I suffered from a long term fear of pastry, and I am convinced it can sense your fear. It is fickle stuff to work with. I have largely overcome my irrational fear, developed bravery, and started to get creative if not artistic with pastry.
Mary Berry's Sweet Crust
150 grams of butter (I use salted butter for everything)
225 grams of all purpose flour
25 grams of sugar
1 egg
Cold water
I cut the butter into smaller chunks, and process the butter, flour and sugar in a food processor for 10-30 second, until it forms a fine crumb. Add the egg and wiz for a few seconds until well incorporated. Dribble in cold water until the dough starts to form a ball. How much water, might be a tablespoon or two, might be 1/8 or 1/4 of a cup, it depends on the day, go slow, watch it, try not to overdo the water. Refrigerate the dough for 20-30 minutes, or toss it in the freezer for 10 minutes if you are in a hurry.
Generously flour your work surface, rolling pin and the top of the dough and roll out. Be very careful to not let the pastry sense your fear, if it does it will stick or get tough.
For most pies, I pre-bake the pastry. Line with baking parchment, fill with pie beans (I keep 2 pounds of red kidney beans for this, reusing them forever) bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 20 minutes, remove the paper and beans and bake another 20-25 minutes.
Fear not, or it will sense your fear.
For a savory filling, leave out the sugar, and add a generous pinch of salt.
looks like a lemon meringue pie there; how did it turn out?
ReplyDeleteWonderful, I used Ina Garten's lemon curd recipe
DeleteI have my aunt's recipe for pie crust. I think it's even easier then this one. I'd have to look. But I know she told me to always make sure the cold water is iced cold water. No idea why. Nothing like homemade crust, over the store bough rubbish.
ReplyDeleteCold, so you don't melt the fats (butter)
DeleteOhhh. I've always thought pastry comes in frozen sheets from the supermarket.
ReplyDeleteIt can, but once I overcame my irrational fear (thank you mom) I discovered I can make it myself.
DeleteAnd fear that you make a cake, now you are adept at making it 😊👍
ReplyDeleteLayer cakes still frighten me
DeleteCarlos is just getting into the pastry making for desserts, but he needs to lose the fear!
ReplyDeleteIt can tell when you are afraid of it.
DeleteI have the same problem with yeast. I still haven't conquered that fear and they make it look so easy on The Great British Baking Show.
ReplyDeleteMy mother was afraid when the yeast started to work, and started to smell yeasty, that is had spoiled and would toss it out. I am out of practice, but at times have baked a lot of bread, I make pizza dough.
DeleteI have never attempted to make pastry. I use the commercial frozen shells for everything. My Mom was an AMAZING pastry maker. Back in the days when restaurants made their own desserts and sweets, she baked a gazillion pies in her parents' hotel restaurant.
ReplyDeleteMy mother was afraid of pastry, she felt she could never live up to her mother's standards. My first attempt (at about 12 year of age) resulted in me being screamed at for making a mess in the kitchen, that honestly made me fear trying for the longest time. For me it is still a messy process, but it is my kitchen and I can clean it up. Commercial pastry is good, but there is something magic about the alchemy of basic ingredients into amazing goodies.
DeleteI don't fear the pastry, I loathe it! I'm not picky enough to go through all of that trouble when I really don't mind the packaged rolls of pie crust. Seldom use the frozen because it's a hassle when making a two-cruster. I used to make a killer crust before I started living in constant pain and grew lazier. Cakes were always my forte, though.
ReplyDeleteGrams?!
The rolled stuff is easy to use, I have been known to use it, it also has a fair shelf life in the refrigerator
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