Pastries

The word pastry indicates paste, i.e., flour paste, even though mainly delicious preparations are associated with the term. When commonly used, the term pastry is used to identify a variety of baked products which are rich in fat. The pastry dough is tender mixture of fat, flour, salt and water. Some pastries like choux and rich short crust have addition of egg to it. Pastry making is an art by itself and takes a lot of practice to get perfect result. Pastry making is classified under 2 main headings: 1. Short Crust Pastry 2. Laminated Pastry I) Short Crust Pastry: In a short Crust Pastry, there should be a complete absence of hardness or toughness. The absence of toughness is brought about by the shortening of the gluten strands and hence it is known as short crust pastry. For shortening the gluten strand, fat is used. Due to greater affinity of water to fat than flour, and also because fat acts as a barrier between flour and water, the gluten development is hampered, as sufficient water is not available. The function of fat is to reduce the toughness of the gluten; the softer the flours the lesser the toughness to be overcome. The ratio of fat to flour varies depending on the method of making and on the strength of the flour even though a normal proportion of 50% fat to flour i.e., a ratio of 2:1 of flour is to fat is used. The shortenings also vary considerably in their ability to shorten; the higher the fatty acid content, the greater the shortening ability. Butter is an ideal shortening agent because apart from possessing a good shortening property, it also confers good flavour to the product. Blind Baking- When the pastry shell is baked without a filling it is known as blind baking. This is done to maintain the shape of the crust; the pastry base is covered with butter paper and dried beans are placed on it, or the pastry is docked before baking. Methods of Making Short Crust PastryA. Rubbing in Method: The fat is rubbed in all the flour till it is made into a breadcrumb texture and then water; egg or milk is used to form dough. The gluten has to be formed so that dough is formed, buttery not to develop gluten which is developed by over mixing. If developed, the pastry will be tough and flaky instead of being short. B. Creaming Method: This method is more suitable for large scale commercial production as rubbing in method is not suitable for large scale manufacture. Since large quantities are involved and machines are used, there are greater chances of gluten development. More fat is used in comparison to the rubbing in method. An equal weight of flour and fat is creamed together and then water, egg or milk is added to make dough. This method ensures complete dispersion of water in the

flour, thereby ensuring maximum shortening effect even if a fat of improper quality is used. C. Hot water Pastry Method: This is same as Rubbing in method, but hot water is used instead of cold water. The type of fat used also differs according to the receipe; for instance, oil maybe used in a strudel paste. Because hot water is used, some of the starch grains are gelatinized and this provides some toughness to the crust. D. Boiled Water Method: This method consists of boiling the water and fat together and stirring the flour so that the starch gelatinizes. The gelatinization of starch provides the toughness to the crust and it can be used for pies with most fillings. It does not crumble upon prolonged contact with moisture. This method is used for pork pies, meat pies or puddings. II) Laminated Pastry:

Laminated Pastry is a continuous laminated sheet with each layer possessing a degree of shortness which renders the baked pastry pleasing to eat, yet, does not destroy the continuity of the lamination and so renders it extremely friable/ fragile. The goods produced from laminated pastry should be very light and flaky, yet there should be shortness around the paste so that it gets crisp and is free from toughness and doughiness. It is a mechanical manipulation of the dough where, by continual sheeting and folding of the dough, a laminated structure is formed. Flakiness in laminated pastry is due to the layer of dough i.e., gluten embedded with starch grains which are separated by layers of fat. The fat prevents two layers of dough from merging with each other. The water in the gluten, on heating, gets converted to steam and the increase in volume produces the separation into layers and thereby flakiness. For laminated pastry, it is preferable to use strong flour, as greater the water absorption; there is increased steam production and better flakiness. Salt, besides adding to the taste, strengthens the gluten along with the lime juice. The Major Ingredients used for Laminated Pastry and their Functions: Flour flour used for laminated pastry has to be strong flour, so that a good strong gluten can be formed during kneading of the dough. It is the gluten which gives structure to the pastry. It enables the pastry to hold shape during rolling and folding. It prevents the pastry from tearing during rolling and folding. It prevents the escape of steam during baking and enables the layers of dough to rise with the rising steam without breaking under its pressure. Fat The fat used in laminated pastry helps in keeping the dough layers from sticking to each other, and also provides certain amount of moisture which can be converted to steam for raising the pastry.

Salt Salt improves flavour and taste of the pastry. It also helps in mellowing or conditioning the gluten in the dough. Acids like lime juice also help in mellowing the gluten, but are not absolutely necessary in making the laminated pastry. Water Water helps in dough formation and development of gluten. During baking, this water gets converted to steam, which pushes each layer of dough in the pastry upwards and separate from each other. Methods of making Laminated Pastry The Flaky Pastry method is also known as the English Method. The proportion of fat to flour is 3:2. The dough is made and then rolled out into a rectangle. 1/3 rd of the fat is applied to 2/3rd of the dough surface. It is then folded and rested in the fridge. This is repeated 2 more times till all the fat is finished. The last time, it is folded without fat. This has lesser fat content and also lesser number of layers than Puff Pastry. Flour used for laminated pastry has to be strong flour so that good strong gluten can be formed during kneading of the dough. I t is the gluten which gives structure to the pastry by1. enabling the pastry to hold shape during rolling and holding 2. Preventing the pastry from tearing during rolling and folding 3. By preventing the escape of steam during baking and enabling the layers of dough to rise with the rising steam without breaking under its pressure. The fat used in laminated pastry helps in keeping the dough layers from sticking to each other and also provides a certain amount of moisture which can be converted to steam for raising the pastry Salt improves the flavour and taste of the pastry. It also helps in mellowing or conditioning of the gluten in the dough. Acids like lime juice also help in mellowing the gluten. Water helps in the dough formation and development of gluten. During baking this water gets converted to steam which pushes each layer of the dough in the pastry upwards and separate from each other. Three Fold Turning The flap of dough containing no fat is brought up and p third of the dough is brought down. There are three layers of dough and two layers of fat. The paste is subjected to 3 single turns with fat, ensuring resting periods in between half turns. The last fold i.e., the fourth fold is a blind fold resulting in 78 layers of fat in all. Precautions to take while making Laminated Pastry 1. All ingredients should be as cool as possible especially the fat and water which maybe chilled. 2. The pastry should be made on a cool marble surface preferably in a cool room

3. The consistency of the dough and the chilled fat should be as similar as possible to ensure proper lamination. If the dough is hard and fat soft, the fat will ooze out of the pastry during rolling because of the pleasure of rolling or there will be a very thin layer of fat in the middle with accumulation of fat at the two ends. If the dough is soft and the fat hard (too chilled), then the hard pieces of fat will pierce the dough layers and cause the dough layers to merge. 4. Rolling should always be done with light strokes, starting from the centre; one stroke away from you and one stroke towards you, taking care to avoid ridges by overlapping the strokes. Never roll hard or with force as it may tear the layers or cause the pastry to shrink in the oven. 5. Fold the pastry carefully to get uniform layers. 6. After each rolling and folding, the pastry has to be rested in a refrigerator to set the layers of fat and to condition the gluten in the dough which stretches during rolling. Before resting, the pastry is wrapped in a moist cloth or grease proof paper to avoid skin formation. If sufficient resting is not allowed between each rolling and folding, fat may ooze out of the pastry because it becomes soft after each rolling and pastry may shrink in the oven because gluten shrinks in the heat if overworked or overstretched without sufficient conditioning in between. 7. Initially high temperature of the oven is necessary to convert moisture to steam for raising and for mellowing of the fat to be absorbed by the dough layers. A low initial temperature will result in an unrisen hard temperature. 8. An acid medium such as lemon juice or cream of tartar is added to laminated pastry while making the dough becausea) The acid makes the gluten in the flour more pliable and extensible and grooves the ability to retain stream. b) Acid reduced the layers, making them thinner and better baked. A] Puff Pastry:A good puff pastry product should puff generously and have an even surface, a uniform colour and a rich, delicate flavour that does not taste salty or overpower the taste of the filling. If the filling is baked, it should not be runny or scorched. The pastry should be flaky, tender and easily cut without breaking up into little pieces. The flour for puff pastry should be patent bread flour that yields good quality gluten. This type of flour is necessary to hold the large amount of fat that is incorporated into the dough. Soft flour, which has a low proportion of gluten will break down and form a paste with the fat. The fat for the dough must be one that contains some water (butter, margarine or puff pastry blends) and is firm and plastic enough to be rolled. Chill the dough for half hour before rolling; otherwise it will be too hard to roll because of its high fat content. Rest the dough between rolling to firm the fat and to relax the gluten, this will make the dough easier to roll. A little acid (lemon juice, cream of tartar or vinegar), added during the initial mixing of the dough, makes the dough easier to roll because it relaxes the gluten.

Puff pastries should be baked at a temperature of 205C to 210C; baking at lower temperature will not produce steam fast enough for a good leavening action. Baking at too high temperature will harden the dough too quickly and prevent its expansion. Docking or stippling the dough will prevent large blisters from forming during baking. The baked puff pastry dough is very delicate, flaky and tender because of its high fat content and the way the dough is prepared. There may be up to two layers of fat and dough, depending on the way the dough is rolled and the number of turns it is given steam is the leavening agent that causes the dough to puff between each rolled layer. The following points should be borne in mind while making puff pastry. 1. The first use after the pastry is made is the best to achieve the lightest, puffiest pastry. When using up scraps of puff pastry never knead them together but simply lay them on top of each other before rolling to keep the pastry in layers. To help prevent shrinkage always rest these scraps in a cool place for 2 to 3 hrs before using them. 2. Though good puff pastry can be made with margarine, using butter gives a better flavour. The combination of half butter and half margarine is the best. As butter softens more quickly than margarine, it may be necessary to put the pastry in the refrigerator after every two rolling. 3. Baking puff pastry shapes from frozen achieves good, evenly risen results. If time is short, chill the pastry in the refrigerator for at least 20 min before baking. 4. An egg beaten with a pinch of salt gives a shiny golden surface but never allow egg to dribble down the cut edge of puff pastry as it will prevent rising during baking. 5. Grease the baking tray to prevent the pastry or any filling from sticking. After greasing, splash with cold water to help the pastry from shrinking. III] Choux Pastry: This is one of the easiest pastries to make, a rich, thick batter into which eggs are beaten to make it rise. It is very versatile and many different types of filled pastries can be made from it. The mix can be baked into round puffs, profiteroles and fancy shapes for decorating other pastries. Cream puff mix is a cooked mix made from flour of good quality gluten. The proportion of the ingredients are exact as well as the procedure. The mixture is made in two steps. First water, salt and fat are brought to a roll boil and the sifted flour is added and mixed over the heat until it becomes a uniform mass and pulls away from the sides of the pan. Second the mix is transferred to a mixing bowl and allowed to cool a little. Egg are added slowly, a few at a time, until they are absorbed. The finished mix should be very smooth. In a Choux pastry, steam is the leavening agent, aided by the firming action of the egg. For product in which the mix is thinned with milk or water, additional leavening is needed in

the form of ammonium bicarbonate, baking powder or combination of both. When thinning choux pastry, use only a little liquid at a time. Once the mix is made too thin, it cannot be thickened with flour without ruining the mixture. After the last egg has been incorporated, the mix is piped out onto an ungreased baking sheet and baked in an oven first at 190C and then at 210C to 215C, until the shells are crisp. Raising the oven temperature during the cooking gives crisp well risen choux. The pastry should be thoroughly baked because any steam inside can make the pastry go soft when cold. When done, choux pastry should sound hollow and feel crisp, the shells should be allowed cool before they are filled. Do not over fill the shells. If the shells are not used the day they are baked, they should be covered in an airtight container and stored in the refrigerator. When finishing the shells with icing, use the bottom of the shell because it is much smoother than the top. The icing should be heavy enough to cover the cracks on that side of the shell. The shell may be sprinkled with powdered sugar just before service. Do not store finished shells in the refrigerator with powdered sugar on them because they will become soggy. Factors that control the Volume of Choux Pastry: Egg albumin is extensible and gets inflated by the internal pressure of the gases. Due to air and steam, the pastry increases in volume and expansion takes place when egg albumin fibres loose their extensibility and gas holding power. Thus the volume of Choux Pastry will depend only slightly upon the strength of the gluten in flour but largely on the gas holding power of egg protein/albumin. The flour to fat proportion for Choux Pastry is maintained by cooking together flour, butter and water, until the mixture leaves the sides. The eggs are then added later, one by one. The texture of the dough is smooth, to which egg is added to make a piping consistency. Choux Pastry is baked at a temperature of 375 F for the 1st fifteen minutes and then 350 F for about 30 minutes. Egs of Choux Pastry- Profite rolls, Chocolate Eclairs, Paris Brest Faults in Choux Pastry 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Mixture too soft Insufficient cooling of paste before adding eggs Eggs added too quickly Pastry does not rise self raising flour maybe used Oven too cold Too short baking time Slicing immediately after removing from oven Insufficient baking; further period of baking sometimes rectifies this defect

IV] Quick Flaky Pastry: -

Quick Flaky Pastry is uncomplicated, no trouble to roll out and handle, and tastes really crisp and flaky. A short cut version of the traditional puff pastry, it has a much higher percentage of fat than in short crust. The fat, which should be chilled till it is hard, is grated directly into the flour, eliminating the repeated processes of rolling out, folding over and half turning which makes the traditional flaky (puff) pastry so time consuming. This pastry will give a richer result when made with butter. V] Suet Pastry: This is the simplest of all pastries suet and flour is mixed into fairly soft dough with water. An egg is sometime added to enrich and give more colour, so the result looks rather like short crust. Suet crust is always made with self raising flour, because suet being a heavy fat the pastry needs a raising agent to aerate it and make it lighter. As it is made with self raising flour, it follows that suet crust should always be rolled out immediately because once the raising agent in the flour becomes damp it will begin to lose its raising power. This is one of the main reasons why the pastry cannot be made in advance. This pastry is ideal in making steak and kidney pie because it has the best possible flavour to match the pie. 6] Hot Water Crust Pastry: The fat is melted in equal amount of water and then added to double the quantity of flour, to make very pliable pastry which is used for raised pies, such as pork or game. It must be used warm, while it is still pliable.

Baking Failures
One of the most common failures is excess shrinkage of the crust. The two chief causes of shrinkage are mixing the dough too long and overworking the dough. Remember - handle the pastry as little as possible after the initial mixing. Other causes of shrinkage are using an excessive amount of flour while rolling the dough; using too much water in the recipe; baking at too high temperature. Another failure is a tough crust. This can be prevented by using the correct amount of water and handling the pastry as little as possible. Also common is a soggy bottom crust. Although the top crust can be golden brown and looks done, the bottom crust may be soggy and under baked. To avoid this condition, make sure the filling is thick, not thin and runny which can cause the bottom crust to stay moist and soggy. Bake the pan directly on the oven rack rather than on top of a sheet, as it will allow more intense direct heat. As a final preventive measure, check the oven to be sure it is operating properly and is set at the right temperature.