To Make Pastry Successfully

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 7211, 18 July 1933, Page 2

To Make Pastry Successfully

Considering tho eimplicity of pastrymaking it is strange how often it it* served hard and indigestible (states a writer in the “Manchester Guradian”). To make pastry successfully it must be sealisod that apparently trifling details aro Teally important: a drop too much water in mixing, or a heavily floured board when rolling, will-spell the difference between pastry that melts in the. mouth and pastry, which is tough and leaden.

Short pastry is the quickest and easiest to make, and is perhaps the moat popular. Half cs much fat as flour should be used, and this should be rubbed in tho flour until the whole looks fine breadcrumbs. Tho loss water used the shorter the pastry, and only enough should bo added to make the dough barely stick together in the bowl. All the utensils and ingredients should be stone cold, and the board and rolling-pin lighty sifted with flour all over. Tho pastry should bo rolled as little as possiblo, and that lightly, taking care nover to run tho rolling-pin over the edges of .the pastry, tho object being to keep the air in the dough and so make it rise in the oven. It is necessary for the oven to bo nearly hot when tho pastry is put in—-not. less than 400 deg for ton minutes, and then finished off at a lower heat. As tho pastry itself only takes from twenty to thirty minutes to bake and is better not left in too long, it is a good plan partially to cook the fruit or meat, putting on the lid pastry to finish off. When an open flan is made tho pastry should be cooked separately or it becomes sodden. In this case, rice should bo scattered thickly on the pastry before baking to stop it from rising in the centre when cooking. The flavour of the pastry is according to the kind of fat used. All lard gives short pastry: butter has a better flavour but makes it rather harder. Nor fruit tarts, flans, and mince-pics, half butter and half , lard will be found the most satisfactory. For meat-pies and all savoury dishes dripping gives a delicious flavour and is economical.