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All About Pastry




Source of Recipe


Cooking Information Center


Recipe Link: http://www.cooking-information-center.com

Keep the pastry cool in a cool room. Use a cool work surface, utensils, and ingredients, making it easier to produce a flaky, tender crust.

For very flaky pastry, chill shortening 15 to 20 minutes in the freezer before using.
Combine the dry ingredients first.

For a flaky crust, distribute fat as evenly as possible. The mixture should resemble tiny peas
or a course meal. Work quickly. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender or 2 knives used scissor fashion, or use your fingers to gently combine to coarse crumbs. Do not overwork or the shortening will become soft and sticky, producing a tough, hard crust. You risk this when working with your hands because of the body heat.

Use ice water to keep fat particles solid.

Sprinkle water over flour mixture a little at a time and toss with a fork to distribute well.
Use only enough water to make pastry hold together. Flour mixture should feel moist, not wet.

Pie pastry should be handled as little as possible so gather the dough into a ball without kneading then divide the balls according to recipe.

Let the pastry rest. Almost all pie pastry benefits from resting in the refrigerator, from between 30 minutes to 24 hours. This step alone can eliminate many problems. Cool rest tenderizes the pastry, making it easier to roll out, and keeps the pastry from getting soggy.

Remove pastry dough from refrigerator, about 20 minutes before rolling out for easier rolling. A well-floured pastry cloth or a lightly floured board are ideal surfaces for rolling out pie pastry.

A well-floured stockinette (a knitted cotton stocking made to fit over a rolling pin) over your rolling pin will help roll out pie dough easier and faster.

Flatten cold pastry dough lightly into a small circle, then use the rolling pin to roll out a circle that is 3 inches larger in diameter than the pie pan you plan to use. The dough should be approximately 1/8 inch thick.

Always roll from the middle of the dough out, using short quick strokes and lifting rolling pin as it comes to the edge. This prevents edges from getting too thin.

Lift the pastry occasionally to make sure that it isn't sticking. If it is sticking, loosen with a spatula and sprinkle a little flour on the surface underneath.

If there is a crack or break in the pastry, patch it with a little strip of pastry cut from the edge.
Moisten the patch, press into place and continue rolling out. Work quickly so pastry dough does not get soft and sticky.

Patience is still required.

Do not grease pie pans before lining with pastry.

To move rolled pastry dough to a pie plate, drape dough loosely around the rolling pin, then unroll onto the plate. Alternately, fold the pastry dough in half, place fold in center of pie plate, and unfold. Gently ease the dough onto the bottom and sides of the pie plate. Do not
stretch or pull but leave a loose fit. The pastry will shrink while baking. Use your fingers to pat the pastry gently into place to eliminate air pockets.

For single pie crust: Trim pastry with kitchen sheers so it is just about even with the edges of the pie pan or just a little bit larger. Make a fluted edge by pinching the edges of the dough with your thumb and forefinger. Or simply press the edges all around with the tines
of a fork.

For double pie crust: Do not trim overhang of pastry in the pie plate. Roll out top pastry dough as for the bottom crust, so that it is 1/8 inch thick and about 1 inch larger around than the pie plate for a proper fit. Use a sharp knife to cut steam slits, or prick all over with the
tines of a fork. Alternately, steam vents may be cut after the top crust is placed on the pie.

Drape pastry onto rolling pin and place over the filled pie shell. Trim both crusts all around,leaving approximately 1/2 to 1 inch overhang. Pinch edges together with fingers to make a fluted edge, or crimp all around with the tines of a fork.