PASTRY

Prepared by K. Davidson
 What is pastry?
• Pastry is dough made from flour, fat and
water. Egg, cheese or sugar may be
added for richer dough. When heated,
the dough cooks to a crisp, slightly risen
pastry, which may be used as a casing or
covering for sweet and savoury foods. A
variety of dishes can be made with
different types of pastry.
 Types of pastries
The kind of fat, the proportion of
fat to flour and the method of
incorporating the fat in the flour
all determine the type of pastry.
 Short crust Pastry

This is the most popular type of

pastry and is used for sweet and
savoury pies, tarts, tartlets, flans.
It contains less fat than other
types of pastry. The fat is rubbed
into the flour.
Short crust Pastry Items
 Flaky Pastry
The proportion of fat to flour is
higher than for short crust. A
third of the fat is rubbed into the
flour and the remainder is rolled
into the dough. It is used for
piecrust, sausage rolls, and
patties.
Flaky Pastry Items
 Puff Pastry

This is the richest type of

pastry since it contains
equal weights of fat to
flour. The fat is rolled into
the dough.
Puff Pastry Items
 Phyllo/Filo Pastry
• Phyllo pastry is an extremely thin pastry
that is layered in sheets to create a final
dish. The thickness of a well-made phyllo
sheet is about the same as a sheet of
paper or tissue paper. Because of this
thinness, it is the most delicate of all of
the pastries and breaks easily.
Phyllo/Filo Pastry
 Choux Pastry
This type of pastry includes eggs as an
important ingredient. There is a high
proportion of liquid and the flour is also
beaten into melted fat. The mixture is
piped onto a baking sheet and becomes
nicely puffed-up, with a cavity that can
be filled with sweet or savoury fillings. It
is also used for making puffs and éclairs.
Choux Pastry Items
 Suet Crust
The type of fat used is beef suet,
unlike the other types of pastry, this
is the only type of pastry in which a
chemical raising agent is added and
the only type that can be boiled or
steamed.
Suet Crust Pastry Items
 Rough Puff

This is somewhat similar to flaky

pastry in proportion of
ingredients, but the fat is rolled
into the dough .
Rough puff Pastry Items
Ingredients for Pastry Making
The basic ingredients for all types
of pastry are flour, fat and water.
Each ingredient has a function to
perform in ensuring the quality of
the pastry.
INGREDIENTS
 Flour
• It should be fresh, dry and free from lumps.
Sieve to aerate and remove lumps
All purpose flour of good quality is suitable
for short crust and suet crust pastry.
Strong flour is suitable for pastries that
require flakiness or greater volume, such as
flaky and rough puff pastries. The type of flour
used affects the tenderness of the pastry.
 Fat
Various types of fat may be used
depending on the type of pastry. The
range of fat includes margarine, butter,
shortening, suet or a mixture of
margarine and shortening or butter and
shortening. An equal portion of
margarine and shortening is best. Fat
contributes to the flavour , tenderness,
colour and flakiness of pastry.
 Fat
Margarine gives good colour and flavor
but pastry tends to be hard.
Butter gives a better flavour and is best
for the richer pastries but is expensive.
Shortening produce a light, crisp
texture but poor colour and flavour .
The dough is also difficult to handle.
 Water
Only very cold water should be used except
for CHOUX pastry. The cold water keeps the
pastry dough cool so that the fat does not
melt during mixing. Water helps to develop
the gluten and provides the steam which
acts as the raising agent when the dough is
cooked. Water therefore contributes to the
tenderness and the flakiness of pastry.
 Other Ingredients
• Salt: Use one teaspoon to each
500g of flour to improve the flavour
and strengthen the gluten.
• Lemon Juice: This may be added to
the richer pastries to make the
gluten more elastic.
 Other Ingredients
• Raising Agent: Air is usually the raising
agent, so the more air which is
incorporated and kept in the pastry the
lighter and flakier the pastry will be.
Baking powder is only used in suet
pastries.
• Egg Yolk and Cheese: To add flavour and
improve nutrition and to improve colour.
Types of Fat Used Proportion Other Method of Products
Pastry Ingredients Incorporating
Used Fat
Short Crust Shortening, 1/3 – ½ Fat to Cold Water Rub-in Sweet and
Pastry Margarine or Flour Salt Savoury Pies
Butter and Tarts

Flaky Pastry Margarine or 2/3 – ¾ Fat to Cold Water, Rub-in, Rolling Patties, Pastry
Butter Flour Lemon Juice, and Folding Horns,
Salt Sausage Rolls

Rough Puff Margarine or 2/3 – ¾ Fat to Cold Water, Rolling and Pies and Tarts
Pastry Butter Flour Lemon Juice Folding
Puff Pastry Margarine or Equal Fat to Iced Water, Rolling and Vol-au-vent
Butter Flour Lemon Juice, Folding
Salt

Choux Pastry Margarine 1/3 Fat to Hot Water, Melting and Eclairs and
Flour Salt, Egg Mixing Cream Puff
Suet Crust Suet 1/3 Fat to Cold Water, Shredding and Savoury Pies
Pastry Flour Salt Mixing and Tarts
 Characteristics of good pastry

Lightness – not heavy, doughy or soggy

• Shortness – short crust pastry should
crumble easily without breaking up.
• Flakiness – the layers of dough should
have thin flakes; crust should be flaky
with lots of very tiny blisters on the
surface.
 Characteristics of good pastry
• Tenderness – breaks easily when
bitten or cuts readily with a fork
without crumbling.
• Colour - Light golden brown colour
depending on correct baking and
ingredients.
• Acceptable flavour
 Preparation Techniques in Pastry
Making
• Sifting – The flour and salt are mixed by
sifting. Include raising agent if used.
• Mixing fat and flour – Method of
incorporating fat depends on type of pastry.
Using the finger tips Using the dough/pastry blender
• Addition of Liquid – Cold water is
recommended. Thorough mixing is essential
for the hydration of the flour. Add the liquid
gradually because the hydration of flour is
dependent on factors such as its age and
storage condition.
Forming Dough
• Rolling – Use the minimum amount of flour
for rolling. Too much can upset the recipe
balance and contributes to a tough pastry.
Handle the pastry as little as possible.
Excessive manipulation results in tough pastry
due to the development of gluten.
• Pastries such as flaky and rough puff may be
left to ‘rest’ or ‘relax’ in a cool place to allow
the fat to harden and the gluten to soften
between the various stages of rolling.
• Before being cooked pastry should be lightly
pricked with a fork. This helps to prevent
pockets of steam forming between the pastry
and the pan. If left, these can make the
pastry domed.
 General Rules for Pastry Making

• 1. Use a strong flour to ensure enough gluten

content to provide elasticity.
• 2. The fat used should be fresh; rancidity will
affect the flavour of the pastry.
• 3. Combine shortening with margarine or
butter.
• 4. Cool conditions should be maintained. Pastry
dough should be chilled before rolling of before
baking. Cold air will expand more during cooking
and give a lighter product.
 General Rules for Pastry Making

• 5. Pastry dough should not be handled or

kneaded too much. This will make the
product tough.
• 6. Rolling should be done lightly with short
strokes and re-rolling avoided. Too much
rolling will result in a tough pastry.
• 7. Do not turn over pastry during rolling.
 General Rules for Pastry Making

• 9. Pre-heat oven before baking pastry. If

placed in a cool oven, the fat will melt before
the starch grains burst to absorb it. The result
will be a tough and greasy product.
• 10. Cold water should be used to seal the
edges of pastry.
• 11. Pastry to be baked blind should be well
pricked with a fork to avoid the formation of
air bubbles and the lifting of the pastry shell.
 General Rules for Pastry Making

• 12. Covered pies should have openings to allow

steam to escape. If this is not done the crust will
lift off or develop an irregular shape caused by air
trying to escape.
• 13. Do not stretch pastry to fit the pan, it will
shrink during cooking
• 14. For pies with uncooked fillings the cooking
temperature should be reduced after the first few
minutes to ensure that the filling is done without
the crust being burnt.
Short crust pastry products
 Short crust pastry

• 100g (4oz) plain flour

• 2 ml (1/4 tsp) salt
• 50g (2oz) fat (equal quantities of shortening
and margarine)
• Cold water to mix (approximately
• 15ml/1 tbsp)
Method
1. Sift flour and salt in a bowl.
2. Add fat and cut into flour using a pastry blender
or two knives, until the mixture resembles fine
breadcrumbs.
3. Sprinkle the cold water over the flour mixture,
and mix with a round ended knife or palette knife
until large lumps are formed.
4. Shape into a ball using fingertips, and lightly
knead on a floured board to form a firm but
pliable dough. Chill for 5-10 minutes
5. Roll out dough and use as required
6. Bake at 400o F (200oC),Gas Mark 6, for small
items.
7. For large pie with raw filling, decrease the
temperature to 350o F(180oC), Gas Mark5,after
15 minutes to allow the filling to cook and
prevent the pastry burning.
Choux
For Baking Blind
Hot water crust