If you suffer from gluten and lactose intolerance, you will surely have tried at least once to prepare a gluten-free and dairy-free shortcrust pastry; you will therefore know that it’s not simply a question of replacing butter with oil and wheat flour with gluten-free flour. I tried a few times to do this and the result was always disappointing: the shortcrust pastry crumbled and I could not roll it out, much less I was able to make tarts or cookies.
To prepare an excellent gluten-free and lactose-free shortcrust pastry you need a recipe specially designed for this and today I want to show you mine, the result of many attempts undertaken over the last 10 years. The recipe for gluten-free and dairy-free shortcrust pastry includes rice flour, cornstarch and sunflower oil (but coconut oil is fine too), all ingredients readily available in every store. You will also not need special tools: just a bowl, a spoon and a rolling pin to roll out the gluten-free and dairy-free shortcrust pastry, with which you can make cookies or the perfect dough for pies or tarts.
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Ingredients for about 18 oz (500 g) of gluten-free and dairy-free shortcrust pastry
With these doses you’ll have enough dough for a 9 inch tart pan or for 40-50 gluten-free and lactose-free cookies.
Tools
How to prepare gluten-free and dairy-free shortcrust pastry
To prepare gluten-free and dairy-free shortcrust pastry, start by shelling the eggs in a bowl. Add a pinch of salt. Beat them briefly with a spoon, then pour in the oil.
Mix it with the eggs, always using a spoon. Start adding the rice flour, a little at a time. Gradually add it to the eggs, always using the spoon. In this step avoid touching the dough with your hands because it is very sticky.
Also add sugar, cornstarch, vanilla essence (or grated lemon zest) and baking powder if you use it. Mix the ingredients with a spoon, then start working them with your hands always inside the bowl.
Then put the dough on a pastry board and continue to knead it with your hands. At first it will seem very “crumbly”, but as you knead with your hands you will be able to obtain a homogeneous mixture.
Then form a flattened loaf, wrap it in the plasti wrap and let it rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. After the resting time, the gluten-free and dairy-free shortcrust pastry is ready to be rolled out.
I suggest you to use a sheet of baking paper to roll out the pastry, or a baking mat. It is also good to lightly sprinkle the rolling pin and shortcrust pastry with a little rice flour.
Once the shortcrust pastry is rolled out, you can use it to make cookies. With these doses you will get about 50 gluten-free and lactose-free cookies.
If you want to use it to prepare a gluten-free and dairy-free tart, this dough is sufficient for a 9-inch tart pan (base and small decorations) or for an 8-inch pie (base and top).
How to store gluten-free and lactose-free shortcrust pastry
You can keep the gluten and lactose-free shortcrust pastry in the fridge for a couple of days, or you can freeze it in a plastic bag and, if necessary, thaw it at room temperature.
Tips and variation
You can flavor the gluten-free oil shortcrust pastry with grated orange zest, or with half a teaspoon of cinnamon or ginger powder. You can also add about 1/2 cup of chocolate chips.
For this shortcrust pastry I recommend using sunflower or coconut oil, which have a mild flavor. The olive oil, although qualitatively better, would give the pastry a too strong and slightly bitter taste.
Baking powder or not baking powder?
I usually use a small amount of baking powder if I have to use this gluten-free and dairy-free shortcrust pastry to prepare pie or tart, so that it remains softer. Just one or two pinches (1 gram if you have a precise scale) are enough. You can add baking powder even if you use this shortcrust pastry for cookies, but you should know that rising slightly they will partially lose their shape.
Varied doses for servings