DEFINITION
A paste of flour, fat, salt and water is known as pastry. Optional ingredients may be added such as sugar, flavor, milk solids, egg yolk and so on. Pastry is actually only a base for making different kind of products such as puff, vaul au vent, palmiers, French hearts, pie crust, tarts, turn-overs and cream rolls etc.
TYPES OF PASTRIES:
- Short crust pastry
- Puff pastry
- Flaky pastry
- Choux pastry
SHORT CRUST PASTRY:
In this type of pastry, fat content is generally 40-80 %. If the fat content is low, small quantity of leavening agent (baking powder) should be used to impart tender eating quality. Flour is sieved (with baking powder, milk powder).
The fat is cut into small pieces and mixed with the flour, rubbed with the help of fingers till the whole mass resembles bread crumbs. If sugar is desired to be added, it should be added and mixed now. Sugar quantity in this pastry varies from about 10% (for pie crust, tarts, turn overs etc.) to 50% (for short dough based cookies). Salt is dissolved in part of chilled water and added. Remaining water, with the flavor is added gradually and mixed with a pallet knife by “cutting and mixing” method. If egg yolks are desired to be added, water should be reduced proportionately and yolks should be thoroughly blended before mixing to ensure even mixing.
After mixing, the dough should be rested in cool place (refrigerator) for half an hour to one hour before sheeting for makeup. While sheeting short pastry, it should be remembered that the pastry is subjected to as little frictional heat (generally rolling pin) as possible. Otherwise fat will melt and get separated from dough mass making the pastry tough eating. Baking is done at medium temperature (190-195 deg. C) and the baking time will depend on the type of product being baked. If the pastry is to be baked without filling it is advisable to prick the pastry with a fork in order to avoid any bubble formation which may spoil its appearance.
RECIPE/METHOD 1
INGREDIENTS | QUANTITY |
Flour | 1000 gm |
Butter or shortening | 500-700 gm |
Sugar | 200 gm |
Salt | 5-10 gm |
Egg yolk | 100 gm (2 no.) |
Chilled water | 100 ml |
Vanilla | 5 ml |
Butter essence | 5 ml |
PROCEDURE:
- Cut hardened butter or shortening into small pieces and rub in the sieved flour lightly with finger tips till it resemble bread crumbs.
- Add powdered sugar and mix.
- Mix together egg yolk, flavours, salt and half of water and mix in the flour (with pallet knife) till form into a smooth and firm dough adding more chilled water if necessary. Avoid over mixing as it will toughen the pastry.
- Wrap the pastry in damp cloth and relax in cool place (refrigerator) for about an hour before using.
- Sheet and cut as desired for tarts, turnovers, pies etc.
RECIPE/METHOD 2:
INGREDIENTS | QUANTITY |
Sugar | 500 gm |
Salt | 10 gm |
Skimmed milk powder | 20 gm |
Liquid glucose | 30 gm |
Chilled water | 100 ml |
Vanilla | 10 ml |
Shortening | 600 gm |
Flour | 1000 gm |
PROCEDURE:
- Add together sugar, salt, milk powder, liquid glucose, egg yolk, water and vanilla and mix at slow speed to make a homogenous mass.
- Add shortening mixed with emulsifier and mix at medium speed to break the shortening into small pieces.
- Add flour and mix to form a dough. Do not over mix. This dough can be used for making cookies, biscuits, tart shells, pie crust etc.
PRODUCTS:
- APPLE PIE
- CHERRY PIE
- LEMON TART
- JAM TART, ETC.
PUFF PASTRY
Fat used more making puff pastry should have high melting point. Dough for making puff pastry should be mixed with chilled water in order to prevent fat from melting. Some food acid like lemon juice is used in the dough in order to impart better extensibility to the dough. Fat should be added last in the dough because if fat is added before flour has a chance to take up and absorb water, water absorption will be reduced and gluten may not develop sufficient to undergo so many sheeting and folding operations.
Dough for puff pastry is made with flour, salt, lemon juice, chilled water and shortening. Too tight or too loose dough will be difficult to process. After mixing, the dough should be relaxed in cool place covered with moist cloth which will prevent it from crusting. Puff margarine is made into a square block and chilled in the refrigerator for half an hour. Then dough is sheeted into a square shape somewhat larger than the margarine block. Then the chilled margarine block is placed in the center of the dough so that the sides of the margarine block face the corners of the sheeted dough. Now the end of the dough is folded over the margarine block so as to cover it completely. Then the opposite end is brought over and folded over it, completely cover the margarine block with sheeted dough. Then keep it in refrigerator for about 20 minutes.
After proper relaxation of the dough, it is turned upside down and sheeted into a rectangular shape and folded into a book fold that is both the ends are brought in the center and again folded over so that the entire sheet forms four layers. In the similar manner four more folds are given interspersed with adequate relaxation period in between folding. After final sheeting and folding, the pastry should be relaxed in cool place for a minimum of one hour before sheeting for makeup. Then it should be allowed to thaw at room temperature until it acquires sheetable consistency.
RECIPE/METHOD 1
INGREDIENTS | QUANTITY |
Flour | 5000 gm |
Salt | 100 gm |
Water chilled | 2800 – 2900 ml |
Shortening (for mixing in) | 500 gm |
Puffed fat (for folding in) | 2500 – 3000 |
PROCEDURE:
- Make dough with flour, salt and chilled water.
- Knead in ten percent shortening and clear the dough. The dough should be of sheetable consistency, i.e. neither too soft nor too tight.
- Relax the dough in cool place for half an hour covered with wet cloth. At every stage care should be taken that crust formation does not take place on the dough surface.
- Sheet the dough in rectangular shape, spread (50-60%) fat evenly on the dough sheet.
- Cut the sheet vertically in 7-8 strips in such a manner that each subsequent strip is borader than the preceding strip.
- Roll the first strip like swiss roll. Keep this roll in the next strip and roll. Similarly roll all the subsequent strips. Relax the folded dough for half an hour in cool place covered with a wet cloth.
- Sheet out the dough to desired thickness depending on the product desired to be made.
Products can be made:
- Khara biscuit
- Vegetable puff
- Cream rolls
RECIPE/METHOD 2:
INGREDIENTS | QUANTITY |
Flour | 1000 gm |
Salt | 20 gm |
Lime juice | 5 ml |
Chilled water | 560-580 ml |
Shortening | 50 gm |
Puff margarine | 600-800 gm |
PROCEDURE:
- Dissolve salt in chilled water and mix lime juice.
- Add water to the flour and mix to a dough. Knead in 5% shortening and clear the dough. Dough should be smooth and pliable.
- Wrap the dough in moist cloth and rest it in the refrigerator for about half an hour.
- Make an oblong block of the puff margarine and refrigerate till it is firm i.e. neither hard nor soft.
- Sheet the margarine block on one half of the sheeted dough. Fold the other half over it and seal the edges. Rest it in cool place for 15 minutes.
- Sheet the pastry to rectangular shape taking care that margarine does not break out of the dough. Fold the pastry into three folds i.e. left one third portions over center one third and right one third over it.
- Repeat the process three times more giving rest period in between each sheeting and folding operation. Relax the pastry for a minimum of one hour in refrigerator (wrapped in moist cloth) before using for make up.
Products can be made:
- Vaul au vent
- Vanilla slices
- Palmiers
- Mille feuilles
- baklava
FLAKY PASTRY
Flaky pastry can be used for making pie crust, vegetable puff, Bombay khara, Cream rolls etc. portion of fat could be 50-70% for layering and 5-10% fat could be mixed in the dough. Higher amounts of fat either mixed in the dough or layered will make the pastry too fragile to handle.
Dough is made with flour, salt, food acid, chilled water and fat. Dough is relaxed for about half an hour. Then dough is sheeted into a rectangular shape and marked into three equal parts lengthwise.
Fat is divided into three portions. One portion of fat is evenly spread onto two-third portion of sheeted dough leaving out half an inch space on the edges. Now one third part of the dough is folded over the middle one third part. The remaining one third portions with fat is folded over it. Relax the dough for 20-25 minutes in cool place with wet cloth in order to prevent crusting.
The dough is again sheeted into rectangular shape and the process is repeated twice more to use up the remaining two portions of fat with adequate relaxation time in between sheetings. Similar two folding are given without fat. Now we have very thin layer of dough interspersed with very thin layers of fat which will rise during baking to form a light and crisp product. After final sheeting and folding, the pastry should be relaxed for about an hour before sheeting for make up. Before placing in the oven, the pastry should be relaxed on baking sheets for 20-30 minutes. This will stabilize the position of layers and rise of product in the oven will be even,
Note: puff pastry in some form or the other is produced in the entire country like Bombay khara or cream rolls or vegetable puffs etc.
RECIPE/METHOD:
INGREDIENTS | QUANTITY |
Flour | 1000 gm |
Salt | 15 gm |
Chilled water | 550 ml |
Shortening (for mixing) | 100 gm |
Shortening (for folding) | 550-600 gm |
PROCEDURE:
- Sieve the flour.
- Dissolve salt in water and add to the flour. Mix the dough till it is smooth and pliable. Add shortening and clear the dough. Relax the dough in cool place covered with moist cloth.
- Sheet the dough in rectangular shape and mark it into three equal portions A,B and C.
- Divide the shortening (for folding) into three equal parts.
- Place one part of shortening in small blobs (flakes) on two parts (A and B) of the sheeted dough.
- Fold C over B and A over C so that there are alternate layers of fat and dough. Relax the pastry in cool place for 15-20 minutes.
- Repeat the process with the remaining two portions of shortening with intermittent rest after each sheeting and folding operation. Give one more folding without fat. Cover it with wet cloth and place in cool place for a minimum of one hour before make up.
- This pastry can be used for making pies, flans, tartlets and turnovers.
CHOUX PASTRY:
This type of pastry can be made in the shape of éclairs, swans, cream puffs etc.
Water and fat is boiled together. The pan is taken off heat and all the flour is added at a time and mixed thoroughly to avoid lump formation. The entire mass s again cooked for some time on slow heat till the mixture starts leaving the bottom of pan. Now the pan is taken off fire and whisked eggs are added gradually beating the mixing thoroughly so as to form a homogenous smooth paste of piping consistency. Adequate whisking of this paste will ensure desirable rise of the pastry during baking.
Baking is done at 230 deg. C. to achieve maximum rise. Then the temperature is reduced to about 150 deg. C and it is baked until structure is stabilized and shells become crisp.
RECIPE/METHOD: FOR ECLAIRS
INGREDIENTS | QUANTITY |
Water | 825 ml |
Butter | 375 gm |
Flour | 500 gm |
Egg | 600 gm |
PROCEDURE:
- Place water and butter in a thick bottom pan. Bring to boil.
- Take off fire. Add all the flour at a time. Return to slow fire and cook till flour leaves the bottom of the pan.
- Allow to cool slightly and then add beaten eggs in a slow stream, beating vigorously all the time.
- Pipe through savoy nozzle into éclairs, or buns or swans.
- Bake in hot oven 220 deg C for 10-12 minutes. Reduce the heat about 150 deg. C and bake further till structure is set and éclairs are crisp.
- Once cool, fill them with whipped cream or butter cream & dip top of the portion in chocolate fondant.