Home › Pastry and Crust Making › Mixing and Baking

Mixing and Baking

It is preferable to mix pastry several hours before it is to be rolled out. Keep on ice until required. Before baking, pastry will likewise improve considerably if set aside for some time in a cool place. The basic idea of good pastry is COLD. In folding the fat over and over again considerable air is enclosed between the various layers. If everything is as cold as possible, the air in the dough will be chilled, and the colder that is the more it will expand when heated. This lifts up the greased layers of crust, then the heat penetrates and cooks the moistened flour. Often a crust is so thick that it is not readily baked. One-eighth to one-fourth of an inch is quite thick enough. Heat the oven for some time before baking the paste. An oven that has just baked a batch of bread is hot enough to bake puff paste. The heat should be greater at first in order to puff the layers well, and then reduced slightly to thoroughly bake the paste. All paste should be thoroughly baked, even colored-it is more digestible and crisp when over-baked than when under-baked. To prevent pastry from burning while baking, a pan of water may be set in the oven.

The pastry recipes in the Five Roses cook book have all been thoroughly checked by an expert in that line. Sufficient variety is offered to please any taste and condition. an expert in that line. Sufficient variety is offered to please any taste and condition. Measurements are level, unless otherwise specified. Always sift the flour.