Name: Chocolate Shortcrust Pastry
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 12 1/2 oz all purpose flour (2 1/2 cups); 2 oz dutch process cocoa powder (1/2 cup); 1/2 tsp salt; 10 oz unsalted butter (softened to room temperature); 5 oz granulated sugar (1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons); 1 egg; 1/2 tsp vanilla

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Chocolate Shortcrust Pastry (also known as short dough or pâte sucrée) is a slightly sweet cookie-like dough that is perfect for making fruit tarts, cream pies and cut-out cookies. It’s dead-simple to make and freezes very well.

How can I use Chocolate Pastry Dough?

Pâte Sucrée or Short dough bakes up with a nice crisp bite and is strong enough to hold soft fillings like pastry cream or fresh fruit without getting soggy.

I love to use this dough as the base for a delicious Chocolate Strawberry Tart. You can also use this dough to make chocolate cut-out cookies. Sandwich the cookies with jam or chocolate ganache for a chocolatey treat.

Chocolate Shortcrust couldn’t be easier to make. Cream the butter and sugar, add the egg and then the flour and cocoa.

This recipe makes enough dough for two 12″ tarts. You can halve the recipe or just freeze the extra dough to use later. It freezes beautifully.

Scroll through the process photos to see how to make Chocolate Shortcrust Pastry:

1. a sifter filled with flour and cocoa. 2. a bowl of butter and sugar with the beater. 3. a bowl of chocolate dough. — 1. Sift together the dry ingredients. 2. Cream the butter and sugar then add the eggs. 3. Add the dry ingredients and mix until almost combined.

1. a pile of unkneaded chocolate dough. 2. Two pieces of chocolate dough. — 1. The dough will look dry but will come together as you knead it. 2. Divide the dough into two pieces. Wrap and refrigerate or freeze.

1. Chocolate dough rolled to a circle on a surface. 2. Chocolate dough on a rolling pin over a tart pan. — 1. Roll the dough to 1/8″ thick for to line a tart pan. 2. Use the rolling pin to transfer the dough to the pan.

1. A tart pan lined with chocolate dough. 2. A fork poking holes in a chocolate tart crust. — 1. Press the dough into the pan and trim the top edge. 2. Poke the bottom of the pan with a fork to allow steam to escape as the dough bakes.

a baked chocolate tart crust. — You can’t judge doneness by the color. You’ll need to touch the dough to be sure it’s baked through.

If you love this recipe as much as I do, I’d really appreciate a 5-star review.

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5 from 2 reviews

Chocolate Shortcrust Pastry

By: Eileen Gray

Chocolate Short Crust Pastry (also known as short dough or pate sucre) is a slightly sweet cookie-like dough that is perfect for making fruit tarts and cream pies. It's dead-simple to make and freezes very well.

Prep Time10 mins

Total Time10 mins

Ingredients

12 1/2 oz all purpose flour (2 1/2 cups)
2 oz dutch process cocoa powder (1/2 cup)
1/2 tsp salt
10 oz unsalted butter (softened to room temperature)
5 oz granulated sugar (1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons)
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla

Instructions

Sift together the flour, cocoa and salt and set aside.
12 1/2 oz all purpose flour, 2 oz dutch process cocoa powder, 1/2 tsp salt
Cream the butter and sugar just until combined and slightly aerated. Add the egg and vanilla, mix to combine and scrape down the bowl and beater.
10 oz unsalted butter, 5 oz granulated sugar, 1 egg, 1/2 tsp vanilla
Add flour/cocoa and mix until the dough just begins to come together. Remove from the mixer and knead into a ball. Divide the dough into 2 pieces and flatten each ball to a disc. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 1-2 hours before using or freeze for up to 3 months.

Equipment

My Book

KA Stand Mixer

Rolling Pin

12″ Tart Pan

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Notes

This recipe makes enough for two 12" tart crusts. You can halve the recipe by using an egg yolk in place of 1/2 an egg.

This dough freezes very well. Double wrap in plastic and freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Have you tried this recipe?Mention @eileen.bakingsense or tag #bakingsense!

Kate

Saturday 11th of March 2023

What is the recommended bake time and temperature?

Eileen Gray

The bake time and temperature will depend on how you are using the dough. If you will bake the tart shell with no filling bake it at 375F for about 10-15 minutes. Since you won't be able to use color as an indicator of doneness, press the center of the tart shell to make sure it's baked through.