Pastry Dough Food

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).

PASTRY DOUGH

Steps:

• Blend together flour, butter, and salt in a bowl with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor) just until mixture resembles coarse meal with some roughly pea-size butter lumps.
• Drizzle 3 tablespoons ice water evenly over mixture and gently stir with a fork (or pulse in processor) until incorporated.
• Squeeze a small handful: If it doesn't hold together, add more ice water, 1/2 tablespoon at a time, stirring (or pulsing) until incorporated, then test again. Do not overwork dough or pastry will be tough.
• Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 4 portions. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once or twice in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather dough together, with a pastry scraper if you have one, and press into a 5-inch disk. Chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 1 hour.

CLASSICAL PUFF PASTRY

Steps:

• Combine the flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor and process few seconds to combine. Cut 2 ounces (4 tablespoons) of the butter into small pieces and process with the flour until there are no lumps and the mixture is the texture of cornmeal.
• Pour half the ice water in a large bowl and turn the flour mixture onto it. Sprinkle the remaining water over it, reserving one tablespoon. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl, drizzle the ice water evenly over it and toss like a salad until the dough comes together in a ragged mass. Add the remaining water if necessary. Cover in plastic wrap and chill.
• Meanwhile, place the remaining butter between layers of plastic wrap and pound with a rolling pin to make malleable. Place it between two sheets of plastic wrap and, using your hands or a rolling pin, shape it into a 6-inch square.
• Remove the dough from the fridge, lightly flour the work surface and, using either your hands or a rolling pin, shape the mass into 12-inch square. Place the butter on the dough catty-corner and fold the edges of the dough into the center to enclose it.
• Lightly flour the surface of the dough and roll it into a rectangle measuring about 12 inches high x 26 inches wide. If the dough sticks, loosen it underneath with a long flexible metal palette knife and scrape off any butter sticking to the work surface. Brush off any excess flour. Fold the dough into thirds and turn it 90 degrees, so that seams are parallel to the table's edge. This is called a "turn". Lightly flour and roll it out again to about 12 x 26 inches. Brush off the excess flour and again fold it into thirds. Place the dough on a sheet tray, cover it with a plastic bag and refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes.
• Repeat this, giving the dough two more turns, each time rolling it out to 12 x 26 inches. Refrigerate for another 20 or 30 minutes, then give the dough 2 final turns. There are six turns in all.
• Lightly roll it to flatten and even it. Wrap it in plastic wrap or a bag and chill for at least two hours before using it. It can be kept, refrigerated, for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.
• To roll pastry: (for home size 11 x 17-inch sheet trays)
• For thinly rolled dough (1/16-inch) used to make little pizzas start with 15 ounces (1/3 of the recipe). For thickly rolled dough (3/8-inch) used for everything else, start with 22 ounces (1/2 recipe).
• Line an 11 x 17-inch sheet tray with parchment paper. On a floured table, roll the rectangle of dough to a length of 15 inches and a width of 10 inches. Dust off any excess flour. Roll the dough up onto the rolling pin and transfer it to the sheet tray. Using a 10-inch rolling pin and rolling gently from the center out, roll the dough to fit the tray. Make sure it is even - with no lumpy edges. Rolling lightly and gently enables you to keep it even.
• Shapes to cut out of the 3/8-inch thick dough:
• Bouchee: Cut 2 (3-1/2-inch) rounds of dough. Cut a 2-1/4-inch circle out of the second round. Egg wash the first round. Place the ring from the second round over the first so that the edges line up. Dock the edges and center with a fork. Thin inner circle can be baked as well and used for a lid.
• Bouchee made from special cutter: Use and cutter made especially for this purpose. It has two cutting edges - one inside and shorter than the other that scores, rather than cuts the dough.
• Criss-cross Tartlet: Cut a 5-inch square. Fold it into a triangle and cut from each edge towards the apex, stopping about 1/2-inch short of the apex. The cut should be about 1/2-inch from the edge. Open it up to the square and place on a cookie sheet. Egg wash the edges. Bring one point over to the opposite corner of the inner square and press. Bring the opposite point over and press. Press along the rim to seal. Dock rim and center.
• Puff Strip: From a sheet tray of frozen dough, cut a rectangular piece 8" wide and the length of the sheet tray. Transfer it to a paper lined cookie sheet. Using a pizza wheel, cut a 3/4" strip from each edge. Egg wash the edges of the center piece and flip the cut strips onto the egg washed edge. Dock the 2 rims with a fork, then dock down the center.
• Vol-au-Vent: Similar to above, but round. Press whatever size round you want into the dough on the sheet tray. Lift and cut along the circular impression with a pizza wheel. Center another round, and inch or so smaller in diameter than the first over the circle of dough and press lightly. Remove and cut along this line. Egg was the edge, as above, and cut through the outer rim in one place. Place the rim over the center circle, lining up the edges. Dock the rim with a fork, then dock the center. Bake 20 to 25 minutes in a preheated 425 degree F. oven.

QUICKEST PUFF PASTRY

Steps:

• Cut 8 ounces (2 sticks) butter into 1/2 to 1/4-inch dice, place on a plate and refrigerate while preparing remaining ingredients.Measure water and add salt; stir to dissolve and set aside.
• Coarsely dice remaining 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter. Place flour in work bowl of food processor fitted with metal blade; add 4 tablespoons butter and pulse until butter is absorbed -- about ten to twelve 1-second pulses.
• Add remaining butter and pulse once or twice to distribute. Add water and pulse 3 or 4 times, just until dough forms a rough ball. Do not over-process.
• Flour work surface and scrape dough from work bowl. Shape dough into a rough rectangle and place between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Press dough with rolling pin to flatten, then roll back and forth several times with rolling pin to make a 12 by 18 inch rectangle of dough.
• Peel away plastic wrap and invert dough to floured work surface. Peel away second piece of wrap. Fold dough in thirds in the width, folding the top third down and the bottom third up, to make a 6 by 18-inch rectangle, then roll up the dough from one of the 6-inch ends, making sure to roll end under dough. Press the dough into a square, wrap in plastic and refrigerate 1 hour, or until firm.

FLAKY PASTRY DOUGH

Steps:

• Add the flour and salt to a large bowl and stir to combine. Add the butter and toss to combine. With your fingers, begin to "smush" the butter into flat pieces. Continue smushing until all the butter is flattened but none of the pieces are larger than a quarter. The flour will look like coarse cornmeal.
• Add the water, quickly folding it in with a wooden spoon to distribute the moisture. (Do not stir vigorously--the dough should appear shaggy.) Use your hands to break up any large clumps of moisture. Then use your knuckles or a palm to smear the dough up the sides of the bowl (a technique known as fraisage). This distributes the butter over a larger surface to achieve larger flakes and compact the dough. Once you've gone around the bowl one time, fold the dough over itself a few times to pick up any dry bits from the bottom. Gently press the dough into a disk. (Note: The dough should remain very cool to the touch throughout the process. If it approaches room temperature, refrigerate it for 5 to 10 minutes to chill.)
• Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and roll out to a 10-by-12-inch rectangle. Perform a letter fold by folding one of the short ends towards the middle and the other short end over the first, like folding a business letter.
• Turn the dough 90 degrees, so the long side faces you, and perform a second letter fold. Turn the dough 90 degrees again; perform a third letter fold.
• If the dough still feels cool, it can be used immediately. Otherwise, wrap it in plastic wrap and chill for at least 20 minutes. The dough can be refrigerated for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 1 month.

BUTTERCRUST PASTRY DOUGH

Steps:

• Place blade insert into bowl of food processor. Add 1 cup flour. Sprinkle frozen butter cubes over flour. Add remaining 1 cup flour, sugar, and salt. Cover. Pulse in short bursts on and off until butter is broken into small pieces and looks crumbly, about 1 minute. Drizzle in ice water. Pulse with longer pulses, on and off, until mixture turns pale yellow and looks like crumbs, about 10 to 12 seconds. Scrape down sides with spatula. Pulse once or twice more.
• Transfer mixture onto a work surface. Bring pieces together to form a tight round ball of dough. Flatten slightly and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight before rolling out.

PASTRY DOUGH

Steps:

• Blend together flour, butter, sugar, and salt in a bowl with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor) just until mixture resembles coarse meal with some small (roughly pea-size) butter lumps. Drizzle 3 tablespoons ice water evenly over mixture and gently stir with a fork (or pulse) until incorporated.
• Squeeze a small handful of dough: If it doesn't hold together, add more ice water, 1/2 tablespoon at a time, stirring (or pulsing) until incorporated. Do not overwork dough, or pastry will be tough.
• Gather all dough together with pastry scraper. Press into a ball, then flatten into a 5-inch disk.
• Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill until firm, at least 1 hour.
• If you're making two desserts that call for this pastry dough, you can make a double batch.
• Pastry dough can be chilled up to 2 days or frozen, wrapped well, up to 3 months.

AUTHENTIC EMPANADA PASTRY DOUGH

Steps:

• Combine sifted flour and butter in the bowl of a food processor; pulse until crumbly. Add egg and pulse until just combined.
• Dissolve salt in warm water. Add gradually to the food processor and pulse until a soft dough ball forms. Turn ball into a bowl and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
• Dust a work surface with flour and knead dough for 1 minute. Roll out thinly and cut into discs. Freeze discs for later use or use right away for your favorite sweet or savory empanadas.

POTATO PASTRY DOUGH

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl, stir together the potatoes, oil, lemon juice, brown sugar and sea salt until well blended.
• Add the flour, baking powder and nutmeg and mix well.
• Divide in half, wrap each half in cling wrap and refrigerate 1 hour.
• Working one half at a time, roll out into a thin circle between sheets of wax paper.
• Turn into a 9" pie plate. Repeat with remaining half of dough.
• Use immediately or wrap well in cling wrap, then heavy duty foil, and freeze up to 6 months.

ALL-PURPOSE PASTRY DOUGH (FOR PIES, TARTS OR TURNOVERS)

Steps:

• Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Cut in the butter and shortening using a pastry blender, two knives, or your hands until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the water -- a few tablespoons at a time as necessary -- and mix until just combined.
• Gather dough into a ball and flatten into 2 equal-size disks. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours or overnight. Roll out as directed by recipe.

SHORTCRUST PASTRY DOUGH

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour and salt.
• Add the butter and cut into flour until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs.
• (Using a food processor fitted with the dough blade makes the"cutting" process a little easier and faster).
• Mix in enough cold water to hold mixture together.
• Form into a ball.
• Wrap in wax paper (preferred) or plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 30-45 minutes.
• Assembly: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Spray a baking sheet, muffin tray, etc.
• with nonstick cooking spray or grease with shortening.
• Remove pastry from refrigerator.
• Lightly sprinkle work surface with flour.
• Roll out pastry to about 1/8-inch thickness.
• Cut into circles, squares, or any shape and size that you like.
• Use any filling that you want.
• To"join" separate pastry pieces together, moisten the edges with beaten egg and gently crimp the edges together.
• If your dish is to have pastry on the top, brush the top of the pastry with beaten egg.
• Place on prepared baking sheet, muffin tray, etc.
• and bake for 50 minutes or until golden brown on top.
• Pastry freezes extremely well.

FLAKY FOOD PROCESSOR PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Measure the flour into the processor with the regular blade attached. Add the unsalted butter, cut into cubes, and shortening, cut into cubes. (Your fat should be frozen or very cold. You may vary the proportions, or use some lard, but the total should be 9 tablespoons.) Add salt. Pulse three times with three counts per pulse to lightly mix the ingredients.
• With the motor running, pour ice water into the workbowl just until the dough just starts to get noticeably crumbly. Don't wait until it is a big clump or it will be way too wet and will turn out tough.
• Stop the machine, dump the crumbly dough into a bowl, and gather the dough into a ball with your hand. you can squeeze it a bit to make it stick together. If it just won't form a ball, add a tiny bit more water. (Note that if you are making crust in the food processor, you will use less water than most recipes call for.)
• Wrap your dough ball in wax paper or plastic wrap and chill it about 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Roll it out on a cool surface if you can. Then follow your pie recipe for baking.

PASTECHI PASTRY DOUGH

Steps:

• Mix dry ingredients with butter.
• Slowly add liquid.
• Knead to a smooth ball and let stand 20 minutes.
• Roll out thinly on lightly floured board.
• Cut into rounds using biscuit cutter or glass.
• Place 1 generous tsp of Pastechi filling (recipe posted separately) onto rounds.
• Fold rounds in half; seal and crimp edges.
• Fry in oil until golden brown.
• Drain on paper towels.
• Serve warm and with ketchup, if desired.
• ***recipemay be halved.

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.

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.

WHOLE WHEAT PASTRY DOUGH

Steps:

• Whisk together the flours, flaxseed meal and salt. Use a fork or pastry blender to cut in 1/3 cup vegetable shortening to the texture of a fine meal. Cut in the remaining 1/3 cup shortening to larger pieces, about the size of small peas. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons ice water over the mixture and gently combine with a fork or a wooden spoon. Sprinkle another 3 to 4 tablespoons ice water and bring together gently in a ball. Wrap in wax paper and chill until use. When ready to use, roll one disk out to a 1/2-inch thickness and place into desired pie plate.

QUICK DANISH PASTRY DOUGH

Steps:

• Whisk yeast into water.
• Wait 1-2 minutes, then whisk again.
• Whisk in milk.
• Combine flour, sugar and salt in food processor and pulse to mix.
• Cut 4 tablespoons butter into thin slices and add to processor.
• Pulse to a fine texture, but do not allow to become pasty.
• Cut remaining butter into 1/2 inch cubes and add to processor.
• Pulse exactly twice, for 1 second each time.
• Remove dough from processor and place in mixing bowl.
• Whisk eggs into yeast mixture and add to bowl.
• Position a rubber spatula so its blade is flat and parallel with the bottom of the bowl.
• Repeatedly dig spatula down to the bottom of the bowl, while turning bowl.
• Repeat until dough comes together. Dough will be soft and sticky.
• Press plastic wrap against surface of dough and refrigerate 1-2 hours.
• Scrape chilled dough onto a floured surface and sprinkle flour over the top of the dough.
• Press dough into a rectangle about twice as long as it is wide.
• Starting at the narrow edge farthest from you, firmly press dough with a rolling pin in parallel strokes close to each other.
• If there are sticky pieces of butter on the surface of the dough, seal them with a pinch of flour.
• Clean off anything stuck to the rolling pin before continuing.
• Repeat pressing motion from the close to the farther narrow end of dough.
• Press once in the width. You should now have a 1/2 inch thick rectangle.
• Sprinkle flour under and on top of dough.
• Roll away back in length, and once in the width, without rolling over ends, to make a rectangle 18 inches long and 8 inches wide.
• Fold the two narrow ends in toward the middle, leaving a 1 inch space in the center.
• Fold top to bottom to form 4 layers.
• Reposition dough so folded edge is on your left.
• Repeat rolling and folding procedure.
• Wrap in plastic and refrigerate a minimum of 2 hours and a maximum of 12 hours before using.
• Use in the Danish pastry recipe of your choice.

CREAM CHEESE PASTRY DOUGH

Steps:

• In a food processor blend the butter, the cream cheese, the flour, and the salt, pulsing the motor, until the dough just begins to form a ball, gather the dough into a ball, and flatten slightly. Dust the dough with flour and chill it, wrapped in plastic wrap, for 1 hour. The dough may be made 1 day in advance and kept wrapped well and chilled.

PASTRY DOUGH

Steps:

• Blend together flour, butter, and salt in a bowl with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor) just until mixture resembles coarse meal with some small (roughly pea-size) butter lumps. Drizzle 3 tablespoons ice water evenly over mixture and gently stir with a fork (or pulse) until incorporated.
• Squeeze a small handful of dough: If it doesn't hold together, add more ice water, 1/2 tablespoon at a time, stirring (or pulsing) until incorporated. Do not overwork dough, or pastry will be tough.
• Turn out dough onto a work surface. Divide dough into 4 portions. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once or twice in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather all dough together with pastry scraper. Press into a ball, then flatten into a 5-inch disk.
• Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill until firm, at least 1 hour.

PASTRY DOUGH

Steps:

• Cut butter into 1/2-inch cubes.
• To blend by hand:
• Blend together flour, butter, shortening, and salt in a bowl with your fingertips or a pastry blender until most of mixture resembles coarse meal, with rest in small (roughly pea-size) lumps. Drizzle 2 tablespoons ice water evenly over and gently stir with a fork until incorporated.
• To blend in a food processor:
• Pulse together flour, butter, shortening, and salt in a food processor until most of mixture resembles coarse meal, with rest in small (roughly pea-size) lumps. Add 2 tablespoons ice water and pulse 2 or 3 times, or just until incorporated.
• Test mixture:
• Gently squeeze a small handful: It should hold together without crumbling apart. If it doesn't, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring or pulsing 2 or 3 times after each addition until incorporated (keep testing). (If you overwork mixture or add too much water, pastry will be tough.)
• Form dough:
• Turn out onto a work surface and divide into 4 portions. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather dough together and form it, rotating it on work surface, into a disk. Chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 1 hour.