Sweet pastry

Sweet pastry, also known as sablé, is normally limited to tartlets and pies. This recipe, when rolled out wafer thin, cut into discs or squares and baked, can also be used to layer stacked mouses, served with set creams or smashed up and used as a roll-coating for scoops of ice-cream. Or just dunked in your coffee.

Ingredients:

9 oz plain flour (sifted)
4 oz soft butter
4 oz icing sugar (sifted)
1 egg.

Method:

1. Put the butter and icing sugar into a bowl - preferably one attached to an electric mixer, and whisk until pale and 'fluffy.'

2. Add the egg and flour and slowly mix until just combined into a soft and slightly sticky 'dough'.

3. Turn out the mix and wrap in cling film, flatten slightly then chill for an hour before use. This pastry can be made the day before and chilled overnight, which is what i generally do.