Flan Pastry (Sweet) (Pâte Sucrée)

In a food processor, cream together the butter, icing sugar and salt. Pulse in the flour and lightly beaten egg yolks, until it looks like coarse breadcrumbs.

Now add the cold milk. Pulse once or twice until beginning to mix then turn onto a lightly floured board. Gently pat and squeeze the dough into shape, making it as smooth as you can. You want to do this with as little handling as possible (if it is worked too much it becomes more elastic and will shrink in the oven).

Wrap in cling film and rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

When you are ready to roll out the pastry, lightly flour your work surface and quickly and lightly roll out the pastry to line your tin. When you have lined the tin, prick the pastry base, lightly, all over with a fork, taking care not to go right through the pastry. This prevents the pastry from rising.

Chill again (the quickest way is to put it in the freezer for about 10 minutes). The pastry should be nice and cold when it goes into the oven. When it is, bake blind (see below) at 170ºC.

The pastry case is now ready to be filled with your filling.

Blind Baking:

After removing the flan tin from the fridge or freezer, line with greaseproof paper and then fill with baking beans. These will prevent the pastry from rising. Place the tin in the preheated oven and bake for about 10 minutes, until the edges are cooked but not browned.

Tip: When lining your tin with pastry, use a piece of the pastry dough to push the pastry into any corners or sides - this helps prevent tearing a hole in the pastry. Lift the pastry gently with one hand and push it with the dough, into the edges, with the other.

Note: After making up the pastry it can be frozen for use at later date. It is always handy to have it in, ready made.