Hungarian Short Crust Pastry: the perfect base for luscious fruit desserts!

If you're not into Hungarian food, you should be.  Hungarian gastronomy is filled to the brim with tantalizing savory dishes, and desserts that will make you want to cry.  

So, what are you waiting for! Jump into Hungarian food like a true foodie!  Don't know where to start? Well, life is short- eat dessert first! Here is an easy pastry crust recipe that will get you started............

Hungarian Short Crust Pastry:

Ingredients:

3 1/3 cups (500 gm) flour

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (250 gm) unsalted butter,  cut into chunks

1 1/4 cups (125 gm) powdered sugar

2 teaspoons (10 gm) baking powder

1 teaspoon almond or vanilla extract

1 whole egg, plus 1 egg yolk

2 tablespoons sour cream

Zest of one lemon

pinch of salt

Method:

Add all the dry ingredients, and the lemon zest, into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment.  Pulse briefly to combine.

Next, add the wet ingredients, excepting the butter.  Again, pulse briefly to combine.  While the machine runs on low speed, add the butter a few pieces at a time, until it is all added. Pulse a few times until your dough looks like this:

The dough should be crumbly, but hold together when grasped in your hand.

Dump your dough out onto your board........

And knead it by hand until you have incorporated all the crumbs, and the dough is smooth (this takes a light amount of work, stop sighing about it :P).  When you're finished, it should look like this:

Don't like hearts? Then make a horse shoe shape- for good luck......

Divide your dough into two pieces, and form flat disk shapes.  Wrap them in plastic wrap, and let chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

You can make this dough the night before, and let it sit in the fridge until you are ready to use it the next day.  Alternatively, you can wrap it tightly and throw in the freezer!  The dough will keep for one month.

Don't know what to make with this? May I suggest Meggyes Pite- Hungarian Sour Cherry Pie..........