Suet Pastry

Suet pastry is a classic pastry for traditional British pies and puddings, both sweet and savoury. Using similar proportions to shortcrust, suet pastry is softer and more absorbent, with a tendency to rise in a pseudo-sponge type fashion. This makes it great for pies with full flavoured, sticky juices which just soak into the crust. It's also less fickle and open to a little more abuse than shortcrust.

Traditionally made with beef suet extracted from around the kidneys, these days clarified shredded suet makes for a quick and easy preparation. Vegetable suet is just as good and is used in the same proportions. One benefit of suet is it's ability to keep, having a long shelf life without the need for refrigeration so there’s no excuse not to keep a box in the cupboard

vegetable or beef suet (100 g)
all-purpose flour, unbleached (200 g)
1 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. kosher or sea salt
1 Tbsp. cane sugar (for sweet pastry only)
optional flavour additions, such as; herbs, lemon zest, etc
water (150 mL)

Put all of the dry ingredients in a bowl and rub together until smooth, breaking up the suet shreds. Alternatively blitz in a food processor for a few seconds.

Add the water a little at a time, stirring in with a knife until the dough starts to come together.

Get in with your hands and gently work the dough, taking up all of the loose flour - it should be soft and smooth but not sticky.

Your suet pastry is ready to use. Turn out onto a floured surface and roll out - the dough should be quite thick.