Shortcrust pastry Flashcards
1
Q
What happens if there is too much liquid in the pastry?
A
Pastry goes tough
2
Q
What happens if you overwork the pastry?
A
Pastry goes tough
3
Q
What causes pastry sides to shrink?
A
Pastry stretched when lining tin, not enough support when blind baking, overworked pastry
4
Q
Basic quantities of shortcrust pastry
A
Full: 250g flour, 140g butter, 50g liquid (half yolk half water)
Half: 125g flour, 70g butter, 25g liquid (half yolk half water)
5
Q
Basic method of making shortcrust pastry
A
- Sift flour into a bowl, add small dice of fridge cold butter and cut the mixture down with two cutlery knives.
- When the butter is the size of petit pois, continue to rub the mixture with fingertips until it resembles almond meal (add sugar if making sweet shortcrust)
- Mix yolk and cold water. Quickly scatter liquid over the flour mixture and distribute evenly with a cutlery knife
- Bring mixture together with a cutlery knife, then bring the dough together with hands.
- Knead gently just until dough becomes homogenous. Flatten into a disc and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Remove from fridge. Ridge pastry gently with rolling pin until flat enough to roll out. Roll pastry out to 2-3mm.
- Trim pastry so it’s just enough to line the tin.
- Place pastry over tin, then lift sides into the tin to relieve stress on the dough
- Press sides into the tin gently, making sure the dough isn’t being stretched.
- Chill in fridge until dough is cold.
- Place a crumpled cartouche in the tart base and fill with baking beans.
- Blind bake for 15-20 minutes, 200C top third rack, until sides are set.
- Remove beans and cartouche, then return pastry to oven until base is dried out, pastry feels sandy and looks slightly golden, 8-10 minutes.
- Patch up tart case as needed with excess pastry.
6
Q
How to prep tin for shortcrust pastry?
A
No prep
7
Q
How to tell shortcrust is baked through?
A
Base dried out, sandy feel, slightly golden
8
Q
When can you remove baking beans when baking shortcrust pastry?
A
Sides are set
