: 374
1. To make the dough, mix together the flour and baking powder, sift into a mixing bowl and add the other ingredients. Stir with a hand mixer with kneading hook, first briefly at the lowest setting, then at the highest setting until the dough is formed. Then roll it into a ball using your hands. Wrap in clingfilm and refrigerate for about 20–30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, preheat the oven and grease the base of the spring-form tin. Wash the cherries, drain, remove the stalks and stones. Stir in the sugar, mix well and let stand for a while for the sugar to draw the juice.
3. Roll out two-thirds of the dough and line the greased base of the springform tin. Prick here and there with a fork and put the ring of the springform tin back around the base. Put the springform tin on a shelf in the oven and pre-bake.
Top/bottom heat: about 200 °C/400 °F (preheated),
Fan oven: about 180 °C/350 °F (preheated), Gas mark 6 (preheated),
Baking time: about 12 minutes.
4. Put the springform tin on a wire rack and let the pastry base cool down a little.
5. Bring the cherries in their juice to the boil briefly in a pan, drain in a sieve, collect the juice and reserve 250 ml/8 fl oz (1 cup) of it, making up the quantity with water if necessary. Stir 4 tablespoons of this juice into the cornflour. Bring the rest of the juice to the boil, add the cornflour and juice mixture to the juice and bring back to the boil briefly. Stir in the cherries and add sugar to taste.
6. Shape the rest of the dough into a long cylinder and place round the base to form an edge, pressing it lightly against the side of the springform tin until it is about 2 cm/3⁄4 in high. Now put the cherries on the pastry base.
7. To make the crumble, sift the flour in a mixing bowl and add the other ingredients for the crumble. Mix all the ingredients together with a hand mixer with whisk to make a crumble of the right consistency and spread over the cherries. Return the cake to the oven and bake at the same temperature for about 40 minutes until done.
8. Leave the cake in the mould for about 15 minutes. Then loosen the edges of the pie with a knife and carefully remove the ring. Loosen the base of the pie to detach it from the base of the springform tin but leaving it on it. Put on a wire rack to cool down, still on the springform tin base.
SHORTCRUST PASTRY
46 | Linzer Torte
Classic–good for preparing in advance (about 12 pieces)
Preparation time: about 30 minutes, excluding cooloing time
Baking time: about 30 minutes
For a springform tin (diameter 28 cm/11 in):
some fat
For the shortcrust pastry:
225 g/8 oz (21⁄4 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
1 level teaspoon baking powder, 125 g/41⁄2 oz (5⁄8 cup) sugar
3 drops vanilla essence in 1 tablespoon sugar
1 drop almond essence
1 pinch ground cloves
1 level teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 medium egg
white of 1 medium egg
125 g/41⁄2 oz (5⁄8 cup) soft butter or margarine
100 g/31⁄2 oz ground almonds, unblanched
For the topping:
100 g/31⁄2 oz raspberry preserve
For the spread:
yolk of 1 medium egg
1 teaspoon milk
Per piece:
P: 5 g, F: 15 g, C: 30 g, kJ: 1135, kcal: 271
1. To make the dough, mix together the flour and baking powder, sift into a mixing bowl and add the other ingredients for the dough. Stir with a hand mixer with kneading attachment, first briefly at the lowest setting, then at the highest setting until the dough is formed. Then roll it into a ball using your hands. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and refrigerate for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven and grease the base of the springform tin.
2. Roll out half the dough to make a circle the size of the springform tin, and cut out 16–20 strips from it using a fluted pastry cutting wheel. Roll out the rest of the dough, line the base of the spring-form tin and put the ring around the springform tin base again.
3. For the topping, cover the base with the jam, leaving about 1 cm/3⁄8 in free of jam along the sides. Arrange the strip of dough in a lattice pattern. Beat together the egg yolk and milk, coat the strips of dough with it and put the mould in the oven.
Top/bottom heat: about 180 °C/350 °F (preheated),
Fan oven: about 160 °C/325 °F (preheated), Gas mark 4 (preheated),
Baking time: about 30 minutes.
4. Remove the ring, loosen the torte from the springform tin base without taking it off and put it on a wire rack to cool down.
Variation: To make Linzer slices, double the quantities, roll out the dough and put on a greased baking sheet (40 x 30 cm/16 x 12 in), cover with jam and decorate with strips of dough in a lattice pattern. Bake the cake as described above and cut into slices of the required size when cold.
SHORTCRUST PASTRY
47 | Cheesecake with crumble
Popular (about 12 pieces)
Preparation time: about 40 minutes, excluding cooling time
Baking time: about 85 minutes
For a springform tin (diameter 28 cm/11 in):
some fat
For the shortcrust pastry:
150 g/5 oz (11⁄3 cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
1⁄2 level teaspoon baking powder
75 g/21⁄2 oz (3⁄8 cup) sugar
3 drops vanilla essence in 1 tablespoon sugar
1 pinch salt
1 medium egg
75 g/21⁄2 oz (3⁄8 cup) soft butter or margarine
For the filling:
whites of 3 medium eggs
250 ml/8 fl oz (1 cup) chilled whipping cream
750 g/11⁄2 lb curd cheese (low fat)
150 g/5 oz (3⁄4 cup) sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
50 g/2 oz (6 tablespoons) cornflour (cornstarch)
yolks of 3 medium eggs
For the crumble:
100 g/31⁄2 oz (1 cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
75 g/21⁄2 oz (3⁄8 cup) sugar
3 drops vanilla essence in 1 tablespoon sugar
75 g/21⁄2 oz (3⁄8 cup) soft butter or margarine
Per piece:
P: 14 g, F: 19 g, C: 48 g, kJ: 1771, kcal: 423
1. Preheat the oven and grease the base of the springform tin.
2. To make the dough, mix together the flour and baking powder, sift into a mixing bowl and add the other ingredients. Stir with a hand mixer with kneading hook, first briefly at the lowest setting, then at the highest setting until the dough is formed. Then roll it into a ball using your hands. Roll out two-thirds of the dough, line the greased base of the springform tin with it and put the ring back round the base. Prick the base several times, put the mould on a shelf in the oven and pre-bake the case.
Top/bottom heat: about 200 °C/400 °F (preheated),
Fan oven: about 180 °C/350 °F (preheated), Gas mark 6 (preheated),
Baking time: about 10 minutes.
3. After removing from the oven put the springform tin on a rack and let the cheesecake base cool down a little. Roll the rest of the dough into a long cylinder and place around the base, pressing lightly against the sides to form an edge 3 cm/11⁄4 in high.
4. To make the filling, first beat the egg whites until they are very stiff, then whip the cream until stiff. Mix together the curd cheese, sugar, lemon juice, cornflour and egg yolk. Now fold the stiffly beaten egg whites and whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture and spread this mixture evenly over the cheesecake base.
5. To make
the crumble, sift the plain (all-purpose) flour in a mixing bowl, add the other ingredients and stir with a hand mixer with whisk to make the crumble. Sprinkle the crumble evenly over the filling. Put the springform tin on a shelf in the oven and continue baking but at a lower temperature.
Top/bottom heat: about 160 °C/325 °F (preheated),
Fan oven: about 140 °C/285 °F (preheated), Gas mark 3 (preheated),
Baking time: about 75 minutes.
6. When done, turn off the oven but leave the cheesecake inside with the door slightly open for another 15 minutes to prevent the top from cracking. Then put the cheesecake on rack to cool down but without removing it from the mould.
Variation: To make a traditional cheesecake leave out the crumble.
SHORTCRUST PASTRY
48 | Engadiner Nusstorte (Engadine walnut pie)
Good for preparing in advance (about 12 pieces)
Preparation time: about 55 minutes, excluding cooling time
Baking time: about 45 minutes
For a springform tin (diameter 26 cm/10 in):
some fat
For the shortcrust pastry:
275 g/21⁄2 oz (3⁄4 cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
1 level teaspoon baking powder
100 g/31⁄2 oz (1⁄2 cup) sugar
3 drops vanilla essence in 1 tablespoon sugar
1 pinch salt, 1 medium egg
150 g/5 oz (3⁄4 cup) soft butter or margarine
For the filling:
250 g/9 oz walnut kernels
225 g/8 oz (11⁄8 cup) sugar
200 ml/7 fl oz (7⁄8 cup) whipping cream
3–4 teaspoons runny honey
white of 1 medium egg
For the coating:
yolk of 1 medium egg
2 teaspoons water
For dusting:
icing (confectioner’s) sugar
Per piece:
P: 7 g, F: 30 g, C: 49 g, kJ: 2048, kcal: 489
1. To make the dough, mix together the flour and baking powder, sift into a mixing bowl and add the other ingredients. Stir with a hand mixer with kneading hook, first briefly at the lowest setting, then at the highest setting until the dough is formed. Then roll it into a ball using your hands. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and refrigerate until it is needed.