Easy Pastry Food

NEVER, NEVER FAIL PIE PASTRY

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in lard until mixture resembles coarse meal.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together water, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and vinegar. Stir into flour mixture and knead dough briefly, just until smooth. Allow to rest 15 minutes before rolling out. Pastry is easier to work with when chilled. Can be stored in refrigerator for up to 1 week.

QUICK AND EASY FLAKY PASTRY

Steps:

• Mix the sieved flour and salt in a bowl. (add sugar if using)
• Weigh out the butter and divide into 4 amounts.
• Add one portion of the butter to the flour and using a round bladed knife, incorporate the butter and flour, whilst slowly adding enough cold water until the mixture comes together to form an elastic dough.
• Dust the rolling surface with flour, and turn the dough out. Roll out the dough into a rectangle shape (see photo) and keep rolling, adding more flour if necessary to stop from sticking, until the dough is about 4 mm thickness.
• Rub any excess flour from the surface and using the next portion of butter, dot the butter (about 1 cm dots) on two thirds of the rolled out pastry evenly. (see photo).
• Fold the pastry into three portions, bringing the end without butter to the centre, then folding down the other third. (see photo)
• Press together pastry edges with your fingers, give the pastry half a turn and roll out lightly again until the pastry is 4 mm thick (same size before you dotted with butter).
• Repeat steps 5 - 7 twice more, then fold into three, cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

BASIC SHORTCRUST PASTRY

Steps:

• Sift 225g plain flour into a large bowl, add 100g diced butter and rub in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
• Stir in a pinch of salt, then add 2-3 tbsp water and mix to a firm dough.
• Knead the dough briefly and gently on a floured surface.
• Wrap in cling film and chill while preparing the filling.

BASIC PASTRY DOUGH

Steps:

• In a food processor, pulse flour and salt to combine. Add cold butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few pea-size pieces of butter remaining. Sprinkle with ice water. Pulse until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed (if necessary, add up to 3 tablespoons more water, 1 tablespoon at a time). Do not overmix. Form dough into a 1-inch-thick disk, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour (or up to 3 days).

VANILLA PASTRY CREAM RECIPE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Heat the milk in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over low heat just until it starts to steam.
• Separately, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch in a large bowl. You're going to want to whisk really hard until the consistency is thick and creamy.
• Once the milk has just begun to steam, slowly pour about half of the milk into the egg mixture in a thin stream, while mixing vigorously. Leave the rest of the milk in the pan.
• Next, add the thickened egg mixture back into the pan with the rest of the milk. Again, whisk vigorously, for 2 to 3 minutes, while continuing to heat the mixture gently over medium heat, until the pastry cream is quite thick. But don't let it burn.
• Remove from heat and whisk in the butter and vanilla.
• To cool, transfer the pastry cream to a bowl, and then set that bowl inside a larger bowl filled with ice water. Cool like this for 30 minutes.
• Then refrigerate the pastry cream until it's fully chilled. About 4 hours in the fridge is best, but it will keep in the fridge for two to three days.

FOOLPROOF SHORTCRUST PASTRY (FOOD PROCESSOR METHOD)

Steps:

• Cut the butter into small cubes and arrange on a small plate. Freeze for 20 minutes.
• Add the flour and salt to a food processor, then pulse to combine. Add the butter and process for 10 continuous seconds, until the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs.
• Add the egg and process for 5 seconds. Add the ice water and process for 20 seconds. The dough should now start clumping together. Turn the mixture out onto a work surface. The mixture will easily hold together when pressed. Using your hands, gather the dough into a ball then flatten into a disk, kneading it as lightly as possible.
• If you're making shortcrust pastry right before you need to use it, gather it into a disk, set it on a lightly floured surface, and roll it out to the required size. Ease into a pie or tart pan, lay flat on a baking sheet, or cut out and fit into muffin pans if making tartlets. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour. Use as instructed by the recipe.
• You can alternatively wrap the ball of shortcrust pastry in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 3 days, or freeze for 1 month.
• Bring refrigerated shortcrust pastry back to room temperature at least 30 minutes before rolling. Thaw frozen shortcrust pastry overnight in the refrigerator, then bring back to room temperature at least 30 minutes before rolling.

EASY SWEET PASTRY DOUGH

Steps:

• Sift together the flour, sugar, and salt (if using) into a bowl.
• Toss butter into flour mixture to coat pieces. Using fingertips, rub butter into flour, working it until you have created a coarse meal with a few pea-size pieces.
• In a small bowl, combine egg and vanilla. Whisk together, then add gradually to flour mixture, stirring with a fork. Mix with hands until dough forms a ball.
• Knead the dough to make it smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 10 minutes.
• Roll out dough and shape to pie pan or cut out rounds for tarts.

EASY PUFF PASTRY

Steps:

• Place flour and salt into bowl of a stand mixer. Combine together.Add butter. Mix together with the paddle attachment. Mix until mixture is coarse and butter is smeared with the flour.
• Add ice water. Mix just until the ingredients come together. Mixture will still be crumbly.
• Dump mixture onto counter. Lightly knead together until dough forms a ball.
• Lightly flour surface and rolling pin. Roll dough out into a rectangle approximately 8 x 12 inches. Keep edges straight. If edges become rough, just straighten back by pushing edges back towards center. Reapply flour to counter and rolling pin as needed.
• Give dough a quarter of a turn so long side is facing you. Beginning on the left side, fold dough over 2/3 of the way, like folding a letter. Fold right side all the way over the dough.
• Repeat rolling and folding two more times.

QUICK & EASY HOMEMADE PUFF PASTRY

Steps:

• Using a food processor, fitted with the metal blade, add flour and salt to the bowl, then add 3/4 cup (170 grams) cold butter cut in cubes and pulse until butter is absorbed (about 10 to 12 one second pulses), then add the remaining cold butter (cubed) and pulse two or three times (no more) to combine, add the cold water and pulse four or five times just until the dough comes together to form a ball (really important not to over process).
• On a lightly floured surface place dough and knead lightly approximately 10 times. With a lightly floured rolling- pin (lightly flour the dough so it doesn't stick) roll into a rectangle approximately 12 x 18 inches (30 x 45 centimeters).
• Fold the dough like an envelope (see photos) then fold in half, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 1 - 2 hours (I left mine in the fridge for two hours).
• Remove from the fridge and on a lightly floured surface, using a lightly floured rolling-pin roll the still folded dough (I cut the dough in two parts, refrigerate the unused dough until needed) into a rectangle (approximately 10 x 14 inches / 25 x 35 cm). I covered the dough with thin slices of cooked ham and sprinkled with shredded cheese.
• Roll up length wise as tight as possible and brush the edges with egg wash to seal. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate 20-30 minutes. Unwrap and slice with a sharp knife into 1/4 inch slices. Place on prepared cookie sheet, brush with the egg wash and sprinkle with more cheese, bake for approximately 15-20 minutes or until golden. Serve immediately.
• Roll the remaining dough into a large circle, make 8-10 triangles. Place 1-2 slices of pear on the large part of the triangle, top with some chopped walnuts and chocolate chips. Roll up from the large part, place on prepared cookie sheet, brush with egg wash, sprinkle with a little sugar and bake for approximately 15 minutes or until golden. Let cool then dust with powdered / icing sugar. Enjoy.
• In a small bowl mix together Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley, set aside. Roll (1/2 or 1/3) the dough into an 1/8" thick oval, sprinkle shredded cheese on the top half of oval, bring up the bottom half to cover the top, brush with the egg wash and sprinkle with parmesan cheese mixture, slice into 1/2 inch strips, twist and place on parchment paper lined cookie sheets. Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until golden. Eat warm. Enjoy!
• In a small bowl toss together, sliced apples, brown sugar and cinnamon.
• Roll out the dough into a large rectangle or square 1/8 " thick, then cut into 6-8 squares. Top each square with 2-3 apple slices, brush the edges of the square with egg mixture. Fold over and seal. Brush tops of pastry with the egg wash, sprinkle with sugar and bake for approximately 20 minutes or until golden. Drizzle with a little frosting if desired.
• In a small bowl beat together the egg and water.

HOW TO MAKE PERFECT SHORTCRUST BY HAND OR MACHINE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients
• Place the flour, salt, and butter in a large, clean bowl.
• Rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs, working as quickly as possible to prevent the dough from becoming warm.
• Add the water to the mixture. Using a cold knife, stir until the dough binds together. Add more cold water a teaspoon at a time if the mixture is too dry. Form the dough into a ball.
• Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for a minimum of 15 minutes and up to 30 minutes.
• Use the shortcrust dough in your favorite pie, tart, or quiche recipe.
• Place the flour, salt, and butter into the bowl of the processor.
• Using only the pulse setting, pulse until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Avoid overmixing if you can. (Too much handling can result in hard, dry pastry.)
• Through the funnel on the top of the processor, slowly add the water a little at a time until the mixture comes together in a ball.
• Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least 15 minutes and up to half an hour.
• Use in your desired pie, tart, and quiche recipe. Enjoy.

EASY PASTRY DOUGH

Steps:

• Blend first 4 ingredients in processor 10 seconds. Add shortening; process just until very coarse meal forms. Beat egg with 2 tablespoons water; add to processor. Blend until large moist clumps form, adding more water if dry. Gather dough into ball; divide in half. Flatten each piece into disk. Wrap in plastic; chill at least 1 hour. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled. Let dough soften slightly before rolling out.)