HELP! My pastry keeps shrinking!

hazzie123

Currently in the process of making some mince and onion pies,but when I blind bake the pastry base it keeps shrinking along the edge.

So far I`ve binned 3 pastry cases what were no good,what can be the cause of this?

It`s shortcrust pastry by the way.

thriftlady_2

I've seen professional chefs on the telly do this - they roll the pastry bigger than needed so that it stands up above the rim of the tin. When it cooks it naturally shrinks a little, but if it is still too high, they trim it with a shrp knife.

I always chill the pastry in the tin for half an hour before baking, this helps stop it shrinking.

Trow

You need to let pastry rest after it is rolled out and before it is baked, as it will 'relax' back slightly smaller than you originally rolled it.

I chill my pastry before I roll it, but I let it relax at room temperature after rolling, and it works for me.

hazzie123

Great advice,I havent been letting it relax after I`ve rolled it out and put in the pie cases.I`m also gunna leave a little extra on too,hopefully these two things will help.

Fankoo.

hazzie123

Grrrrrr I did all of the above and it came out perfect,then I dropped it on the floor.So I have given up the blind baking bit and just slung it all in and hoping for the best!

Ruby_Pudding

hazzie123 wrote:

Grrrrrr I did all of the above and it came out perfect,then I dropped it on the floor.

Forgive me but :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

pawpurrs

Baking beans help too, if you dont have them chick peas do the trick (dried ones) and you just re use them.

hazzie123

Well me sling it all in pie came out marvelous,I used those foil tin thingys and the base was cooked fine,so no need to of messed about trying to bake em blind.

I shall crack on with more pies throughout today.

And thank you to ruby pudding for laughing at my misfortune.:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

Addiscomber

So all's well that ends well. As for having to chuck out a couple of pie bases, you have learned from it, and HM pastry only costs pennies. Also remember that the person who never made a mistake never made anything at all.