Pastry
Moderators: karadekoolaid, THE MOD TEAM, Stokey Sue, Gillthepainter
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- Gillthepainter
- Posts: 3719
- Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2012 11:53 am
- Location: near some lakes
Pastry
I try to add as little cold liquid as possible.
And work with a dry mix, that comes together with as little effort as possible.
That way I get a crumbly, light result when baked. Thinking it's what they call "short".
But is this how it is supposed to be?
And work with a dry mix, that comes together with as little effort as possible.
That way I get a crumbly, light result when baked. Thinking it's what they call "short".
But is this how it is supposed to be?
- karadekoolaid
- Posts: 2581
- Joined: Fri Apr 27, 2012 1:40 pm
Re: Pastry
That´s what my mum used to do.
She´d make that wonderful crumbly pastry in about 10 seconds flat. Practise, I suppose.
She told me " just use your fingertips to mix it. as soon as it comes together, it´s ready"
She´d make that wonderful crumbly pastry in about 10 seconds flat. Practise, I suppose.
She told me " just use your fingertips to mix it. as soon as it comes together, it´s ready"
- strictlysalsaclare
- Posts: 505
- Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2012 10:06 pm
Re: Pastry
I think it is meant to be light and crumbly Gill, but I am a bit odd in that I prefer my shortcrust pastry to be thin and a bit crunchy. It's possibly what I've been brought up with to a certain extent. If shortcrust pastry is too short, I lose patience with it when raw because I cannot roll it out without it cracking. I'm not all that fond of the pappy texture of some crumbly pastry, like you get on a cheap ready made mince pie! This is just my personal preference though!
- Stokey Sue
- Posts: 8629
- Joined: Fri Apr 27, 2012 2:02 pm
- Location: Stoke Newington, London
Re: Pastry
My mum used to make fairly light soft pastry, sometimes using using SR flour. I hated the way it collapsed in the mouth but other people said it was lovely
I have marginally increased the amount of liquid I put into pastry, as at one time I was using so little that pastry was difficult to handle and didn’t necessarily hold the filling well. My ideal is something a bit like a biscuit, crisp when you bite into it but crumbles once bitten
I use egg yolk in sweet pastry, good balance between handling and eating
My recipe is the same as Jacqui’s (Ian in France’s wife), but we both now use a food processor
http://www.souvigne.com/recipes/pud290.htm
http://www.souvigne.com/recipes/pud290.htm
I have marginally increased the amount of liquid I put into pastry, as at one time I was using so little that pastry was difficult to handle and didn’t necessarily hold the filling well. My ideal is something a bit like a biscuit, crisp when you bite into it but crumbles once bitten
I use egg yolk in sweet pastry, good balance between handling and eating
My recipe is the same as Jacqui’s (Ian in France’s wife), but we both now use a food processor
http://www.souvigne.com/recipes/pud290.htm
http://www.souvigne.com/recipes/pud290.htm
- Joanbunting
- Posts: 1879
- Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2012 8:30 pm
- Location: Provence
Re: Pastry
I like my shortcrust crisp but not hard and well.... short!
I use half butter and half lard , or white shortening, as taught by my gran. The secret is to leave it to rest before rolling it out. Much easier to handle.
For sweet pastry - pate sable - I use all butter and a small amount of sugar and an egg yolk. I used to make it on a marble slab by hand but these days it goes into the food processor !
I use half butter and half lard , or white shortening, as taught by my gran. The secret is to leave it to rest before rolling it out. Much easier to handle.
For sweet pastry - pate sable - I use all butter and a small amount of sugar and an egg yolk. I used to make it on a marble slab by hand but these days it goes into the food processor !
Cooking for those you care about is the most profound expression of love - Anne-Sophie Pic
- Stokey Sue
- Posts: 8629
- Joined: Fri Apr 27, 2012 2:02 pm
- Location: Stoke Newington, London
Re: Pastry
I tend to use all butter simply because that’s what I always have in the house
If making a lot of shortcrust I buy white shortening, lard being pork is a bit tricky round here (vegetarians, Jews, Moslems ...)
If making a lot of shortcrust I buy white shortening, lard being pork is a bit tricky round here (vegetarians, Jews, Moslems ...)
- Badger's Mate
- Posts: 1489
- Joined: Thu Jan 14, 2016 6:07 pm
Re: Pastry
All butter here too. I don't make much or very often, so to mirror Joan, whereas I used to make it in a processor, it's now done by hand with a marble slab!
Otherwise I buy filo or all-butter puff. I've promised myself for decades to make hot water crust but have never got a round tuit. Choux too, but MIL was quite good at that, not sure I'd cut the mustard with Mrs B
Otherwise I buy filo or all-butter puff. I've promised myself for decades to make hot water crust but have never got a round tuit. Choux too, but MIL was quite good at that, not sure I'd cut the mustard with Mrs B
- Stokey Sue
- Posts: 8629
- Joined: Fri Apr 27, 2012 2:02 pm
- Location: Stoke Newington, London
Re: Pastry
I don’t make a lot of choux as such, but I do make little canapé sized cheese gougeres. Dead easy, my top tips are to transfer the flour paste from the pan to a cold bowl rather than guessing when it’s cool enough to add the eggs And I beat the eggs first and add a bit at a time, seldom need it all
And I use a hand electric mixer, which apparently is considered Not Done by some
And I use a hand electric mixer, which apparently is considered Not Done by some
- Joanbunting
- Posts: 1879
- Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2012 8:30 pm
- Location: Provence
Re: Pastry
I make choux quite often. In fact it is a go -to solution when a proper deesert is called for. Quick choux ring and whack some whipped cream and fruit inside.
I like making both individual gougeres to have with drinks and a larger one with a savoury filling in a dish with cheese choux around the edge - lovely supper dish.
You can also deep fry small pieces of choux both savoury and sweet - ie sprinkled with sugar. But they are naughty.
I like making both individual gougeres to have with drinks and a larger one with a savoury filling in a dish with cheese choux around the edge - lovely supper dish.
You can also deep fry small pieces of choux both savoury and sweet - ie sprinkled with sugar. But they are naughty.
Cooking for those you care about is the most profound expression of love - Anne-Sophie Pic
- Gillthepainter
- Posts: 3719
- Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2012 11:53 am
- Location: near some lakes
Re: Pastry
Sue, that was my worry.
I do think i need to marginally increase the liquid.
Choux i make fairly often.
And hot water crust i follow Floyd,s tip, using half water half skimmed milk.
Will pick up later az we are on the iowight, overlooking the calm sea. Xxx
I do think i need to marginally increase the liquid.
Choux i make fairly often.
And hot water crust i follow Floyd,s tip, using half water half skimmed milk.
Will pick up later az we are on the iowight, overlooking the calm sea. Xxx
- Gillthepainter
- Posts: 3719
- Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2012 11:53 am
- Location: near some lakes
Re: Pastry
Now I'm back.
Thank you for the excellent tips. I don't know why I haven't thought of doing the pastry in my compact food processor.
It's so obvious.
My go to recipe book is the Be-ro one.
Frustratingly, it's usually about 50g short of the amount I really need. So I have to measure the ingredients up a bit.
But I feel grannies of their day would have done it by eye anyway. So the recipe doesn't seem to be affected.
Thank you for the excellent tips. I don't know why I haven't thought of doing the pastry in my compact food processor.
It's so obvious.
My go to recipe book is the Be-ro one.
Frustratingly, it's usually about 50g short of the amount I really need. So I have to measure the ingredients up a bit.
But I feel grannies of their day would have done it by eye anyway. So the recipe doesn't seem to be affected.
Re: Pastry
My basic shortcrust pastry is ... whatever amount of plain flour and half that weight in chilled fat (for meat pies/pasties I use half lard, half butter ... otherwise it's all unsalted butter) and a pinch of salt.
Flour and salt into processor, add fat cut into small chunks and blitz to breadcrumbs then trickle in icecold water until it binds into one lump. Remove from processor, form into ball, wrap in clingfilm and chill for 20 mins (or up to 24 hours or freeze).
With good luck and a following wind the result is lovely short and crisp pastry without it being overly crumbly.
Flour and salt into processor, add fat cut into small chunks and blitz to breadcrumbs then trickle in icecold water until it binds into one lump. Remove from processor, form into ball, wrap in clingfilm and chill for 20 mins (or up to 24 hours or freeze).
With good luck and a following wind the result is lovely short and crisp pastry without it being overly crumbly.
- Gillthepainter
- Posts: 3719
- Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2012 11:53 am
- Location: near some lakes
Re: Pastry
For those processor users, do you use the plastic dough cutter
Or stick with the metal one?
Or stick with the metal one?
- Stokey Sue
- Posts: 8629
- Joined: Fri Apr 27, 2012 2:02 pm
- Location: Stoke Newington, London
Re: Pastry
Metal blade and cold butter - one of the reasons I like using the processor is that it requires fat straight from the fridge, so can be made without any pre-planning
Pulse in very short bursts, and don’t go for “breadcrumbs” that are too fine
Pulse in very short bursts, and don’t go for “breadcrumbs” that are too fine
- Joanbunting
- Posts: 1879
- Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2012 8:30 pm
- Location: Provence
Re: Pastry
I use the metal one too and like Sue use the pulse button.
Cooking for those you care about is the most profound expression of love - Anne-Sophie Pic
- Gillthepainter
- Posts: 3719
- Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2012 11:53 am
- Location: near some lakes
Re: Pastry
Great.
My friend is bringjng more apples for me. They are an old variety of bramleys, small and manageable.
My friend is bringjng more apples for me. They are an old variety of bramleys, small and manageable.
Re: Pastry
Make some Suffolk apple jacks Gill ... like a pasty only with sliced/chopped apples and sugar (and cinnamon or a clove or two if liked) inside, glaze and sprinkle with sugar before baking.
Can't find any recipes online, but they were a regular way of using up pastry in the village where I used to live ... shortcrust or plain.
Can't find any recipes online, but they were a regular way of using up pastry in the village where I used to live ... shortcrust or plain.
- Stokey Sue
- Posts: 8629
- Joined: Fri Apr 27, 2012 2:02 pm
- Location: Stoke Newington, London
Re: Pastry
I’d call that an apple turnover Suffolk
- Gillthepainter
- Posts: 3719
- Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2012 11:53 am
- Location: near some lakes
Re: Pastry
Thanks Suffs. Much appreciated.
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