CHAPTER 7: PASTRY

Various types of pastries are used in the preparation of sweet and savory dishes in the bakery and
confectionery. These include:

1. Short crust pastry

2. Flaky pastry
3. Puff pastry
4. Danish pastry
5. Choux pastry
6. Rough puff pastry
7. Hot water pastry

SHORT CRUST PASTRY

Short crust pastry is a mixture of flour, fat, sugar and sometimes egg and milk. The flour should have
low gluten content, one that is milled from soft wheat flour. The fat will reduce the extensibility of
the gluten that is it makes the gluten strands shorter….hence the term shortening for the fat used in
the bakery and the term short crust pastry. The usual method of making short crust pastry is by the
rub-in method. Chilled fat or butter is rubbed into the sieved flour so that it is finely dispersed and
resembles a sandy or bread crumb like texture. The fat forms a thin layer or coating on the glutenin
and gliadin molecules, without turning the fat into a continuous paste. Cold water is sprinkled over
the mixture to form smooth dough. The ratio of fat to flour is normally 1:2, but the fat can be
increased to equal the flour to obtain a rich dough. This dough would be very difficult but not
impossible, to work with. Pate Sucre is a sweet version of this pastry and sugar is creamed with
butter before the flour and the moisture is added. The ratio of sugar fat and flour is 1:2:4. Various
sweet and savoury products are made with short crust pastry. It forms the base of several pies, tarts,
flans and also products like cheese straws and turnovers. Few precautions must be taken when
making short crust pastry. It is important not to work the dough too much as it will get tough due to
the development of gluten. This can also happen when scrapings and trimmings are added to the
dough and re worked. The use of too much flour for dusting will also alter the ratio of the mixture
and cause toughening as the extra flour proteins – glutenin and gliadin - does not have a coating of
fat around it, and thus come together to form gluten.

Some faults in Short Crust Pastry

Hard or tough pastry is due to too much liquid or too little fat. It is also probably due to over
mixing.
- A soft and crumbly pastry is due to too little water for the binding, too much fat or the use of
self raising flour instead of plain flour.
- A shrunken pastry is due to excess stretching during rolling.
- A soggy pastry is the result of the filling in the product being too moist.
LAMINATED PASTRY

This category of pastry includes Puff, Flaky, Rough Puff and Danish Pastry.

Puff and Flaky are two of the most remarkable products of the Bake Shop. Although they are similar
products, they are made differently and it is almost impossible to tell which is. Puff is referred to as
the French method whereas the English refer to it as Flaky pastry. The Scots have their own version
and call it Rough Puff Pastry. The flour used for laminated pastry must be of high gluten content so
that it will stand up to the manipulation involved in building up the laminated structure. Butter is the
preferred fat because of its flavour and melt in the mouth quality. Special pastry margarine is also
available. It has a low moisture content and good creaming value…ideal for this kind of pastry. This
product is easy to work with as it does not get too hard in the refrigerator. A weak acid solution such
as lemon juice or cream of tartar is added to the dough, as it will confer greater extensibility to the
gluten.

Puff pastry has equal amounts of fat and flour. A dough is made with flour, salt, and the lemon juice.
After allowing it to rest, the dough is rolled out into a square and the creamed block of fat is placed
in the centre. The dough is then folded around the fat and it is refrigerated for a while. The dough is
then rolled into a rectangle about ½ “thick. Fold the two ends to the centre and then into half (book
fold). Make sure that the edges /corners are even. Refrigerate/rest the dough to relax the gluten. Do
not refrigerate for too long as the fat will harden. Now turn the dough 90° on the table so that the
length now becomes the breadth. This step must be repeated before subsequent rollings so that it
helps to stretch the gluten in all directions, not just lengthwise. Failure to do this will result in the
product that shrinks unevenly when they are baked. Repeat the rolling and folding a total of four
times. The dough is now ready to be rolled out for the final shaping and cutting.

Flaky pastry is a similar product. The dough is similar but the amount of fat is only 2/3 that of the
flour. The fat is creamed into a homogenous mass and divided into three parts. The dough is rolled
out into a rectangle about ½ “thick. One third of the fat is then spread onto 2/3rd of the dough
surface. The dough is then folded into three so that there are alternate layers of fat and dough. The
dough is then rested/refrigerated to relax the gluten. The process is repeated twice more to use up
all the fat and then once again without fat (blind fold). Remember to rest the dough between each
rolling. The pastry is now ready for the final make up.

Khari biscuits, vol-au-vents, cream horns, cheese straws, meat and vegetable puffs are some of the
sweet and savory products made with puff and flaky pastry.

Rough Puff pastry is the Scottish answer to Puff and Flaky pastry. This is the quickest method of
making a laminated pastry. Old books describe it as the Blitz method, the term being derived from
the German Blitzen. Meaning lightening. In this method, the fat is mixed into the sieved flour in
pieces, the size of walnuts. A dough is made using water and a little lemon juice, without using too
much pressure so that the fat does not completely blend into the dough. The dough is then rolled
out like the Flaky pastry method and the process is repeated two more times. The dough is now
ready for rolling cutting into the desired shape
When laminated pastries are baked, the fat melts and forms oil layers between the layers of dough,
preventing them from sticking to each other. As the heat penetrates into the product, the water in
the dough layers changes into steam and pushes the lubricated leaves of dough apart. This produces
an increase in the volume of the dough. Later, the gluten in the flour coagulates while the water is
dried out so that by the time the pastry is properly cooked, it is able to retain its distended puffy
volume. The temperature of the oven has an important role to play in the success of this product.
The temperature must be hot enough to generate the steam required.

Danish pastry is a rich, sweet and fermented dough. The fat is laminated into the dough and
therefore, Danish is also considered a laminated pastry. A ferment of yeast, sugar, eggs and milk is
added to the flour to make a soft dough. After resting and knocking back the dough, it is then rolled
into a rectangle and the fat spread evenly. The dough is then cut into three uneven sizes and a spool
is made….that is….rolling the smallest into the medium and then that into the largest piece of dough.
The dough is wrapped into a moist cloth and refrigerated for 15-20 minutes. It is then rolled and cut
into the desired shapes. Egg wash is applied and the product is allowed the second prooving and
then is baked at 200°C for 20 minutes. The pastry is brushed with sugar syrup after baking.

Croissants, windmills, turnovers, napoleons, and breakfast Danish are products.

CHOUX PASTRY

The French term for this pastry Pate a choux literally means cabbage paste, because the profiteroles
and cream puffs made from this pastry resemble little cabbages. These are hollow shells which have
a crisp and brittle texture. They are then filled with a variety of fillings both sweet and savoury –
including creamed cheese, fresh cream, crème patissiere, fish, and meat pate. Water, butter and salt
are boiled together and then the flour is added in to form a partly gelatinised paste. It is mixed
vigorously with a wooden spoon and then cooked once more till the mixture has a shiny appearance
and leaves the sides of the pan. Beaten eggs are added gradually to the paste, beating continously to
form a smooth pliable and piping consistency mass. It is then piped into the desired shapes –
rosettes, fingers or balls. Choux paste is baked at 200°C so as to achieve maximum rise. The
temperature is then reduced to 150C to dry out the shells and to obtain the crisp and brittle texture.
During the baking, the products should not be subjected to unnecessary movements, otherwise the
structure will collapse. Shells can be stored in airtight containers and used as and when required.
Eclairs, Cream Puffs, Duchesses, profiteroles and cream puffs are all choux pastry based items.

HOT WATER PASTRY

This is also known as the cooked pastry and is seldom used these days. It is a lean dough made by
cooking the flour, salt and a little fat in water to a paste. This paste is then used to line the sides of
pie tins, using the hands to apply the mixture, the filling was then placed inside the tin and then
covered with more of the paste. After baking, the dough was often discarded and it was more like a
protective layer over the filling. Welsh miners oven carried their food wrapped in this pastry to work.
At lunch time, the pastry was broken open and the filling- meat or fish - was consumed. Cornish
Pasties, a traditional Welsh favorite was originally made with Hot Water Pastryaa
MAIN INGREDIENTS OF PASTRY
Flour
The flour used in pastry making is weak to medium strong. This type of flour requires a longer
fermentation period, yet has a better tolerance for extended work on the bench, especially for
doughs such as puff or Danish which require multiple rolls and folds.

Shortening/Fat
Lard was probably the first fat used in pastry making, but has fallen out of favour for health reasons.
Pure butter gives pastry a rich flavour and colour and a crisp texture, but it can be difficult to handle.
Most bakers use a combination of butter and hard margarine to achieve a balance of good buttery
colour and flavour with the short, flaky texture provided by the margarine. Unsalted butter is
preferable because it has a lower water content and the amount of salt can be controlled.

Liquid
Most pastry is bound with water, although milk or other liquids can be used. Fresh milk is acceptable
to use in any formula.

Sugar
It is used to both sweeten the final pastry and create a crisper texture. A teaspoon or two is often
added to savoury doughs, because the sugar helps the pastry to colour. The most common sugar
used is the white granulated type. This yields the finest product.

Eggs
They are added for richness in texture and flavour, and because they help bind all the ingredients
together. Eggs improve the handling and quality of the dough.

Yeast
Yeast content is increased in pastry dough because of the high sugar content.

Spices & Additives

A little grated orange or lemon rind should add just the right flavour to your pastry. Flavouring such
as vanilla, almond can be used to enhance the dough, as can spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg,
ginger or cardamom.

PASTRY FAULTS

A) SHORT CUT PASTRY

Hard or tough pastries: Too much liquid, less fat, over handling of dough or insufficient rubbing of
fat.
pastries too crumbly: Too much fat, less liquid and/or excess baking powder.
Shrunk pastries: Excess stretching during rolling and shaping or pastry dough not allowed rest.
Soggy pastries: Moist or liquidy filling.
B) CHOUX PASTRY
Pastries does not rise: Oven too cold.
Sinking of pastries after removing from oven: Excess of eggs or under baking of pastries.

C) HOT WATER PASTRY

Cracked pastries: Insufficient liquid; too little kneading of dough; liquid not boiling when flour is
being added.
Dry and difficult to mold pastries: Liquid not boiling when adding flour; too much liquid.
Hard pastries: Insufficient fat or liquid.
Heavy pastries: Insufficient baking powder.
Tough pastries: Over-handling of pastries and/or insufficient fat.

D) PUFF PASTRY
Too few layers: Less number of folds; dough not sufficiently chilled while rolling; heaving rolling
causing fat to break through and mix with the dough
Fat running during baking: Fat not chilled after each folding and/or oven too cold.
Hard or tough pastries: Insufficient liquid used while making dough; too strong a flour used; excess
flour used while dusting; dough not covered while resting; cool oven
Shrunken pastries: Over stretching of pastry while rolling; pastry not rested before baking
Uneven rise of pastries: Fat unevenly incorporated; uneven rolling.

RECIPE

Principles Of Bread Making

Fermented, made light by a ferment, yeast being usually employed.
Unfermented, made light by the introduction of air into the dough or batter.
Fermented bread is generally made by mixing flour, water, salt, fat, and yeast to a dough, a
small amount of sugar being added to hasten fermentation. The dough is kneaded until it is
elastic to the touch and does not stick to the board, the object being to incorporate air, and
to distribute the yeast uniformly. It is then covered, and allowed to rise until it has doubled
its bulk, and does not respond to the touch when tapped sharply, but gradually and
stubbornly begins to sink. At this stage, the dough is “ripe,” and ready to be worked down. It
will require all the way from two to three and a half hours to rise, depending on the grade
and consistency of the flour used, and the temperature of the room in which it is set. This
process is best accomplished at a temperature ranging from 750 to 85° Fahrenheit. The
bread is then worked down well, turned over in the bowl, and left to rise until about three
fourths its original bulk. It is again worked down and allowed to rise the third time, to half or
two thirds its original bulk. Then it is turned out on a board, worked together, molded into
loaves, and put into pans for baking. The third rising is sometimes dispensed with ; but it
gives such a good grain to the loaf, thus improving both the shape and the texture of the
loaf, that most housewives will favor it after a trial.
Bread is also made by setting a sponge at the beginning, making a batter of the water, the
yeast, and part of the flour, and letting it rise until it is light, then adding the remaining
ingredients, and working all into a dough. Bun and cracker dough is usually set with a
sponge, as they require a very fine and light texture, which is best obtained by this method.
Ordinary white and entire wheat breads are often made by the same process. A sponge is
light enough when it appears frothy and full of bubbles. The time required will vary with the
quantity and quality of yeast used, and with the temperature of the room in which it is set
to rise.
Bread made from entire wheat or Graham flour must be watched more closely than that
made from white flour, as it rises in less time than white bread, and the gas escapes from
the dough more easily. Entire wheat bread, furthermore, must not be permitted to rise so
light in the pans as white flour bread. Care in this respect will preserve in the bread that
sweet, nutty, wheat flavor which is so characteristic of bread made from the entire grain,
but which will be lacking if the loaves rise too light in the pans.
MOLDING THE LOAVES
In molding the loaves, it is necessary that each loaf be kneaded well. If the dough is put into
the pans in soft loaves,— soft because they were not kneaded enough,— the bread will rise
flat on the top instead of rounded, and is likely to fall when placed in the oven. Each loaf
should be kneaded into a hard roll, then flattened down, and rolled up into a hard roll. Put
into oiled pans, and brush the top of each loaf with an oiled brush, to pre-vent a crust from
drying on while the bread is rising.
PROVING THE LOAVES
It is very important to know when the dough is sufficiently light after it has been placed in
the pans. It should never be allowed to rise to its limit before it is put into the oven, but
should continue to rise for the first ten minutes afterwards. It is far better to bake the bread
a little too soon than to let it get too light. If it is permitted to rise too much in the pans, it
will be coarse-grained and rather tasteless. If, however, the loaves get too light in the pans,
they may be molded over and put to rise again. To test the lightness of the dough in the
pans, press the loaf gently with the index finger. If it responds promptly to the pressure of
the finger, it may be left to rise more; but if it responds weakly, it should be placed in the
oven immediately.
BAKING
Bread should be baked in a quick oven to begin with. The oven should not be so hot as to
burn the outside of the loaf before the inside is cooked, but should be of such a
temperature that the bread may rise for the first ten minutes, and then have sufficient crust
to hold it up, when the fire should be closed up to hold a steady heat until the bread is
done. For the small loaves, forty to forty-five minutes is generally sufficient; for the larger
ones or those of ordinary size, one hour to an hour and a quarter. A well baked loaf may be
lifted from the pan and placed upon the palm of the hand without burning it. This should
always be the case when bread is well baked and the moisture evaporated. When done,
remove from the pans and lay on the side on a wire rack to cool. If brushed over the top
with warm water just after it is taken out of the oven, the crust of the bread will keep softer,
and will have a nice color.
It is well to remember that when yeast bread is set warm, it must be kept warm throughout
the rising, as, if it becomes chilled after it begins to work, it will be “sickly,” and is likely to
sour. When a sponge or dough is set at night, it should always be set with cold water, about
65° or 70°, or about the temperature of the room. Bread set at night, furthermore, requires
only half as much yeast as is used for bread set during the day. Night bread is usually set
with a sponge, the amount of flour used being about the same by measure as that of the
liquid. By morning, it will be lively, and when mixed into a dough, will rise very quickly
without any warming.
role of each ingredient in bread making
Flour
The flour used for bread making should have a creamy white colour; it should feel slightly
coarse when rubbed between the fingers. If squeezed into a lump in the hand, it should fall
apart as soon as the hand is opened. The protein content s\of the flour should be high.
Yeast
After flour, yeast is the next important ingredient for bread making.
Yeast is a unicellular microscopic plant. It consists of a cell wall, protoplasm and vacuole. It
requires food, moisture and right temperature for its growth and reproduction. They
reproduce by budding.
There is no organism known other than yeast which contains the same combination of
enzymes in the same proportion. That is why there is no substitute for yeast as a fermenting
enzyme.
(Enzymes are minute substances produced by living organisms which by its mere presence
are capable of bringing bout or speeding up certain changes. The enzyme itself is neither
destroyed nor changed.)

The most important enzymes which take part in the fermentation process are invertase,
maltase, zymase and protease. (Fermentation is the process by which yeast acts on sugar
and changes then into carbon dioxide gas and alcohol. The release of gas produces the
leavening action. The alcohol evaporates completely during and immediately after baking.
The sugar in bread dough comes from two sources-
a. It is added to the dough by the baker.
b. It is produced from flour by the breakdown of starch into sugar by enzymes present in the
flour. α and β amylase.
Invertase – Converts sucrose or cane sugar into simple sugar known as invert sugar which is
a combination of dextrose (glucose) and fructose.
Maltase – It converts maltose sugar into dextrose (glucose) which is directly fermentable by
yeast.
Zymase – It is actually the specific fermenting enzyme in yeast. Zymase attacks dextrose and
is converted into carbon dioxide, alcohol and very small amounts of glycerin, lactic acid, and
acetic acid. All these impart the particular flavor to bread.
Protease – this enzyme has a mellowing action on flour proteins, thus making he gluten
strands more stretchable for bread to acquire volume and form structure

.
As yeast is a living organism and is sensitive to temperatures.
Storage temperature - 1°C - 4°C Inactive
15°C - 20°C Slow action
20°C - 32°C Best growth
32°C Reaction slows down
60°C Yeast is killed

Sucrose Invertase Dextrose + Fructose

Maltose Maltase Dextrose + Dextrose
Dextrose Zymase Carbon dioxide + alcohol
(Glucose) Succinic + lactic + acetic acid + glycerin

Yeast is available in 3 forms:

1. Fresh yeast / Compressed / wet yeast is moist and perishable.
2. Active dry yeast is a dry granular form of yeast. It has to be activated before use, i.e. it has
to be rehydrated in 4 times water its weight of warm water before use.
3. Instant dry yeast is also a dry granular form of yeast, but it does not have to be dissolved
in water before use. It can be added in its dry form because it absorbs water much more
quickly than regular dry yeast.
Compressed yeast should be used 2-2.5 times more as compared to dry yeast.

Sugar:-
The main function of sugar in bread making is to provide for yeast which in turn produces
carbon dioxide. It helps in enhancing the flavor of bread. Being hygroscopic, sugar helps to
retain moisture in bread.
It contributes to the golden brown outer crust colour of bread.
Apart from the sugar added in the formula, sugar is present in the fermenting dough as a
result of the diastase activity. This sugar provides food for yeast at a certain time at the final
stage of fermentation. It also imparts bloom to the bread.
Fat:-
Fat is used in bread making at the rate of 1-2%. Fat adds nutritive value to the bread. It acts
as a lubricant on the gluten strands, thus improves the extensibility which enables the bread
to acquire good volume. Fat also helps to retain moisture in the bread and thus its
sliceability. Fat should be added during the last stages of mixing. If it is added in the
beginning, it will have an adverse effect on water absorption power of the flour.

Salt:-
Sat imparts taste to the bread. It also helps in bringing out the flavour in bread. Is has a
controlling effect on the yeast activity and thus keeps the speed of fermentation under
check. Salt has a tightening action on flour proteins thus improving the gas retention power
in the dough. Salt being hygroscopic, it helps to keep bread fresh and moist for a longer
period of time. The colour of the crust is largely dependant on the amount of salt added
while making the dough. That means if there is less salt in the dough, yeast action will be
more than normal and there will be less sugar for caramelisation resulting in poor crust
colour. On the other hand if more salt is present, there will be more sugar left at the time of
baking due to the controlling effect of salt on yeast and the crust colour will be dark.
The amount of sugar in a bread recipe varies between 1.25% - 2.5% depending on the
strength of the flour, length of fermentation time, etc.
Water:-
Any water which is fit to drink can be used for bread making. Water binds together the
insoluble proteins of flour to form gluten.

STEPS IN BREAD MAKING

All yeast products can be categorized into – lean dough products, rich dough products and
rolled-in yeast dough products.
Lean Dough products are low in fat and sugar. E.g. bread rolls, French bread, brown bread,
pizza, etc.
Rich Dough products are those that contain higher proportions of fat, sugar, eggs, etc. E.g.
Brioche, sweet buns, etc.
Rolled-in dough products are those in which fat is incorporated into the dough in many
layers by using a rolling and folding procedure. E.g. Crossaints, Danish pastry, etc.
There are 12 basic steps in the production of yeast breads. They are:-

1. Scaling ingredients
2. Mixing
3. Fermentation
4. Knockback
5. Scaling
6. Rounding
7. Intermediate proving
8. Panning / make – up
9. Proofing
10. Baking
11. Cooling
12. Storing
1. Scaling:-
All ingredients must be accurately weighed. Water, milk and eggs must be measured by
volume. Special care must be taken while measuring spices, salt, etc.
2. Mixing:-
Mixing the dough has three main purposes-
1. To combine all ingredients into a uniform smooth dough.
2. To distribute the yeast evenly throughout the dough
3. To develop gluten.
The dough could be made by hand or machine. When water is added while making the
dough, gluten and gliadin join together to form gluten. Initially this gluten does not have
much elasticity as it absorbs more water, along with proper kneading, the texture improves,
the surface of the dough becomes smooth, the surface may show some round coin shaped
gas bubbles trapped under a thin film of dough. A small piece of correctly mixed dough can
be stretched between fingers into a thin translucent film.

3. Fermentation:-
Fermentation is a process by which yeast acts on the sugars and starches in the dough to
produce carbon dioxide and alcohol.
Gluten becomes smoother and more elastic during fermentation.
The temperature should be between 28°C - 30°C and the relative humidity at 70% to 75%
and time for fermentation is decided according to the strength of the flour and the recipe.
If the dough is allowed to over ferment (old dough), the dough becomes soft and sticky and
the gluten strands will weaken.
An underfermented dough (green dough) will produce a bread with less volume and texture
will be close and compact. The bread will dry out soon and will be crumbly due to
insufficient conditioning of gluten.

4. Knock-back (Punching):-
After the dough is fermented for 2/3rd of its estimated time, it is knocked back.
Knock back helps to expel carbon dioxide, relaxes the gluten, redistributes the yeast for
further growth and equalizes the temperature throughout the dough. It also exposes the
yeast cells to fresh oxygen.
Punching is not hitting the dough with your fist, but deflating the dough.

5. Scaling / Dividing:-
Using a baker’s scale, divide the dough into pieces of the same weight according to the
product being made.
During scaling allowance is made for weight loss due to evaporation of moisture in the oven.
The weight loss is approximately 10% - 13% of the weight of the dough. Allow 50g – 65g per
500g.
Scaling should be done rapidly and efficiently to avoid overfermentation.

6. Rounding:-
After scaling, the pieces of dough are shaped into smooth round balls. Rounding simplifies
the later shaping of the dough and also helps to retain gases produced by the yeast (pulling
and breaking of the dough should be avoided as it disturbs the trend of gluten strands
thereby affecting the final texture of the product. It is desirable to cut the dough with a
regular dough cutter).

7. Intermediate proving / Benching:-

Rounded portions of the dough are allowed to rest for 20-30 minutes. This relaxes the
dough to make shaping of the dough easier. Fermentation continues during this period.

8. Moulding / Panning / Make-up:-

The dough, soft and pliable after the intermediate proving is moulded as per the desired
shape.
Proper make up is of critical importance. All gas bubbles should be expelled during
moulding. Bubbles left in the dough will result in large holes in the product. The dough
should not be moulded too tight or too loose. Too tight moulding may tear off the surface
and too loose moulding will open up the texture to an undesirable extent.

9. Proofing:-
Proofing is a continuation of the process of yeast fermentation that increases the volume of
the shaped dough. The temperature (27°C - 30°C) and 70% - 80% humidity of the proofing
cabinet will help the dough to double in size without the formation of a crust.

10. Baking:-
After the bread has acquired full volume, it is baked. The temperature and humidity of the
oven should be well maintained.
When bread is kept in the oven, is acquires heat gradually. Due to the increase in
temperature, the yeast starts functioning vigorously producing gas which raises the volume
of the product. The difference in the size of the product from the time it was kept in the
oven to the time it is properly baked is known as oven-spring.
As baking proceeds, proteins coagulate and starch gets gelatinized. The product becomes
firm and holds shape.
Finally, the product acquires crust colour.
11. Cooling:-
After baking, bread must be removed from the moulds immediately and cooled on racks to
allow the escape of excess moisture and alcohol.
Sweating takes place when moisture gets trapped between the bread and the surface of the
mould which makes the bread soggy, technically known as sweating.
When the bread is hot, starch granules are in a swollen state and unstably held by the
gluten network. If bread is sliced in this state, the starch granules will lump together giving a
very poor appearance to the slice. As the bread cools down, the starch granules will shrink
and stabilize in the gluten framework thus making it easy to slice the loaf.

12. Storing:-
Breads to be served within 8 hours may be left on the rack. For longer storage, breads are to
be wrapped in moisture proof bags to retard staling. Breads must be thoroughly cooled
before wrapping