The shortcrust pastry is a type of dough with different purposes. For example, it can refer to the brittle dough used to make tarts or butter cookies. Therefore, how you store the shortcrust pastry varies depending on the type of dough.
You can store shortcrust pastry in the fridge for 1 to 3 days or freeze it for 1 to 3 months. Although, the steps to keep it are different from case to case.
To know how to store Shortcrust Pastry properly, read on.
Preserve brisée or brisa dough
With the brisée dough, we can prepare the base of the cakes, tarts, or quiches, among other things, and one of its main characteristics is it easily breaks when cooked.
You can save this type of dough in two ways:
How to preserve brisée dough in the fridge
In general, this dough needs to rest in the fridge to obtain a better consistency; therefore, you can prepare it in advance to save time and store it as follows:
- Step 1: Form a disk.
Once you have the dough ready, form a disk. This one doesn’t have to be very thin. You could make a ball and crush it a little.
- Step 2: Wrap with plastic film.
Wrap the dough with plastic film to prevent it from absorbing the smell of other foods.
- Step 3: Put inside an airtight bag or container.
An extra layer of protection that won’t hurt.
- Step 4: Store the shortcrust pastry in the fridge.
Put the dough in the coldest part of your refrigerator to keep it in good condition for 1 or 2 days.
How to freeze brisée dough
Can the brisée dough be frozen? Yes, this kind of dry dough freezes very well. Therefore, it is an excellent way to keep it for longer.
Just follow these tips:
- Step 1: Form a thin disc with the dough.
On this occasion, the disc’s thickness should be approximately 1 inch (2,5 cm) since it can be frozen and thawed more quickly.
- Step 2: Perform double wrapping.
You can put a double layer of plastic film, or a layer of plastic film, and then a layer of aluminum foil to prevent frostbite burns.
- Step 3: Put the dough inside a bag to freeze.
The bag must have an airtight closure, although you can also use a container (also airtight) that is suitable to be in the freezer.
- Step 4: Tag.
I recommend that you write down the date of storage of the dry mass on the bag.
- Step 5: Save to the freezer.
Your brisée dough can remain in the freezer for a month.
Then, place it in the fridge overnight to thaw it, and it will be ready for the next day.
If you have a leftover dough that you thawed, you can refrigerate it for two more days, but you can not freeze it again.
Store shortcrust pastry to make butter cookies
The shortcrust pastry used to prepare butter cookies or sablé dough has a more watery consistency.
You can also store this dough in the fridge or freezer.
How to preserve shortcrust pastry to make butter cookies in the fridge
This dough also requires a period of refrigeration before use, so it is good to store it in the refrigerator. Just be sure to follow these directions:
- Step 1: Put the dough in an airtight bag or container.
If you plan to use a container, put a layer of film paper on the dough before covering it, so the surface does not dry out. Or you can put it inside an airtight bag.
You can even put the dough in a pastry bag and then put it in a container or bag with an airtight closure.
- Step 2: Store the shortcrust pastry in the refrigerator.
In the same way, I advise you to put this shortcrust pastry in the coldest part of your fridge, where it will remain for 2 or 3 days.
How to freeze the sablé dough
Shortcrust pastry for making cookies freezes well, but in this case, I recommend you store it in the freezer the same day you prepared the dough.
- Step 1: Transfer the dough to an airtight bag.
Put the dough inside an airtight bag, close tightly, and flatten its contents. I recommend you divide it into several portions to thaw only the one you will use.
- Step 2: Put the portions inside a giant bag.
The bag must be suitable for freezing, which works as an extra layer of protection to prevent burns that can occur after being in the freezer.
- Step 3: Tag.
Write the date of storage of the dry mass on the bag.
- Step 4: Save this dough in the freezer.
So you can freeze the sablé dough for between 2 to 3 months.
When you thaw it, pass the frozen dough to the fridge a day in advance so that when you use it, it will be malleable again. I do not advise you to refreeze this dough, but you can keep the thawed shortcrust pastry in the fridge for three days.
How do you know if the shortcrust pastry is spoiled?
If your shortcrust dough gets bad, it will show any of these signs:
- Smell: If it smells rancid or rotten, you should discard the dough.
- Mold: If it has green, white, or dark spots, those are signs of mold, and it is no longer safe to ingest.
- Watery consistency: means it has lost its original texture (except for sable dough), which is no longer safe to use.
How long does the shortcrust dough last?
Below I leave you a picture summarizing the shelf life of the shortcrust dough.
| Product | Duration |
| Refrigerated brisee dough | 1 – 2 days |
| Frozen brisee dough | 1 month |
| Thawed and refrigerated brisee dough | 2 days |
| Refrigerated sable dough | 2 – 3 days |
| Frozen sable dough | 2 – 3 months |
| Thawed and refrigerated sable dough | 3 days |
What is the best way to preserve shortcrust dough?
Given the short shelf life in the fridge, the best way to store the shortcrust dough should be to freeze it because it freezes well and guarantees at least one month of storage regarding the type of shortcrust dough.
However, it is always better to eat fresh food, and storing it in the fridge, pushes you to eat it sooner than later.
If you are interested in learning more about storage, I will give you some other guides about related foods.
