Shortcrust pastry experts - help please

[Deleted User]

I never make pastry for just one person I make it up and any left over goes into the freezer wraped in clingfilm, keeps brilliantly in there untilanother day

bouicca21

once you've rubbed the flour and fat together you can store it in the fridge for ages and just use what you need when you need it - a homemade pastry mix.

In case it isn't obvious, always use cold water when you make it into pastry.

JIL

I nearly didn't read this thread as I am not an expert.:rotfl:
I just use half fat to flour, the fat is either stork or clover, rubbed into plain flour a little salt. Then I make it into a dough with cold water.
I then roll it out straight away, not sure if it would make a good pie topping, but it makes a good quiche.

I have never been keen on shortcrust on a pie, I prefer a suet crust or a home made rough puff.

Gem-gem

Yes, as the others have said, cold water, cold hands is the best.
I have never cooled the flour.
Try and handle as little as possible. (I often use a food processor these days for speed, but was taught to make it on-a cold work surface, making a well, pouring some water in and then moving our fingers tips in a circular motion, drawing the sides of the well into the water and mixing it in).
Add water a little at a time until correct consistency.
Best to let it rest overnight in a bowl with a dusting of flour and clean tea-towel or cling film.

[Deleted User]

how did you get on with it misty?

purpleybat

JackieO wrote: »

I never make pastry for just one person I make it up and any left over goes into the freezer wraped in clingfilm, keeps brilliantly in there untilanother day

i too make pastry in the food processor, probably the only thing I use it for. my sister uses one of those pastry cutter thingies, looks a bit like a stubby potato masher.
cos I use the processor I make it in fast amounts and freeze it in portions, might as well clean it after 5 batches than one.
I use plain flour with butter and lard, I find it makes a 'crisper' pastry.

KxMx

I do the cold hands and cold water method.

Then I wrap in cling film and place in the freezer, checking every 30/45 seconds.

Another tip that I haven't tried yet is to put your baking dish in the fridge ahead of time, getting it out when you're ready to use it, so another layer of cold.

Wizzbang

LameWolf wrote: »

I use all butter, and mix the pastry in the food processor as my hands are too arthritic to mix by hand; usually comes out ok.
I will try the fridge trick though - as long as I'm organised enough to allow myself time!!

No, no, no, no, no You must use 1/2 butter, 1/2 lard to get crisp pastry. They even proved this on the most recent episode of Food Unwrapped on C4. Matt Tebbutt did an experiment with a 1940s style cafe owner. Lard is actually healthier for you too, contain vastly more Vit D than butter even. Best of all, it's dirt cheap and suitable for those with milk allergies.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

I cut the fat in with a knife then quickly swirl it about to soak up the water, tosh the crumby, slightly sticky lumps into a rough blob onto a big piece of clingfilm, tip the crumbs on top, press it together and dump in the fridge whilst I have a cuppa.

When I come back, I'll roll it between two sheets of clingfilm to make sure it's well combined, roll it out properly, peel the top layer off and upend it after pushing through the remaining layer of clingfilm. If you don't do clingfilm, I would think that greaseproof will work just as well.

I'll use whatever fat(s) are in the fridge for it and haven't had any problems so far.

PS, Whizzbang - lard isn't suitable for vegetarians like LW. I suppose she could use half of a hard vegetable fat/ice cold coconut oil, but I've never had problems with all butter, as long as the butter is incredibly cold - which can easily be straight from the freezer, as the OH appears to have an inescapable compulsion to leave all fats out on the counter to melt into goop. :cool:

JIL

I know you wanted advice re shortcrust pastry but we had been travelling in the car on Monday listening to Chris Evans, he had been talking about Cornish pasties and husband had fancied them all week so today I made some.

I used a rough puff pastry and it probably the best pastry I have ever made and was not difficult.

I weighed out 250 grams of strong plain flour, a little salt and then grated a straight from fridge block of butter 250grams, into the flour, made it into a dough with 150 MLS cold water. Did the rolling out and folding over a few times and chilled it in the fridge.
It made 7 pasties. The pastry was really good, really easy to work with.