Goalbeginnerdraft
Short and tender (pastry)
Also searched as: crumbly, shortcrust, tender, short
In short: Short means: the pastry breaks tenderly and crumbles in the mouth, because hardly any has formed.
Picture it
Like sand that only loosely sticks together, rather than chewing gum.
Levers and techniques for “Short and tender (pastry)”
Tap a dot to see its connections.
What Short and tender (pastry) means
Fat coats the flour before the water comes in. That way the proteins can hardly link up. Little water, cold butter and brief handling keep the pastry short.
What happens
Every minute of kneading and every extra splash of water strengthens the network and makes the pastry tough. Resting in the fridge relaxes it and firms up the butter.
Rules of thumb
- Cold butter, press together briefly, do not knead.
- As little water as possible.
- Chill before rolling out.
Sources
- Harold McGee: On Food and Cooking (2004), Kapitel Kuchen, Gebäck, Zucker