Traditional Hot Water Crust Pastry

Nov 3, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Frostings fillings toppings Medium

Lard melted into boiling water is stirred into flour to make a pliable dough that can be shaped by hand and holds heavy fillings. This recipe makes six individual cases, here baked blind. Makes 6 individual pastry cases in about 1 hr.

Prep 30 min

Cook 30 min

Total 1 hr

Yield 6 individual pastry cases

Ingredients

Adjust yield

individual pastry cases

2 ¾ cups (350 g)all-purpose flour
¾ tsp (5 g)fine salt
4 oz (110 g)lard
9 tbsp (140 ml)water
1 (50 g)egg, beaten

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Instructions

Heat the oven to 375 F (190 C). Warm the flour and salt in a bowl for 5 minutes in the oven, no longer; do not cook the flour.
Melt the lard in the water in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
Pour the boiling mixture into a well in the flour and stir with a wooden spoon until it comes together. Knead briefly while still warm until smooth.
Cut off one-third for lids and cover with a cloth. Cut the rest into six pieces.
Press each piece into a muffin-tin cup or around a small jar, thinning the walls to about 1/4 inch and leaving a rim.
Line each with parchment, fill with baking beans and bake 15 minutes. Remove the beans and brush the insides with egg.
Bake 10 to 15 minutes more until golden. Fill and top with the lids if baking further.

Tips

Work while the dough is warm; it cracks when cold. Keep spare dough under a warm cloth.
It was designed for savory pies, but cases can be filled with sweet or savory fillings.
Rolling the lid dough thin and brushing with egg gives a good seal.
If you fill the cases with meat or egg, cook the filling to a safe internal temperature (USDA: 160 F / 71 C for ground meats and egg dishes, 165 F / 74 C for poultry) and refrigerate leftovers promptly.

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Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make traditional hot water crust pastry?

Plan on 30 minutes of prep and 30 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes 6 individual pastry cases.

How should I store traditional hot water crust pastry?

Keep baked cases airtight at room temperature 2 days.

Can I make traditional hot water crust pastry ahead?

It is at its best the day it is made; prepare it a few hours before serving.

In England, hot water crust is the sturdy pastry used for raised pies such as pork pies.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 6 servings this recipe makes.

390 Calories / serving

19.7g Fat

44.4g Carbs

6.9g Protein

0.2g Sugar

Whole recipe (6 servings): ~2340 cal · 118g fat · 266g carbs · 41g protein · 1g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.