Benjamina's tips and tricks for perfect pastry, from soggy bottoms to rolling and resting.
Pastry is quite incredible when you think about it. It’s amazing that a whole myriad of pastry varieties – from crumbly, melt in-the-mouth shortcrust to glassy, flaky puff, to ethereally light choux – are all created using butter, flour and water .
To rub the butter in, I like to use the pulse function on a food processor for ease, as it reduces the butter to crumbs before it can get too warm. You can achieve the same results by using your hands, just be careful not to let the butter warm up too much. When you are crumbing your pastry, don’t worry if you have pea-sized pieces of butter in there. Bigger pieces of butter will make a flakier pastry thanks to the pockets of steam they create.
Some recipes advise you to bring the pastry together and chill it immediately. If the pastry feels warm to touch, or it’s a hot day, it’s a good idea. But it can be very difficult to roll out once it’s chilled to a solid block. Keeping the block disc-shaped will help, and you can use the rolling pin to knock the disc flatter before you begin rolling to give yourself a head start.
Transfer to the tin or case with the pastry draped over your rolling pin, and unroll over the tin, it’s the most gentle and effective way to move it. I trim the excess pastry with scissors and then I like to neatly fold over the edges to get an extra thick crust Blind baking is a trusted technique to avoid the much maligned and now well-publicised ‘soggy bottom’, it means the pastry is cooked before you add any filling.
And finally, the oven needs to be good and hot when the pie goes in, so the pastry can set as the fat melts and not after.Sometimes it’s hard to tell how much pastry you need to fill your dish – and believe me, there’s nothing more disheartening than realising you don’t have enough pastry.
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Yousaf: My doctor brother-in-law is refusing to rest after seven straight daysHe reportedly told the First Minister, ‘I can’t leave my people when they need me’.
Read more »
Yousaf: My doctor brother-in-law is refusing to rest after seven straight daysHe reportedly told the First Minister, ‘I can’t leave my people when they need me’.
Read more »
The seven health conditions that could be made worse by central heatingThose who suffer from certain health conditions may find things getting worse during the winter period
Read more »
Bingley teenager gains pilot licence in seven weeksMollie Wadsworth, 17, earned her private pilot licence in seven weeks.
Read more »
Seven people arrested for causing disturbance at McDonald's in Fall RiverSeven people were arrested after a disturbance at a McDonald's in Fall River, Massachusetts, on Wednesday, according to police.
Read more »
M&S shoppers buying 'slimming' £25 leather leggings in seven coloursThe trendy leggings have been hailed as the 'perfect fit' in glowing reviews from shoppers.
Read more »