Perfect Pastry Recipe

As it is British Pie Week, we thought we’d turn our attention to pastry. The very best fruit pies have to be encased in delicious folds of sweet, buttery, melt in the mouth pastry. Making your own can seem like a daunting task, but there's no need buy it in a pack. We've put together this simple Fruit For The Office recipe for sweet shortcrust pastry so that you can whip up some delicious fruit filled buttery treats this week.

Ingredients	Tools
250g plain flour	Mixing Bowl
50g icing sugar	Sieve
125g cold unsalted butter - cut into cubes	Clingfilm
1 large egg – beaten
A few tbps of milk

1. Sift flour into the mixing bowl – holding the sieve as high as possible
2. Sift the icing sugar into the mixing bowl with the flour
3. Take the butter and work into the flour by rubbing the two together using your thumbs and fingertips. Keep going until you have a fine crumbly mixture that resembles bread crumbs
4. Add the beaten egg and milk to the flour and butter. Gently work together with your hands until you have a ball of dough
5. NOTE: Do not overwork your mixture or you’ll end up with a chewy pastry.
6. Put some flour on your hands
7. Take the dough ball and flatten slightly, lightly cover the whole ball in flour
8. Wrap in cling film, then place in the fridge for an hour

After being left in the fridge for at least a hour, your pastry will be ready to be used in your favourite fruit pie recipe!