Tips for pastry making

I have to admit that I only use ready-made pastry to make pie and tarts.  I alway find that making shortcrust pastry is too hard and time consuming.  I don't even dare to dream of making my own puff pastry.  Then things change when my mother-in-law spent Christmas with us last year and I saw her making a homemade turkey pie from step-by-step.  Once when you have tried making your own pastry, you could get addicted to it and it is such a satisfying and rewarding experience.  It tastes better and it costs less too!

I'm still a new learner from pastry making but I'd like to share some pastry making tips from my readings from cookbooks for future references.

Choosing equipment and utensils

1. A food processor is a must if you have hot hands as it mixes fat and flour evenly.  Make sure using "pulse"motion when adding liquids so that the dough will not be overworked and become tough.
2. Good solid baking sheets that won't buckle in the oven is important.  When choosing tart tins with removable bases, the heavier the better as the pastry will cook more evenly.  China and glass dishes give the dreaded soggy bottom.
3. Traditionally, fluted edges designated for sweet fillings and plain edges for savoury filling. 
4. A pie plates with a wide rim make a good crust for decorative edges.
5. There are varies pans such as tarte tatin pan, springform tins, patty tins, tarlet tins, mini muffin tins and Yorkshire pudding tins for special baking needs.  It's good to collect some of those in the pantry.
6. A marble slab to keep the pastry cool to work with if you need one.
7. Ceramic pie weights or dried beans, rice and pasta are needed for baking blind.

Tips for pastry making

1. The utensils and ingredients should be cold.  The butter should be hard and cut into medium sized cubes to blend with the flour in the processor until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.  
2. If mixing by hands, use only your finger tips and handle quickly and lightly to trap as much air as possible by lifting your hands high above the bowl and let the mixture fall back into the bowl through your finger tips.
3. Keep pastry board and rolling pin lightly dusted with flour to prevent sticking.  Brush off excess flour as too much flour is used making the pastry hard.
4. Water used in mixing must be very cold.  Pastry should be moist enough to handle without sticking to the hands.  
5. Roll pastry from centre outwards giving dough a half turn each time.  Never roll dough back and forth as this stretches pastry.
6. Rolling pastry directly on a piece of non-stick baking paper or cling wrap will help to prevent sticking.  If the pastry becomes soft, wrap in baking paper and place in the fridge before rolling out.
7. Use a sharp knife to trim pastry to get a clean edge.  Don't roll it too thin if you're beginner, just cook it a bit longer when you bake it blind.
8. There is no need to grease a tin before lining as there is sufficient fat in the pastry.  You can sprinkle some flour at the base of the pan.
9. To prevent pastry becoming soggy, brush bottom of pie case with egg white before baking.  You can scatter some bread or cake crumbs over the base to absorb some moisture from the filling.  Filling should be cooled before putting into the pan.
10. Baking blind means to partially or fully bake a pastry shell before filling with a mixture to prevent soggy bottom.  Line pastry with baking paper, weighted down with pie weight or dried beans to prevent it rising during cooking.
11. Pastry needs a hot oven so always have your oven pre-heated.  The contract between cold pastry and the hot oven causes air trapped in the dough to expand quickly, giving a crisp, light pastry.  Do not open the oven door at least after 5 minutes the pastry has been put in.
12. Use beaten egg yolk for glazing any savoury pastry and brush egg white and sprinkle sugar on top for sweet pastry.
13. If in doubt, chill the pastry as it helps to make crispy pastry.
14. Practise makes it perfect!  Keep looking for good recipes! 

Source:1. The CWA Cookbook - 70 years in the Kitchen

            2. Tarts - sweet and savoury by Maxine Clark

Baking Tips for Scones, Muffins, Cakes, Biscuits and Puddings

Over the years I have been living in Australia, Australian's Women's Weekly has been my guide providing useful information in recipes and cooking techniques.  I have found some useful information from one if its cookbook, "Mix" featuring classic to modern recipes in cakes, muffins, biscuits and puddings.  As I don't have baking recipes hand-down from grandmother as such, I have so much failure in baking that nearly put me off from baking.  It's only the sweet tooth keeps me to learn and search for better recipes and cooking technique.  I am not the best cook but I enjoy cooking as I believe food can bring people together.  If I find more useful information in the future, I will add more into this page.  If you know your oven, there will be more success, too.  Happy Baking!

Baking Tips

Scones - scones need a light touch, a cool kitchen and cold hands.  The quicker mixing the liquid into the dry ingredients, the lighter the scones.  When the recipes says using a knife to "cut" the liquid through the dry ingredients means don't stir.  Use the knife quickly and lightly draw the knife through the flour, so the dry ingredients are moistened as lightly as possible to prevent overworking which causes tough scones.

For soft scones, bake in a cake pan and for crunchy scones, use an oven tray.  It is cooked if it sounds hollow when tapped firmly on the top with fingers

Muffins and Friands - muffins become stodgy if the mixture is over mixed because it uses less oil.  For light muffins, barely mix the liquid into the dry ingredients and take no notice of the lumps.  Friands are made by egg white and almond meal, it is simple to make but it is best to be eaten on the day they're made.  To test if it is cooked, press lightly on to the top and if it feels springy, it is ready.

Cakes - cake should be mixed with electric beaters starting from low speed then increase to medium when the mixture is combined.  To test the cake is cooked, inset a skewer into the cake.  If it comes out clean, the cake is ready.  Generally, I always beat butter and sugar first till light and fluffy, then add in eggs and followed by the rest of dry ingredients.  Some cake recipes use melted butter and beat everything together such as cake using cooking chocolate.  For featherlight cakes such as sponge cake and chiffon cake, you need to separate eggs and beat the egg yolks and egg whites in different lots.  To remove bubbles from the cake mixture, gently tap the cake pan onto the bench.

Biscuits and Slices- if the mixture is not over beaten, biscuits should have the right shape and texture.  The longer the biscuits in the oven, the crunchy they are.  To test if a biscuit is cooked, push it gently with your finger, it is ready if it moves without breaking while it is still on the oven tray.  Biscuits will harden once they are cooled down.  Always cool slices in the pan before cutting into shapes.

Puddings - puddings can be boiled, steamed or baked, some come with self-saucing, some serve with separate sauce and some serve cold.

1. Boiled puddings are made with ingredients that take a long time to cook and it would not turn out well if the water ceases to boil.  Drop the pudding into boiling water if it is in a cloth or place boiling water 1/2 filled the saucepan if it is in a basin.  Keep a supply of boiling water to replace any water that has evaporated and do not lift the lid often.
2. Steamed puddings are for light spongy puddings.  Puddings should be covered by lids or baking paper.  Water must be kept gently boiling all the time and half way up the side of the basin.  Do not remove the lid any more than necessary.  Otherwise, the pudding may turn heavy and uncooked.
3. Baked pudding are milk puddings require slow and gentle cooking.  It is important to keep the oven at the right temperature.  Some puddings require to stand the dish in a large roasting tin of water.

Note: Further information on puddings are gathered from The CWA (Country Women's Association) Cookbook, 70 Years in the Kitchen