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• Puff Pastry
• Sweet Pastry
• Rich Pie Pastry

Puff pastry recipes usually start: "Choose a bright, windy, chilly day..." We stand off unfavourable weather with an electric fan, but are careful not to train it on the work surface. If you ask, "what do commercial bakeries do about puff paste and the weather?". - the answer is: "they use a highly emulsified, very impervious margarine. to become an amateur champion, keep in mind first and foremost that this most delicate and challenging of pastries must be made the way porcupines make love - that is, very, very carefully. Then shut of the telephone for an hour or two, cut yourself some paper pattern guides to te measurements below and set to work.

◊ It is best to use flour that has a high gluten content, to develop real elasticity - and this is hard to come by. We do succeed, however, with all-purpose flour by using the procedure we describe.

◊ To be 'puffy' the paste must be chilled, well-kneaded, and handled in such a way as to trap air, and finally

◊  baked in a hot, thoroughly preheated oven. Then the air inside the dough expands with almost explosive effect.

◊ The surface on which you work - preferably marble- the tools, the ingredients and your fingers should be chilled throughout the operation, as it is necessary to hold the fat, which is in very high proportion to the flour, in constant suspension.

◊ The paste must not absorb undue moisture, but it must never dry out.

◊ It must entirely envelop the butter, Try not to let any cracks or tears develop, as they release the air, which is your only riser.If they do appear, mend them at once to keep the butter encased.

With these ideas firmly in mind, try making this small quantity first. As you become experienced, double or triple the recipe.

Knead 1/4 lb. sweet butter in ice water or under very cold running water. The butter should become soft through kneading, but in no sense soft through melting. Quite the contrary - it must stay soft and chilled at the same time throughout the operation. The final kneading of the butter es best done on a marble slab, or the butter may be patted briskly in the hands until no water flies.Shape it into an oblong about 4 x 6 x 1/4 inch. Wrap in foil and chill about 15 minutes.

Weigh, do not measure: 1/4 lb. all-purpose flour.

On a chilled smooth surface, make a ring with the flour, allowing about a 6-inch hollow centre.

Pour into the ring gradually - meanwhile forming  the flour into a ball with it- a mixture of: 2-2 1/2 oz. ice water (1 tsp. lemon juice) and 1/4 tsp. salt.

Knead the dough lightly until smooth. the whole process should take not more than two minutes if you are experienced. Cover the dough carefully and chill for 15 minutes or so. When you remove the butter and dough from the refrigerator, they should be about the same consistency - chilled but not hard. Roll the dough into a very neat oblong measuring about 6 x 16 inches and less than 1/4 inch thick. At this point, the dough is somewhat elastic and may  have to be cajoled into the rectangle. Make the edges as even and the thickness as consistant as possible. Quickly place the chilled butter pad about 1 inch from a short end and sides of the dough oblong.

Fold the rest of the dough over the butter to make a pouch. Seal the two layers firmly together on all three open sides, pressing with the fingers or with the sides of your hands.

With the narrow dimension always toward you as you work, roll the dough evenly, being careful not to break the layers or force the roller in such a way that the edges of the dough envelope become cracked.  Should any opening develop, be sure to patch it at once with a small piece  of dough taken from the long sides. Keep the pastry 6 inches in width while rolling, and extend it to about 16 inches in length.

the use of two paper patterns makes measuring very quick to judge. Fold the pastry into three exact parts. Make sure that the corners match neatly. Compress the pack slightly with the roller. At this point, the dough should have a transparent quality.The yellow of the butter should show through but not break through anywhere.

Wrap the dough, now approximately 4 x 6 x 1 inch, in foil and chill for 30 minutes. You have now made your first 'turn' and , if you need a reminder, you can professionally make an initial shallow fingertip imprint on one corner before refrigerating. Keep track of your turns by increasing the number of fingerprints after each rolling.

When the dough has chilled, remove it from the refrigerator and repeat the rolling.

◊ Always roll with the narrow dimension of the dough toward you as you work. Roll as before, until the dough again measures about 6 x 16 inches. Fold dough once more into three equal parts, This time, make two fingertip impressions before refrigerating, covered for 3 minutes. Repeat the turns until you have made five fingerprints. You may store the dough for 24 hours before baking, Wrap it first in foil and then in a dry  towel and refrigerate.

If you prefer to bake the same day, make a sixth turn and chill the dough 30 minutes to 1 1/2 hours, then roll it to about 3/4 inch. This paste can be cut into many shapes.

◊ Whichever you chose, be sure to cut off a narrow slice along the folded edges.the folds have the inhibiting character of a selvage on cloth and do not allow the dough to expand evenly and freely.

◊ Always cut puff pastry with a very sharp, very thin hot knife, a hot cutter or a sharp hot pastry wheel. do not let the knife drag, as this will distort the layering.

Since making puff pastry is time-consuming, you will want to use every scrap. But never, after cutting, re-roll the dough for the same purpose. Get your patty shells and vol-au-vent  and other classic shapes fro the first cutting. Make  out of rerolled scraps only those related types of pastry- such as flan, barquettes, croissants- for which the puff requirement is less exacting.

To prepare the pan for baking any of the classic shapes, sprinkle it lightly with cold water,

◊ But, be sure  that the side  that was up when cut is now down against the wet baking surface, If properly made and cut, puff pastry should rise six to eight times  the thickness  of the dough.

This recipe makes a tender pastry for fresh fruit fillings.

Combine:

 1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tbsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

Work into it as you would for pastry, using a pastry blender or the tips of your fingers:

6 tbsp. softened butter

Make a well, and add:

1 egg yolk

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 tbsp. lemon juice or water

Stir with your fingers yntil the mixture forms one blended ball and no longer adheres to your hands. Cover it and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Roll to 1/8 inch thickness as for pie dough. Line the tart pans with the pastry. Prick and weight down with beans or pie weights. Bake in a 400° oven 7 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Un-mold the pastry shells and cool on a rack. Fill as desired.

2 cups unsifted pastry flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup shortening + 2 tablespoons butter or 2/3 cup shortening

3 or 4 tablespons cold water

Sift flour and salt together in a bowl. Cut in shortening until pea-sized. Sprinkle with water and stir  with fork until flour is evenly moist. Shape into ball and form into a disk, wrap and chill 1/2 hour.