Pastry

The term pastry comes from the word paste, meaning, in this case, a mixture of flour,
liquid, and fat. In the bakeshop, pastry refers both to various pastes and doughs and
to the many products made from them.

Pastry generally falls into one of two categories – shortcrust and flaky or puff pastry.
There are great variations within these categories, and a number of regional
variations and outliers, so let’s start with the different types of shortcrust.

The fat that is used to enrich a pastry can be butter, shortening, ghee, full-fat
margarine, lard or other oils or animal fats. In some types of pastry these are
interchangeable, in others they give key characteristics to the product, effecting
texture, flavour, or the ability to work with the dough.

In general, butter will give more flavour, while lard will give better texture. Try a mix
of half-and-half to get the best of both worlds. Pastry also likes to be kept cold, and
in most cases the fat should be solid at room temperature.

The most important types of pastry are

1. Short doughs of various types,

2. Laminated pastry or Puff pastry, also known as pâte feuilletée, and
3. Choux pastry also known as pâte à choux

Short Crust Pastry

A Shortcrust Pastry is a type of pastry base to make both sweet and savory pies, tarts,
quiches, or cookies. The quality of the pastry used to make tarts and tartlets is
perhaps even more important than the quality of pie dough. Because tarts are
generally thinner than pies, and have less filling, the dough is a prominent part of the
finished pastry, not just a holder for the filling, as often seems to be the case with
American-style pies. The best of these doughs are made with pure butter, not
shortening, and they generally are enriched with eggs and sugar.

The three main doughs in this section—

1. Pate brisée,
2. Pate sucrée,
3. Pate sablée—are basic preparations in classical pastry.

1. Pâte brisée (pronounced pot bree ZAY), which literally means “broken dough,” is
mixed using the same method as mealy pie dough—the fat is first combined with the
flour. In classical pastry, this is known as sablage (sah BLAHZH) or the sanding
method. The fat and flour are mixed until the mixture resembles coarse meal or
sand. Coating the flour with fat protects it from absorbing water, and therefore limits
gluten development. This results in tender pastry. (Review pie dough production (pp.
284–286) if necessary. Follow the method for mealy pie dough, combining the eggs
with other liquids.) If you compare the formula for pâte brisée in this chapter with the
formula for Enriched Pie Pastry on page 287, you will see they are very similar. Pâte
brisée is usually used for large tarts.

2. Pâte sucrée (soo CRAY) means “sugared dough.” It is similar to pate brisée but
has a much higher sugar content. The high content of sugar acts as a tenderizer, so
the dough is fragile and more difficult to handle than pate brisée. It is used primarily
for small items such as tartlets and petits fours. Pâte sucrée can be mixed either by
the sablage method or the creaming method (as it is in this chapter). The creaming
method, in which the fat and sugar are mixed first, is also used for cookies, cakes,
and muffins. In fact, both pâte sucrée and, especially, pâte sablée can be used to
make plain cookies.

3. Pâte sablée (sah BLAY) contains even more fat than pâte sucrée and less egg
and other moisturizers. Some formulas also contain more sugar as well. It is an
extremely tender and crumbly dough that is generally used for cookies but can also
be used for small tarts and other pastries. The crumbly, “sandy” texture of the baked
dough gives the pastry its name (sable means “sand” in French). Pâte sablée can be
mixed using the sablage method, but today it is perhaps more common to use the
creaming method, as in a typical cookie dough.

Method of Short Crust Pastry

In preparing a shortcrust, the fat and flour are "cut" into each other, rather than
blended, and the ingredients are kept cold. This ensures that the fat remains distinct
in the crust, and when it heats during baking, steam is released, resulting in the
pockets that make a flaky crust.[3] Water is only added once the fat and flour are
thoroughly combined. This ensures that the flour granules are adequately coated
with fat and are less likely to develop gluten. This may be achieved with the use of
a food processor, a specialized kitchen utensil called a pastry blender, or through
various alternatives, like a pair of table knives held in one hand.
Overworking the dough is also a hazard. Overworking elongates the gluten strands,
creating a product that is tough, rather than light and crumbly or flaky. Weak protein
flour like cake flour is used for pastry making because it does not become
overworked and tough as easily as bread flour.
INGREDIENTS TO MAKE SHORTCRUST PASTRY
• Ice water
• egg
• All-purpose flour
• Salt
• Unsalted butter

HOW TO MAKE SHORTCRUST PASTRY

• In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and ice water; set aside.
• In a food processor, add the flour, salt, and sugar if using; pulse a few times
to combine.
• Add the cubed butter pieces and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse
meal.
• Add the egg-ice water mixture and pulse just until a dough begins to form.
• Be careful not to over mix!
• Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and form into a ball.
• Lay a large piece of plastic wrap over the top of the dough.
 • Using a rolling pin, roll the pastry into the size that will fit the quiche pan or
dish that will be used.
• To transfer the rolled dough to quiche pan or dish, leave the plastic on top of
the dough.
• Roll the dough around the rolling pin, scrape up the underside with a bench
scraper if needed, and lift.
• Unroll the dough over the top of the quiche pan or dish, remove the plastic
wrap, and gently press the dough into place.
• Using the rolling pin rolled over the top or a paring knife, remove any part of
extra dough that’s hanging over the rim of the pan or dish.
• Place the shortcrust pastry in the freezer for at least 25 minutes or longer to
chill before baking.
• To ensure a flaky crust, the pastry dough must be cold before being filled and
baked.

NOTES (IMPORTANT!)
• WITHOUT BLIND BAKING METHOD: (TIME SAVER)
• To save time, prepare the dough and place in the pan.
• Chill the prepared crust in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.
• Fill and bake.

BLIND BAKING METHOD:

• Prepare the dough and place in the pan.
• Chill the prepared crust in the refrigerator for 1 hour or if in a hurry
freeze for at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lay a piece of foil or parchment paper over
the top and edges of the crust.
• Fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for about 8 minutes.
• Pour in filling and continue to bake.

TO STORE
• TO MAKE AHEAD:
• Prepare shortcrust pastry dough.
• Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

TO FREEZE:
• Prepare the shortcrust pastry dough.
• Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place in a freezer Ziploc bag.
• Freeze for up to 3 months

Puff Pastry
Puff pastry is one of the most remarkable products of the bakeshop. Although it
includes no added leavening agent, it can rise to eight times its original thickness
when baked.

Puff pastry is a laminated or rolled-in dough. This means it is made up of many

layers of fat sandwiched between layers of dough. Puff pastry contains no yeast.
Steam, created when the moisture in the dough is heated, is responsible for the
spectacular rising power of puff pastry. Because puff pastry or puff dough consists of
over 1,000 layers the rolling-in procedure requires a great deal of time and care.

As with so many other products, there are nearly as many versions of puff pastry as
there are bakers. Both formulas and rolling-in techniques vary. The formula provided
here contains no eggs, for example, although some bakers add them.

Butter is the preferred fat for rolling in because of its flavour and melt-in-the-mouth
quality.

Special puff pastry shortening is also available. This shortening is easier to work
because it is not as hard when refrigerated and doesn’t soften and melt at warm
temperatures as easily as butter does. It is also less expensive than butter.
However, it can be unpleasant to eat because it tends to congeal and coat the inside
of the mouth.

The quantity of rolled-in fat may vary from 50 to 100% of the weight of the flour, or 8
ounces to 1 pound of fat per pound of flour. If the lower quantity of fat is used, the
dough should be left slightly thicker when rolled out. Puff pastry that is low in fat will
not rise as high and may rise unevenly. This is because there is less fat between the
dough layers, so the layers are more likely to stick together.

The word 'lamination' means covered with thin film, but when we refer to lamination
in cooking, it means a dough layered fat in such a manner that, layers of dough are
Separated by fat. This is achieved by encasing the dough with butter and rolling and
folding it several times to get the desired effect. Laminated pastries can be made
with plain dough to produce puff paste or fermented yeast dough can be laminated to
produce croissant and Danish pastry that are the most common breakfast rolls eaten
around the world. Sometime dough is rolled out very thin and then laminated with fat,
for example, strudel from Austria. Very thin sheets of 'phyllo pastry' are laminated
with fat and used for various purposes.

Puff pastry consists of laminated structure built up of alternate layers of dough and
fat This is achieved by rolling out the paste and giving it sufficient turns until there
are hundreds to thousands of layers of dough and fat. When this pastry is baked, the
expanding air and water vapour 'puff' the separate layers apart from each other,
resulting in a delightful, crisp, light, flaky pastry. When the thinly sheeted piece of
puff pastry is baked in the oven, the puff goes through the following stages.

• The fat present in the layers melts and creates gaps between the sheets of
dough. The dough sheets start to harden and maintain their shape as the
gluten present in them coagulates and holds the shape.
• As the heating continues, the liquid in the dough turns to steam, which
pushes the sheets of the dough apart and pushes them upwards.
• The end result is the pastry which is almost 10 times thicker than the original
size that was put in the oven.

Puff pastry is also known as mille feuille in French and literally it translates to
thousands of layers. The number of layers in the pastry is not fixed—the layers could
be between 700 and 1500 depending upon the rolling of the puff pastry. It is also
known as leaf pastry, as when it bakes each layer of dough resembles a crisp leaf.
Puff pastry is rolled in such a way that the layers of dough and fat form naturally.
The basic steps for laminated doughs are:

1. A previously prepared dough (the initial dough) is folded and rolled together
with a block of fat called a roll-in. To prepare the dough, sift together the flours.
Blend in the butter on low speed with a dough hook attachment until pea-size
nuggets form.
2. Combine the water and salt; add all at once to the dough, and mix on low
speed until smooth. Dough that is to be laminated must be mixed carefully.
Overmixing can result in too much gluten formation, making the dough elastic and
difficult to roll out.
Shape the dough into a rough square or rectangle. Transfer to a sheet pan lined
with parchment paper, wrap the dough in plastic wrap, and allow it to relax under
refrigeration for 30 to 60 minutes. The dough should be gently rolled into the desired
shape for the lock-in before it is refrigerated to reduce the amount of manipulation
necessary during lock-in and lamination. While the dough is resting, prepare the roll-
in fat.

4. To prepare the roll-in, the butter should be worked, either by hand or carefully
using a stand mixer, until it is smooth and malleable but not overly soft. A number of
different types of fats may be used in lamination. However, butter lends the best
flavour and mouthfeel.
5. Mix the butter and flour (if using) until smooth. A small amount of flour may be
added to the butter to make it easier to work with and to absorb excess moisture in
the butter. It is important that the fat be completely smooth, as any lumps will tear
the dough as it is rolled in, preventing proper layering.
6. Transfer the roll-in to a sheet of parchment paper. Cover with a second sheet
and roll into a rectangle. Square off the edges, cover with plastic wrap, and
refrigerate until firm but still pliable. Do not allow the roll-in to become cold. The
temperature of the roll-in is also very important. It should be the same consistency
as the dough when the two are rolled together. The butter must not be allowed to
become so soft that it begins to ooze from the dough as it is rolled, nor should it be
so fi rm that it could tear the dough or break into bits during rolling.
Before use, the roll-in may be allowed to stand at room temperature for a few
minutes if it is too hard, or re-refrigerated if it becomes too soft.

7. To lock the roll-in into the dough, turn out the dough onto a lightly floured
work surface and roll it into a square or rectangle, keeping the edges straight and
the corners squared. The roll-in fat can be added to the dough using one of several
methods: envelope, single-fold, or three-fold. For the envelope method, the dough is
rolled into a square or a rectangle. The rolling is rolled into a smaller square or
rectangle, and placed diagonally in the centre of the dough so that each corner
points to the centre of a side of the dough. The corners of the dough are then folded
over the fat envelope-style so that they meet in the centre.
In the single-fold method, the roll-in is rolled into a rectangle that is half the size of
the dough square or rectangle, and placed on one half of the dough, then the other
half of the dough is folded over it and the edges are sealed to completely encase the
roll-in fat. In the three-fold method, the fat is rolled into a rectangle that covers two-
thirds of the dough. The third of the dough not covered with the roll-in fat is folded
over to cover half of the roll-in, or the centre of the rectangle, and then the remaining
side (or third) is folded over that. The edges are then sealed to completely encase
the roll-in fat.

8. Administer a four-fold. Cover the dough in plastic wrap and allow it to rest for
30 minutes under refrigeration. For a four-fold or book-fold, divide the sheet of
pastry visually into quarters, and fold the outer quarters into the middle so that their
edges meet. Then fold the dough over as if closing a book. This type of fold
quadruples the number of layers in the dough each time.
9. Turn the dough 90 degrees from its position before it was refrigerated and roll
it out into a rectangle, making sure the edges are straight and the corners are
squared. Administer a second fold (envelope, single-fold, or three-fold). Cover the
dough in plastic wrap and allow it to rest for 30 minutes under refrigeration. Repeat
this process two more times for a total of four folds, turning the dough 90 degrees
each time before rolling and allowing the dough to rest, covered in plastic wrap
under refrigeration, for 30 minutes between each fold.
After the roll-in is added to the dough, each subsequent fold is usually either a
three-fold or a four-fold. Each time, before folding and rolling the dough, brush any
excess flour from its surface. When you fold the dough, the corners should squarely
meet and the edges should be straight and perfectly aligned. After each fold,
refrigerate the dough to allow it to relax and the butter to chill; the length of time the
dough will need to rest will depend in large part on the temperature of the kitchen.
For each fold, the dough is turned 90 degrees from the previous one to ensure that
the gluten is stretched equally in all directions. Too much stress in one direction will
make the dough difficult to roll and rise unevenly and misshapen during baking as
the gluten contracts.

10. After completing the final fold, wrap the dough in plastic wrap and allow it to
rest under refrigeration for 30 minutes before using.

Storage of laminated dough

To prepare puff pastry and other laminated doughs for freezing, and to ease their
use when frozen, follow this simple procedure: Roll the dough approximately G in/6
mm thick. If necessary, cut the dough into smaller sheets the size of a sheet pan
(17I by 25I in/45 by 66 cm) or half sheet pan (127⁄8 by 17I in/33 by 45 cm). Layer the
sheets on a sheet pan, placing a sheet of appropriately sized parchment paper
between each one. Wrap the pan tightly in plastic wrap and place in the freezer.
(Use the same method for refrigerated storage.)

As you cut puff pastry, you may create scraps, or trim. They can be reserved to be
rerolled and used in pastries where a dramatic high straight rise is not critical.
Recommendations for the use of these scraps are the same as for blitz puff pastry;
they should not be used for items that require a high and even rise. Layer the scraps
on top of each other, keeping them flat to preserve the layers of fat and dough. Then
the dough may be rolled and stored under refrigeration or frozen.
Method of puff pastry
• French Method

Let us the making of puff pastry by French method from the following

Step 1
The main agent for success in the preparation of puff pastry is the dough. It is
essential to have the fat and dough of equal consistency, if even laminations are to
be attained If the fat is harder than the dough, the fat will ooze through the dough
during rolling Preparing the dough can be done either mechanically or manually. Use
low speed when preparing the dough mechanically to allow slow development of the
gluten. When preparing manually, knead the flour, cold water, salt, and lemon juice
together on a work bench until the dough is smooth and elastic. A potion of the
weighed fat (10 per cent) can be added when making the dough to help in the rolling
out of the pastry. Take care when adding the water, as different flours have different
absorption characteristics.

Step 2
Roll the dough into a ball and let it rest before incorporating the fat. The dough can
be chilled in the refrigerator.

Step 3
Make the butter block. Cream the butter and add 20 per cent of the flour into the
creamed butter and shape it to form a rectangular piece of the same thickness as
that of the first rolling of the dough. Refrigerate until set, but not too hard. Flour is
added to the butter so that it becomes elastic and rolls along with the dough. The
consistency of the butter has to be the same as that of the dough, to allow the fat to
slide and form a 'film' during rolling and folding. If it is too hard, the fat will break
down the laminated structure. On the Other hand, if it is too soft the fat will squeeze
out and shorten the pastry.

Step 4
Take the ball of rested dough and cut a cross into the top
of the dough by cutting the dough half way
through with a knife.

Step 5
Pull the cut corners of the dough and roll to form a rough
shape of a star.

Step 6
Now roll each corner of the star to form a shape of'+'. The
thickness of the corners should be one fourth of the thickness
of the center.
Step 8
Fold all the four flaps to the center, so that the entire fat is encased in the dough.
Now you will understand as to why the flaps were rolled to one fourth of the
thickness of the center part of dough. The four flaps when folded over ensure that
the butter is encased exactly in the middle of the dough. Wrap the pastry with a
damp cloth or plastic film and rest the pastry in the fridge for 20 minutes. The pastry
is wrapped this way to avoid the formation of scales on top of the pastry, which will
result in 'flying tops'

Step 9
Roll the dough into a rectangle. The length of the rectangle should be three times the
size of the width and the thickness should be around 7 mm. Now fold the dough to
form a block again as shown in Fig. 22.4. This is said to have completed 'a single
turn'

Step 10
Roll out the dough and repeat the ninth step five more times to achieve six single
turns. The dough is rolled by using minimal amount of dry flour, and this should be
brushed off when turning folding the dough to give turns. It should be ensured that
the closed folded ends are on the same side when pinning or rolling the dough. It
does not matter whether the closed end faces the right or the left; but while rolling it
must be at one side during all the six turns.

• English Method

The difference in the French and the English methods is essentially in the rolling of
the dough. The making of the dough is same as the first step of the French method.
Let us understand the making of puff pastry by English method from the following
steps.

Step 1
Make the dough as in the French method; but instead of making a ball, sheet out the
dough and rest it.

Step 2
Roll out the dough to a rectangle which is almost
three times of the width and 7 mm thick.

Step 3
Roll the butter block so that it is the size of two third
of the length of the rectangle.

Step 4
Fold the clear part onto the dough. The shape will
now resemble

Step 5
Now fold the part marked 'A’ onto the part marked 'B' and the shape Obtained will be
same as that of Same care needs to be taken about the folded end and the rolling
direction

Step 6
Pin out the pastry again to 7 mm thickness and same size of the rectangle as done
in the second step. Do five more single turns or four book turns. The book fold is
mentioned below.

Roll the dough to form a rectangle, where the length of the dough is at least
four times the size of the width.
The dough should be rested at least 30 min after each book fold is done.
 • Scotch Method

This method is very different from the French and English methods and is also
commonly known as 'rough puff pastry' method. There are certain products that need
the short and laminated effect, but do not require the structure of a real puff pastry.
In such cases, the scrapings left over from the puff pastry are used, or if possible,
rough puff pastry is made as it is a fairly quicker method and does not require as
much care as puff pastry. Let us understand the making of rough puff pastry by the
Scotch method from the following steps.

Step 1
Sift the flour, cut the hard butter into I inch cubes and dissolve lemon juice, water,
and salt together.

Step 2
Mix flour and cubes Of butter together so that the butter is well coated with flour.
Now
add the liquids to the flour and mix together to form dough. Care should be taken
that the remains intact during the entire process and so it would be advisable to
make the dough manually.

Step 3
Rest the dough in a fridge for 10 minutes and then give six single tutus or four
double as mentioned in the last two steps of the French method.

• Inverted puff pastry

As discussed earlier in the chapter, this is a reverse style of making puff pastry
where the dough is encased in a butter block. The ingredients used in this method
are same as that of French or English method; but the quantities of some ingredients
and method of mixing might different.

Step •1
Make dough with chilled water, lemon juice, salt, and some amount of fat and chill
in the refrigerator.

Step 2
Make a butter block. Here the amount of flour added to butter is at least 35 per cat
and not 10 per cent as in the case of the French and English methods. The amount
of flour is high, because the fat needs to be rolled. Roll out the butter block to a and
this can be easily done by placing the block between two sheets of plastic and
pinning it.
Step 3
Dust the work table with flour and place the rolled-out dough on top of the butter
block Please ensure that the size of the butter and the dough are same. Press the
dough down onto the butter block by knocking it down with a rolling pin and roll out to
a rectangle where the size is three times the size of the width.

Step 4
Now proceed for five single turns as done in Steps 9 and 10 in French method. This
method does require lots of flour initially while rolling. Care should be taken to brush
of all the excess flour with the pastry brush before giving the folds.

Uses of Puff Pastry / Derivatives

S no. ITEM Description

1. Vol-au-vent Literally it translates to ‘gone with the wind’ in

French, as it is very light in weight.
A disc of 2 inch diameter is cut 7 mm high,
and the centre is cut separately with a
smaller disc but only to a depth of 5 mm.
The baked hollow shell looks like a well. The
centre part is taken off and the cavity is filled
with savoury fillings such as creamy
vegetables, etc. The mouth-sized vol-auvent
is called bouchee.
2. Palmier It is often used as a breakfast pastry and is
known as French hearts because of the
heart shape. It is also called by other names
as pig’s ear or papillon. The puff pastry is
rolled with castor sugar into a rectangle and
it is given folds inwards from both the ends
to meet in the centre. It is finally folded just
like a book fold and sliced
1 cm thick. The open ends are twisted to
resemble a ‘T’ shape and it is baked to form
a heart shape.
3. Napoleon cake/pastry The puff trimmings are rolled out into thin
sheets and docked well before baking. The
baked sheets are then filled or layered with
pastry cream. This cake is traditionally
decorated with melted fondant and feather
icing. This is also referred to as cream slice.
 4. Eccles These are sweet snacks eaten often during
afternoon tea. Roll the puff to 4-inch circle
and 6 mm thick. Place the filling of raisins,
brown sugar, mixed spice and little soften
butter. Bring all the sides of circle together
and form a ball. Now roll the ball into 3-inch
circle, wash with egg white, and dip in castor
sugar and give 2-3 small slits on top and
bake at180 degree C till golden brown.
5. Turnovers The puff is rolled into discs or squares and
filled with savoury fillings and turned over or
folded over. These are then glazed with egg
yolk and baked. Some shapes of these
turnover represent the following- a
semicircle represent chicken, and a square
represents lamb.
6. Gateau St Honore The puff pastry is rolled into a disc and
docked before baking. This is used as a
base for gateau St Honore.
7. Beef Wellington A classical roasted dish often used on
carving table it is also known as. It is
tenderloin fillet wrapped with mushroom
duxelle and covered with puff pastry. It is
glazed with egg yolk and baked. Some
snacks such as sausage puffs, etc. are
made by rolling marinated sausages in the
thinly rolled out puff and baked in oven.

8. Branbury cake Same as Eccles as mentioned above. The

only difference is that it is rolled into boat
shapes and baked in the same way.
9. Jalousies These are thin broad strips of puff pastry,
filled with cooked fruits and covered with
another strip of puff and baked. They are
glazed with melted apricot jam and served as
dessert.
10. Garnishes Sometimes the puff pastries are also cut into
different shapes, usually half-moon and are
used as an accompaniment with grilled fish in
French cooking. They are also known as
‘fleurons’.
11. Cheese straws These are savoury cheese twists. Puff paste
is rolled out thin and sprinkled with grated
cheese and paprika. It is then covered with
another sheet of puff and small strips are cut
and twisted into long twists and baked.
 CHOUX PASTRY / ÉCLAIR PASTE

Éclairs and cream puffs are made from a dough called éclair paste, or choux paste.
The French name pâte à choux (pronounced pot a shoo) means “cabbage paste,”
referring to the resemblance of cream puffs to little cabbages.
Unlike puff pastry, éclair paste is extremely easy to make. The dough itself can be
prepared in Just a few minutes. This is fortunate, because for best baking results the
dough should not be Prepared more than 1 hour ahead of time.
The exact procedure for making éclair paste is detailed in the formula that follows. In
general,
The method consists of these steps:
1. Bring the liquid, fat, salt, and sugar (if used) to a boil. The liquid must be boiling
rapidly so the fat is dispersed in the liquid, not just floating on top. If this is not done,
the fat will not be as well incorporated into the paste, and some of it may run out
during baking.
2. Add the flour all at once and stir until the paste forms a ball and pulls away from
the sides of the pan. It should leave a thin film on the bottom of the pan (a).
3. Remove the paste from the heat and let it cool to 140°f (60°c) (b). Beat or mix the
paste so it cools evenly. If the paste is not cooled slightly, it will cook the eggs when
they are added.
4. Beat in the eggs a little at a time (c). Completely mix in each addition of eggs
before adding more. If the eggs are added too quickly, it will be difficult to get a
smooth batter. When the paste is smooth and moist but stiff enough to hold its shape
(d), it is ready to use.
In principle, éclair paste is leavened by steam, which expands the product rapidly
and causes large holes to form in the centre of the item. The heat of the oven then
coagulates the gluten and egg proteins to set the structure and make a firm product.
A strong flour is necessary in for sufficient structure.
Éclair paste must be firm enough to hold its shape when piped from a pastry bag.
You may occasionally find a formula that produces too slack a dough. Correct such a
formula by reducing the water or milk slightly. Alternatively, stop adding eggs when
the paste arrives at the proper texture. Take care, though, as éclair paste should not
be too dry. It should look smooth and moist, not dry and rough. Paste that is too dry
does not puff up well and is thick and heavy.
Éclair paste for cream puffs and éclairs is normally piped onto parchment-lined pans.
It can also be piped onto greased pans, although this method is not used as often
proper baking temperatures are important. Start at a high temperature (425°f/220°c)
for the first 15 minutes to develop steam. Then reduce the heat to 375°f (190°c) to
finish baking and set the structure. The products must be firm and dry before being
removed from the oven. If they are removed too soon or cooled too quickly, they may
collapse. Some bakers like to leave them in a turned-off oven with the door ajar.
However, if the oven must be heated again for other products, this may not be the
best idea. It may be better to bake the products thoroughly, remove them carefully
from the oven, and let them cool slowly in a warm place.

Uses of choux pastry

Sr. No Item Description

1. Savoury items Fritters, cheese balls gnocchi

2. Chocolate eclairs Piped tube shape, usually 4 inches long, filled with
flavoured creams after baking, glazed with
chocolate
3. Profiteroles Round shaped balls, baked, filled with cream
glazed with chocolate, caramelised sugar, sifted
icing sugar etc.
4. Croquembouche Profiteroles are filled with flavoured custard and
glazed with caramelized sugar. It is built in a
height and is used as a traditional wedding cake in
France.
5. Profiterole suchards Profiteroles shells filled with vanilla ice cream and
glazed with chocolate sauce
6. Paris Brest A ring-shaped choux paste baked and piped with
whipped cream and decorated with fresh fruits,
sifted with icing sugar.
7. Swans Paste is piped in shape of tear drop and baked.
The neck is piped separately as thin curved
shape. It is filled with creme Chantilly and
assembled to resemble swans.
8. Gateau st.honore It is a classical gateau from France. Made by
piping a ring of choux paste on a thin disc of puff
pastry and baked. The ring of choux is then cut
and filled with creme Chiboust. the ring is
decorated with filled profiteroles glazed with
caramelised sugar and centre of the cake is piped
with cream Chiboust pastry cream.

Hot water Pastry

Hot water crust is a type of pastry used for savoury pies, such as pork pies, game
pies and, more rarely, steak and kidney pies. Hot water crust is traditionally used for
producing hand-made pies.
As the name suggests, the pastry is made by heating water, melting the fat in it,
bringing the mixture to a boil, and finally incorporating the flour. This can be done by
beating the flour into the mixture in the pan, or by kneading on a pastry board. Either
way, the result is a hot and rather sticky paste that can be used for hand-raising:
shaping by hand, sometimes using a dish or bowl as an inner mould. The moulded
crust retains its shape as it cools, and is prepared for baking with a filling and
additional layer of pastry crust on top. Hand-raised hot water crust pastry does not
produce a neat and uniform finish, as there will be sagging during the cooking of the
filled pie. This is generally accepted as the mark of a hand-made pie. It is possible,
however, to bake the pastry in a mould, as with other pies.
The pastry is often used to make pork pies, and the pastry allows a wet filling to be
held in. Hot water crust is ideal for savoury pies, such as this beef and potato
pie. Since this pastry is quite strong when baked, it's traditionally used for
freestanding, hand-raised meat pies like pork pies or these chicken, bacon,
and apricot pies.

Not really. Hot water crust must be kept warm, so you need to make it fresh
shortly before using it. It can't be refrigerated until after it's baked, or it will get
cold and brittle.
Yes, you can freeze hot water crust after it's baked, but I'd recommend making
and enjoying it fresh for the best texture.

Ingredients required
• Bread Flour: this type of flour adds extra strength to the flour,
helping it support fillings.
• Lard: this animal fat is crucial to getting the right texture and
crispness in the pastry.
• Saucepan: this small pot is the perfect size for melting lard.
• Sieves: you'll be able to sift flour quickly with these stainless
strainers.

Method
Since this recipe moves along quickly, it is recommend measuring out all the
ingredients before you start. You'll need all-purpose flour, bread flour, salt,
water, and lard. (Using a little bread flour gives it extra strength.)
1. Put the lard and water in a small saucepan and heat it up until the lard
has just melted and the water is boiling.
2. While the water is heating up, sift the flours and salt into a broad bowl.
3. Once the water is boiling, pour it immediately into the flour mixture and
stir until a dough form. It will look pretty dry at first, but will come
together as you stir.
4. Knead the dough for a minute or two, until it's smooth and has cooled
some. This will build the gluten.
5. Once the dough has been kneaded, use it immediately while it's still
warm, or keep in a double boiler until needed. Hot water crust gets hard
and brittle when it's cooled.

Important Tips
• Make sure all the ingredients and equipment are ready before you
start.
• Sift the flour to get rid of any lumps.
• Add a few drops of water if the pastry seems too dry or crumbly.
• Make sure to knead it well to build up the gluten structure.
• Use the pastry while it's warm. Keep it over gentle heat in a double
boiler if you can't use it right away.
Use your hot water crust with these savoury pies
• Beef and Potato Pie
• Chicken, Bacon, and Apricot Pies
• Dingle Pie
• Corned Beef Pie