It’s essential the butter isn’t too warm, it will leak liquid oil into the dough creating a sticky, greasy pastry (hence the tales of pastry chefs working on marble worktops in freezing rooms).

To make the pastry, mix the flour and icing sugar together in a bowl. Add the butter and rub it in lightly with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Alternatively ...

Incorporate each one before adding the next until you have a sticky pastry that is almost pourable but definitely pipable. It should fall away from the spatula, close to a batter. Transfer the ...

3. Roll out the dough on a floured surface and line a 23cm tart tin. Prick the base with a fork, chill for 10 minutes, then bake blind (with baking paper and beans) for 15 minutes. 4. Remove the paper ...