These are the quantities I use to make a shortcrust pastry for quiche and it comes out perfectly every time.

110g flour
25 g butter
25 g lard

Enough cold water to get the right dough consistency (usually a couple of tablespoons but I just keep adding small amounts until I get it right).

I use the tubs of lard from coop or migros ( Saindoux in french) and keep it in the fridge.

I double or triple the quantities depending on how much pastry I need.

Just keep it (and your hands) cold and don't overwork it. The volume of water you need varies a bit with the air's humidity. And let's not even talk about the welter of flour varieties and ash numbers and grind size around Europe!

ok, I never ever trust recipes with only volume measurements here is a nice one, that uses a help of kitchen mixer, both volume and weight measurment and pictures to understand it easily:

https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/...gh-recipe.html
- when working with butter, right temperature is vital: too cold = too hard to work with, to warm = everything is slushy. If you work with mixer + cold butter it is easy, you with fridge temepretures, as high speed knives just cut through it as a.... butter
- Even when rolling the dough, it should not be too warm, between 18-20°C ideally

- add the COLD water at the end, start with half the quantity!!!!! 10-20% less or more water use is a difference between disaster and perfection.
I tried many recipes, with different amount and type of flour / butter / lard, even with oil, coconut butter etc, with added sugar or an egg, whatever.
They all work if you:

- stay bellow 18°C with ingredients

- add COLD water gradually

With pastry it is better to weigh the ingredients rather than measure by volume.

The standard is 4 parts flour to 2 parts cold butter or lard to 1 part water i.e.:

400g flour
200g butter - COLD and cut into cubes
100g of iced water

I do the mixing in a food processor as it stops the warmth of my hands from melting the butter.

I put the flour and butter in the processor first and blitz for a few seconds to get a breadcrumb consistency. Then add the water and pulse a few times until it turns into a dough. The dough is moist enough when you pinch it and there are no cracks. If it is too dry, add water a DROP at a time until you get the right consistency. Not too dry and not too sticky.

Rest the dough in a ball in the fridge in a plastic sandwich bag for at least 20 mins before you use it.

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I just bought a puff pastry yesterday and made a bacon/onion/endive/nettle quiche for dinner last night!

Tom

No. I don't take up this sort of advice anymore as it proved (over and over again) to be a disaster. If I come to this conclusion myself it's an entirely different matter.

Too funny. I can relate to this episode. I usually warn everyone they should not have high hopes.

I have two in the fridge, will do something this evening.

I'm doing Hebrides moule soup with a puff pastry lid on each bowl. Damned if I'll make my own pastry for that! Did it once; never again.

I never make my own puff pastry. Like you I did it once and vowed never again.

Of course you can buy whatever you want, but pie crust pastry is very easy to make, puff is a pain and easier store bought.

Something like this is are the proportions I go for. https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/...rtcrust-pastry
For quiche I don't add water at all and don't knead it. Generally I get it to the breadcrumb stage then pack it into the baking tin.
It works perfectly for a crumbly quiche base. Without kneading you don't get the structural integrity though.