It’s a bold statement, I know, but it’s absolutely true.

Making this pastry is not for the squeamish. You simply MUST use lard or you will not get the results you want. That’s right – lard – yes, I know – cholesterol!

But, hey, pastry is not diet friendly anyway, so, if you’re going to make it, you might as well make the best.

I’d really like to take credit for developing this recipe, but I just can’t.

I first found the recipe on a package of Tenderflake Lard – a uniquely Canadian brand.

I have been baking for a lot of years (in excess of 40 – and that’s all I’m going to admit to!).

I have tried many different pastry recipes and not one has even come close to the perfect, tasty, flaky pastry that this recipe gives you.

Can you make it with vegetable shortening? Well, yes, but the results won’t be the same.

I did find a kind of compromise that works well. I have found a shortening that is part vegetable fat and part lard. If you can’t find pure lard, then you could substitute this type of shortening, but you still won’t get the full experience of the perfect pastry.

Okay, I think I’ve made my point. Use this Perfect Pastry Recipe with pure lard and you won’t be disappointed.

This recipe makes a lot of pastry, but it freezes well, so I often use a portion of the pastry for whatever I’m baking and freeze the rest to use later. Just double wrap the leftover pastry in plastic wrap and freeze it until you need it.