Freezing Pastry

Alison_B

I am going to do a batch of baking next week and I thought I would have a go at pies - both sweet and savoury, also I am going to try and make a steak pudding.

Firstly is the pastry different for sweet and savoury pastry? Secondly, when freezing, do I bake the pie first or freeze the pastry raw?

You can tell I haven't been a money saver long.;)

Thanks

Alison

Curry_Queen

Basic shortcrust pastry is half fat to flour (i.e. 2oz butter, 2oz lard, 8oz flour, pinch salt) and cold water to bind it together. Sweet pastry is made in the same way but adding 1oz sugar and an egg yolk.

You can freeze it either way, raw or cooked, and cook or re-heat from frozen.

Magentasue

I prefer freezing pies uncooked because then they taste like freshly cooked and you don't run the risk of burning the pastry to get the filling heated through.

You can line the tin with foil or clingfilm, freeze the pie and then lift out and put in a freezer bag or whatever. Then when you want to cook, just take out of bag and put back into original tin to cook. I don't bother lining them, just tip them out but it's easier if you doit properly!

THIRZAH

I use a suet pastry for steak pudding-4oz suet to 8oz self raising flour then cook it in my slow cooker for 6-8 hrs.I've never frozen this type of pastry-raw or cooked

For ordinary fruit or savoury pies I use short crust which I make with 2oz white vegetable fat e.g Trex, 2oz margarine and 8oz flour.I also freeze any scraps of left over short crust pastry (if not previously frozen) until I have enough for a pie.

Ticklemouse

You've just reminded me I have some frozen raw pastry in one of my freezers.

I WILL use up stuff in my freezers this month, give them a good clean and start again.

I WILL NOT fill every spare inch with food for a while.....(oooops, I have got about 257 litres of curry in the slow-cooker at the moment - anyone for tea?)

MATH

I also prefer to freeze my batch baking raw for the same reasons as posted above. I also freeze pastry in 8oz balls to defrost and roll out at will instead of dragging the kenwood out every time you fancy making cheese straws.

The most crumbliest and shortest pastry IMO is made using all lard as the fat and is perfect for mince pies etc. For savoury dishes I use half lard and half butter to give the pastry a bit more substance to compete with a heavier filling and make suet crust for real meaty dishes.

MATH

Any leftover pastry I use to make jam balls. Roll out individual blobs of pastry. Place a small splot of jam in the middle and bring the edges in to cover. Roll in the palm of ya hand to form a small cannon ball and bake until cooked. Leave on a plate where the kidz can see them and by magic they dissapear.

Curry_Queen

Ticklemouse wrote:

You've just reminded me I have some frozen raw pastry in one of my freezers.

Not again!!!! ... so have I LOL!

I WILL use up stuff in my freezers this month, give them a good clean and start again.

And me too!!!!

I WILL NOT fill every spare inch with food for a while.....(oooops, I have got about 257 litres of curry in the slow-cooker at the moment - anyone for tea?)

Ahhh had the curry the other night, you're falling behind sis!!

But I have got tins of beans and tuna (BOGOF 4 packs) in my bedroom, bags of flour (for all the home-baking I'm supposed to be doing) on top of the kitchen cupboards, freezer and cupboards full to busting ... sound familiar? :rotfl:

Ticklemouse

I'm James Martin's future wife ... only he doesn't realise it yet :j





I always liked Alan Coxon BTW - bought a Jamie Oliver cookbook at a charity stall last week and when I went to read it last night - it's a signed copy :j Never really fancied him though. As for my storage solutions - I have large shelving units in my garage, which is where I place all my stuff bought in bulk from Costco.

Mind you, could make more mince pies with the pastry - DS1 adores them, but no mincemeat left. Will have to loo out for it next time I hit Tesco - but do they do it out of season. And no, I'm not making my own. Last time, dad added too much brandy and instead of making about 2lb, we ended up with 12 1/2 lb of the stuff!

furrypig

Ticklemouse wrote:

(oooops, I have got about 257 litres of curry in the slow-cooker at the moment - anyone for tea?)

I am on my way up from Surrey for tea (or have I missed tea???, breakfast then). I will be bringing hubby kids and in laws that will help you get through it!

scared-i-jellyfish

I make a batch of crumble mixture - half fat to flour, sugar, but also add flaked almonds and ground almonds - wonderful on apple crumble. I keep it frozen raw in bags, ready to use when the apples in the fruit bowl look on the sad side. Having the crumble ready made makes a quick pudding - start to finish in half an hour!!!!!

:T