Pastry Choux Short/Sweet Crust And that’s it! Flaky/Puff

Functions of Ingredients Pastry Choux Short/Sweet Crust Functions of Ingredients Flaky/Puff

Functions of Ingredients in Pastry The main ingredients used in making pastry are flour, fat, and liquid, (sometimes eggs, and sugar are used to enrich the mixture). All ingredients need to be measured accurately. Each ingredient has a specific function in the recipe. Additional ingredients e.g. flavourings, essences or extracts, chocolate, spices, dried fruit and vegetables, nuts, seeds, cheese etc may be added. (These will be addressed in a separate power point.) .

Ingredients In Shortcrust FLOUR Main structure of the pastry. SOFT PLAIN flour used as it has less GLUTEN (flour protein) so a crisp/short texture is maintained Plain as there is no raising agent Wholemeal/whole wheat flour can be used but it is heavy and difficult to roll – use half and half (half whole-wheat half white flour) to get the best result. FAT - sometimes called SHORTENING Coats the flour mixture with fat particles, this stops GLUTEN developing and so creates the ‘short’ texture Lard works well as it contains little water, this bakes well at high temperatures and gives a crisp texture (unsuitable for vegetarians) Butter/Margarine add colour, flavour and texture A mixture of fats (half and half is best to get all the properties of the fats)

Ingredients in Shortcrust continued Liquid Usually water Binds the mixture together and so it can be rolled out Fruit juice can be used to add extra flavour to the pastry Salt Added to bring out the flavour in the pastry Would you use salt in sweet products? Why? What health implications are there here?

Adding these 2 ingredients makes the pastry more difficult to roll out Sweet shortcrust Pastry Uses exactly the same ingredients as Shortcrust but would you add SALT? EGGS Usually the egg yolk only is added This helps to BIND the mixture and adds colour and flavour Sugar Added to give a sweeter flavour to the pastry Adding these 2 ingredients makes the pastry more difficult to roll out Liquid Water is usually added (if the egg yolk is not used or not sufficient) Flavour can be added here by using fruit juices e.g. Lemon juice

Ingredients In Rough Puff/ Flaky/Puff/ Pastry FLOUR Strong flour is good use as it has a high GLUTEN content. This develops a stretchy texture (much like bead dough) which helps form the layers. FAT Lard and butter are the best to use, these give a crisp texture (lard) and a good colour and flavour (butter). The fat is placed between the layers of the dough to give a ‘laminated’ dough (simply means fat is layered in the dough). WATER Develops the GLUTEN to make it elastic LEMON JUICE (citric acid) can be added with the water which strengthens the GLUTEN, giving better elasticity. Suitable for vegetarians? Vegans? High/low cholesterol?

Ingredients In Choux Pastry FLOUR STRONG (high gluten)flour is mixed with boiling water. Some GELETANISATION occurs (thickening) Beating in eggs incorporates air and develops GLUTEN (elastic texture). Baking at a high temperatures forms steam which stretches the elastic dough and gives crisp hollow shells. FAT Use butter or margarine which is melted into the water, adding flavour and colour, giving a glossy texture. EGGS AERATE (hold in air) the mixture On heating in the oven, they COAGULATE (set) to give the shell like texture Give a glossy texture and make the mixture easy to pipe. WATER MUST be boiling (100°c) before the flour is added to ensure GELETANISATION (thickening) of the mixture Develops the GLUTEN in the flour for elasticity. Creates the STEAM which is the main raising agent giving the puffy, uneven texture.

Wheat Flour This is the most common used in pastry. The wheat is milled and then sieved to remove the kernels giving a white flour. Plain flour is used for Short and Sweet crust as it give a crumbly texture. Strong (a high proportion of GLUTEN) is best (but not essential) for Flaky and Choux. DO NOT USE SELF RAISING FOR ANY PASTRY.

WHOLEMEAL FLOUR Also known as whole-wheat flour. This is milled from the entire wheat kernel and contains all the nutrients and flavour of the wheat. It is courser than white flour giving a heavier result, often substitute half white and half wholemeal for a lighter pastry. It absorbs more liquid than white flour so recipes should be adjusted if this type of flour is used. Brown flour (wheat-meal) contains only 80-90% of the bran and wheat germ and has a finer texture and milder taste.

NON-WHEAT FLOUR These can be used for pastry making, although some should be combined with wheat flour. Chestnut flour: This light brown, nutty flavoured flour is made from ground chestnuts and is often sold in Italian delicatessens. Cornflour/cornstarch: This fine white powder is made from the middle of the maize kernel. It is often used in piped cookie mixtures to give a smooth texture. It is gluten free and if used in pastry makes it very crumbly and difficult to handle Soya flour: This flour is made from soya beans. It has a distinctive nutty flavour. It has a high protein content. Medium- and low-fat varieties are available. GLUTEN-FREE BAKING Some people are allergic or intolerant to the protein gluten, which is found in both wheat and rye. Specially produced gluten-free and wheat-free flour mixtures can be used for baking, as can any of the naturally gluten-free flours such as cornmeal, potato flour, rice flour and soya flour. They often produce a different texture.

BUYING AND STORING EGGS Always check the use-by date on eggs and never buy cracked, damaged or dirty eggs. A fresh egg will have a round, plump yolk and a thick white that clings closely to the yolk. Store eggs in the refrigerator pointed-end down. Do not store near strong-smelling foods or possible contaminants such as raw meat; their shells are porous and can absorb odours and bacteria.

Caster sugar: This is the most frequently used sugar for pastry making. It has a fine grain so ‘melts’ into the pastry much quicker. Muscavado/soft brown sugar can be used and will give a darker colour and a slightly ‘treacly’ flavour.