Flora Pastry (Shortcrust Base for Pies and Petit Fours)

Main Ingredients (for 500g of Dough)

• 255g of Wheat Flour (all-purpose)
• 155g of Cake Margarine (80% fat) or Cold Butter
• 75g of Refined Sugar
• 13g of Eggs (approx. 1/4 of an egg or just the yolk)
• 1.5g of Vanilla Extract (or lemon zest)

1. Creaming (Fat and Sugar Mix)

1. 1
   In a bowl, place the Sugar (75g) and Margarine/Butter (155g).
2. 2
   Mix well with a spatula or whisk until you get a pale and fluffy cream. This ensures the crumbly texture.

2. Adding Liquids

1. 1
   Add the Eggs (13g - or 1 small yolk) and Extract (1.5g) to the fat mixture.
2. 2
   If using lemon zest (recommended), add it now.
3. 3
   Mix just to incorporate, without overbeating.

3. Incorporating Flour

1. 1
   Add the Wheat Flour (255g) all at once.
2. 2
   Mix with your fingertips or a spatula **just until homogeneous**.
3. 3
   **Important Tip:** Do not knead the dough! If you knead, it develops gluten and becomes tough/elastic instead of crumbly.

4. Resting and Usage

1. 1
   Form a disk with the dough, wrap in plastic wrap.
2. 2
   Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. This firms up the fat and makes it easier to roll out the dough.
3. 3
   After resting, roll out with a rolling pin between two plastics, cut into the desired shape, or line the pie pan.
4. 4
   Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) until golden.