Hi Fellow Bakers
Perfect Pastry …
My Nan would make the most perfect pastry that was short and would melt in your mouth I often wondered how she did and a still do to this day .. I think she had pastry hand as they call it her hand were the perfect temperature and she had patience for pastry too
She would always make her pastry with lard ( shortening) as well which give the pastry a better texture than just using butter
A great recipe also to share with you for National Pastry Day
Here for you is a great recipe using lard and butter that she would use
Simple shortcrust pastry (makes enough for a 20cm/8in flan)
- 170g (6oz) plain flour
- pinch of salt
- 55g (2oz) butter
- 30g (1oz) lard( shortening)
- very cold water
In A bowl sift the flour with the salt . Rub the butter and the lard into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Add two tablespoons of water to the mixture and mix with a knife until the pastry holds together in lumps. It may be necessary to add more water, but make sure the pastry does not get too damp. Lightly flour your hands and gently gather the pastry into a ball.
Relax the pastry, wrapped, in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
You can freeze the pastry if it is uncooked Uncooked, if you want to make a sweet shortcrust pastry – mix in one tablespoon of caster sugar before adding the water.
I love all the tips I can get when it comes to pastry what ever one it maybe from shortcrust to puff and even choux … I found this great guide to on tip and trick on pastry from Jamie Oliver so I here it is for you to look at too hope it helps you too
Afternoon Baking With Grandma
Sue X
National Pastry Day
It is hard to find a person who doesn’t like pastry at all. Everyone craves delicious pastry from time to time. The National Pastry Day celebrated on December 9 each year is a perfect occasion to indulge yourself with sweet or savory pastry.
Pastry is a major type of baker’s confectionery including a lot of kinds of baked products – pies, quiches, tarts, pasties and so on. The main difference between pastry and bread is that pastry has a higher fat content, which contributes to a crumbly or flaky texture.
Pastries were first created in Ancient Egypt although they were not common in most ancient countries. Pastry eventually became popular in medieval Europe.
The types of pastry vary depending on the type of pastry dough they are made with. Shortcrust pasty is the most common pastry as it is the easiest to cook. It is made with flour, cooking fat, salt and water. To make sweetened shortcrust pastry, egg yolks and sugar are added.
Flaky pastry expands when cooked due to the number of layers, it is buttery and crisp. Puff pastry also has many layers. Flaky pastry is unleavened while puff pastry is leavened. Choux pastry is very light, it is usually filled with cream or other ingredients. Filo pastry is made with paper-thin sheets of laminated dough.
To celebrate the National Pastry Day, pick up your favorite kind of pastry from a local bakery or bake something yourself.
Article Source :https://anydayguide.com/calendar/813
