shortbread pastry dough, gluten-free and egg-free (with how-to video)

Hello dear neighbors ! I hope you are all well. The pie crust featured in this recipe is something to be used year round, whether filled with pastry cream and strawberries in late spring, with blueberries trapped in a homemade blackberry jelly in late summer, or with pastry cream, freshly diced mango and cranberry mousse in late fall. Unlike some other types of dough I have tested and made in the past, this one is easy to handle, does not fall apart, is not hard on the teeth, does not taste overly sweet and yet you could probably eat it as a cookie – actually I do make cookies using this recipe as a base, still another post on my to-do list!

Ingredients ( makes 6 small pie shells, about 8 cm / 3″ in diameter)

– 1 TBSP ground chia seeds + 1 TBSP water

– 80g shortening (can be all margarine or mixed with some ghee butter), at room temperature

– 120g pure cane sugar (no caramel color added if you want to avoid sulfites)

– pinch all natural sea salt

– 40g cassava flour

– 40g sorghum flour

– 80g almond meal

 

How to:

(see video)

1. Lightly grease 6 ceramic* pie dishes, and prepare 6 circles cut out of parchment paper.

2. Combine 1 TBSP ground chia seeds +1 TBSP water in a small bowl. The mixture will feel pasty.

3. In a separate mixing bowl (preferably one with a wide base), using a fork, combine 80g shortening with 120g cane sugar.

4. Add the chia paste and mix well.

5. Add a pinch of salt, 40g cassava flour, 40g sorghum flour and 80g almond meal. Mix with the fork and finish by hand. Work until the ingredients are well combined. I actually work the dough a little longer than the video shows, but I get so nervous when the camera is rolling – ridiculous, isn’t it?

5. Roll about 45g of dough between a silicone mat and a piece of pliable plastic. Slide the rolling pin over the dough to ensure an even thickness. Peel off the plastic and replace it with the paper circle. Flip over, remove the silicone mat and place the dough inside a ceramic pie dish. Prick with a fork and place the dish in the refrigerator before baking.

6. Preheat the oven to 160°C / 320°F  and bake between 30 and 35 minutes. Wait until the pies have completely cooled down before removing from the dishes.

*Depending on the dough I use different types of baking dishes. Here I find that ceramic is preferable, as it prevents the crust from burning.  Here are a few examples of this year’s various tartelettes, made using this recipe:

This was made in the spring using strawberries from our garden.

 

So was this one, just a different presentation and a little chopped mint on top.

 

Blueberries from the farmers’ market, blackberries picked in the neighboring paths, and a strawberry rescued from the freezer. I named this dessert “Mount Fuji pie” – and as a matter of fact my Japanese daughter-in-law loved it!

Happy cooking, dear neighbors, stay safe!

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