PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING

Hello Forumites! However well-intentioned, for the safety of other users we ask that you refrain from seeking or offering medical advice. This includes recommendations for medicines, procedures or over-the-counter remedies. Posts or threads found to be in breach of this rule will be removed.
We're aware that some users are experiencing technical issues which the team are working to resolve. Thank you for your patience.
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!

Making pastry

Options
145791033

Comments

  • Try using 2oz lard and 2oz butter or margarine and mix with cold water.
    Rub the fats into the flour and then mix with the cold water. Don't handle the pastry too much. When it's mixed together wrap the pastry in cling film and chill in the fridge for about half an hour. Then roll it out. Try not to handle it too much or the pastry goes hard.

    Mschappie
    What goes around - comes around
    give lots and you will always recieve lots
  • Mschappie is right - it's too "short" - you need to use half marg (Stork in a block or Echo) and half white fat (I don't like lard so I use a refined veg fat like Flora in a block). Make sure you chill it before rolling out. You can freeze any left overs - I cut out the rounds and stack them, they defrost very quickly when you ned them.

    Also - do you have a food processor? You can make very good pastry in one (I mostly use mine for this). Put the flour in the processor, chop the chilled fats up very small, whiz round till it resembles fine breadcrumbs then put it on a slow speed and drizzle in just enough water to make it bind together - take care, though, it takes less than you think. Then chill it, etc.

    HTH - Stella xx
  • Mschappie is right - it's too "short" - you need to use half marg (Stork in a block or Echo) and half white fat (I don't like lard so I use a refined veg fat like Flora in a block). Make sure you chill it before rolling out. You can freeze any left overs - I cut out the rounds and stack them, they defrost very quickly when you need them.

    Also - do you have a food processor? You can make very good pastry in one (I mostly use mine for this). Put the flour in the processor, chop the chilled fats up very small, whiz round till it resembles fine breadcrumbs then put it on a slow speed and drizzle in just enough water to make it bind together - take care, though, it takes less than you think. Then chill it, etc.

    HTH - Stella xx
  • I was once told by a pastry cook that the secret is never to rub all the fat into the flour, leave lumps. Resting is essential.

    When you go to roll it out you will need plenty of flour to stop the fat lumps sticking to the rolling pin. It looks as though it won't work but it does and I have always got great results. (Try 50/50 Trex and marge although I have made pasty with all Trex).
    There is always light within the dark
  • Queenie
    Queenie Posts: 8,793 Forumite
    You may find this thread useful:

    Help My Pastry is a Disaster ... HTH :D:D
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    PMS Pot: £57.53 Pigsback Pot: £23.00
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  • squeaky
    squeaky Posts: 14,129 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Made some mince pies today. I haven't made pastry for years, and it came out ok save for being a little on the crumbly side when I rolled it out. Could anyone tell me what I'm doing wrong? I used 8oz of plain flour, 4oz lard and 4 teaspoons water. Any advice gratefully received before I start on the next batch.

    I'd say not enough water. My trusty bero book says two tablespoons, which is about 30 mil (compared to twenty from your teaspoons).

    I simply add enough to make sure that the dough is soft and pliable.

    HTH :)
    Hi, I'm a Board Guide on the Old Style and the Consumer Rights boards which means I'm a volunteer to help the boards run smoothly and can move and merge posts there. Board guides are not moderators and don't read every post. If you spot an inappropriate or illegal post then please report it to forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. It is not part of my role to deal with reportable posts. Any views are mine and are not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.
    Never ascribe to malice that which is adequately explained by incompetence.
    DTFAC: Y.T.D = £5.20 Apr £0.50
  • squeaky
    squeaky Posts: 14,129 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    I have merged this question with an earlier thead (mentioned by Queenie a little earlier) so you might have to read it from the beginning again to catch up with all the advice offered. :)

    Good luck.
    Hi, I'm a Board Guide on the Old Style and the Consumer Rights boards which means I'm a volunteer to help the boards run smoothly and can move and merge posts there. Board guides are not moderators and don't read every post. If you spot an inappropriate or illegal post then please report it to forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. It is not part of my role to deal with reportable posts. Any views are mine and are not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.
    Never ascribe to malice that which is adequately explained by incompetence.
    DTFAC: Y.T.D = £5.20 Apr £0.50
  • Lara
    Lara Posts: 2,881 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    I want to make some sweet pastry for my mince pies (homemade mincemeat sitting and waiting to be used;) ). Can anyone tell me how much caster sugar I should add please? Thanks.
  • The only way I find that works is as follows: Measure your water into a jug and add it gradually, stirring the mixture with a fork-keep adding the water until the pastry more or less forms a ball with just a bit of flour left at the bottom of the bowl)(about a tablespoon or so). Now use your hands to form the pastry into a ball. I find this always works for me-I used to be AWFUL at pastry but now I get 100% sucess. I know this is not Mrs Normals method but it does work! The other thing I found is that what often ruined my pastry is that my hands were too warm. Chill the water you are using for half hour in the freezer if possible. Run you hands and wrists under the cold tap before you handle the pastry. This also helps as when the fat melts in the pastry mix it can go gooey if it gets too warm. Good luck-I do hope this helps.
    Annual Grocery budget 2018 is £1500 pa £125 calendar month £28.84 pw for 3 adults
  • HOLsale
    HOLsale Posts: 1,231 Forumite
    catkins wrote:
    Just don't seem able to get it right - either to dry or too wet - usually too dry. I add as much water as the recipes state, but it never seems to be enough, but if I add more it then seems to be too much even though I have only added a few drops. Where am I going wrong? Is there a foolproof method. It is annoying because apart from pastry I am not a bad cook.

    I made some today and when I went to roll it out it kept crumbling. I assumed it was too dry so tried to add more water but it was such a disaster I had to throw it away. I had already made a mixture for fillings (was going to make spicy chickpea pasties and cheese and onion pasties) so don't know whether to try again tomorrow or resort to buying frozen pastry

    ok here's my way of doing it. i hated pastry (both eating and making) until i started doing this. it probably breaks a dozen 'rules' for pastry making but it works and tastes very nice

    pour what you think is enough flour in a bowl (you'll be able to judge eventually, use your recipe as a guideline, then shut the book and put it away!)

    then cut off some butter slivers. i add a fair amount. you need to crumble the butter through the flour until it is all crumbly and has very few tiny tiny clumps and it should look pale yellow... oh and use self rising flour, makes a huge difference to the end product

    then add in just a bit of water at a time. the dough should be a bit sticky

    flour your rolling surface, wet your hands and the rolling pin and flour those too. roll out your dough adding a fine bit of flour as neccessary if it's too sticky

    try to roll it out as big as possible the first time as it gets tougher each time you roll it out (though it still is pretty good so don't worry yourself too much) then cut and use

    it's gorgeous and beautiful and i get compliments and now i actually EAT pie crusts when i can be bothered to make it. i was taught this by a chef and i'll be forever greatful for it... really lovely stuff

    about the water... add about 1/4 cup to start with then add a few tablespoons at a time until you've managed to scrape everything away from the sides of the bowl and again it should be a bit sticky

    good luck!
    founder of Frugal Genius UK (Yahoo Groups)
This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 350.7K Banking & Borrowing
  • 253K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 453.4K Spending & Discounts
  • 243.7K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 598.4K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 176.8K Life & Family
  • 256.8K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16.1K Discuss & Feedback
  • 37.6K Read-Only Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.