#Water Shortcrust Pastry

[askwhatsforlunch]

Spelt Pastry

This Spelt Pastry, with its slightly nutty taste will make your end-of-Summer tarts and pies, ideally filled with your harvest gluts!

Ingredients (makes about 415 grams/14.6 ounces pastry):

1 1/2 cup plain flour

1/2 cup spelt flour

1/4 cup caster sugar

1 teaspoon salt

5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter

1/4 cup cold water

In a large bowl, combine flour, spelt flour, salt and caster sugar. Add butter, and rub it into the flour mixture between your fingers, until mixture resembles coarse meal. 

Then, gradually stir in cold water until mixture comes together into a soft ball. (You may not need all of it.)

Flatten pastry into a disc, wrap in cling film, and chill Spelt Pastry, at least one hour before using. You can keep it, up to a couple of days in the refrigerator, or three months in the freezer.

[enby-with-2-hats]

it's 4:51 am and I can't sleep because the quiche my friend made fucked up my stomach :(

[ltwilliammowett]

Cooking like a Sailor- Maids of Honour

We would expect to see these ladies at a wedding or at the side of a high lady of the society but not in the kitchen, but in the kitchen of the 1800s that means a cheesecake. And this was a very popular desert at the captain's table.

1 shortcrust pastry or puff pastry (should be enough for two trays of 12 muffins each)

Filling 2/3 cup almonds, coarsely ground 2 tablespoons grated lemon zest 2 tablespoons lemon juice 4 drops of rose water 1 egg 1/4 cup sugar 1 tablespoon flour 2 tablespoons heavy cream 2 tablespoons of soft butter pinch of salt and pinch of nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 350°F or 175°C and, using a glass, cut out circles to fit into the muffin tin, making sure that the batter forms a rim close to the top.

Now mix all the ingredients together and fill the batter almost to the top. Give it some space to rise. Should be enough for about two trays.

Now bake for about 25 minutes

Then leave to cool slightly and serve.

Recipe by Anne Chotzinoff Grossman and Lisa Grossman Thomas, Lobscouse & Spotted Dog, page 42)

[askyves]

Hello everyone. Thank you for your patience while I worked on transcribing this recipe. I tend to measure by eye and instinct, you see. So it took a bit to properly measure what I typically use and turn it into a usable recipe.

That being said, this is a recipe for a rather experienced baker, so don't be discouraged if it takes a few tries to get the hang of it. Feel free to leave me any comments or questions you may have.

As for the crust, any shortcrust recipe will work just fine. Pie crust or tart crust are acceptable alternatives as well.

Licht's Favorite Darioles

Ingredients:

1/4 cup blanched almonds

175 ml cold water

150 ml heavy cream

2 eggs

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp rosewater

1 cup minced strawberries

1 recipe of shortcrust pastry

Method:

Press pastry into mini tart tins. Prick the dough and divide the strawberries among the tins (these will act as pie weights during the blind bake)

Bake the crusts in a hot oven at 425°F/220°C for about 10 minutes until just starting to brown.

Pound the almonds until finely ground. Stir in the water and let sit for 10 minutes. Strain through a cheesecloth.

Measure out 150 ml of the mixture and mix with the heavy cream.

Whisk the eggs and sugar in a saucepan until homogeneous. (Take care not to whisk so much it turns frothy.)

Set over low heat and slowly stir in the cream mixture. Continue cooking while stirring constantly until thickened.

The custard is ready when it reaches nappe, meaning the consistency where it can coat the back of a spoon evenly, like so:

At this stage, stir in the rosewater and remove from the heat. Pour into the cooled tart shells and shake a bit so the custard can properly coat the strawberries.

Bake in a moderate oven at 350°F/175°C for about 20 minutes until set. The center should still be a bit wobbly.

Cool completely and chill before serving.

Taglist: @floydsteeth @littlewitty @the12thnightproject @bubblesthegreat3 @anonymousnamedhera @5mary5 @otomedad @solacedeer @sh0jun @yvies-whore

Please let me know if you would like to be added or removed.

[the-clockwork-three]

Day 2: Gur Cake

Also known as Chester Cake in every part of Ireland that is not Dublin

Its a type of bread pudding with pastry on the top and the bottom and a slice could have been bought for a ha'penny (half a penny) throughout most of the nineteenth century in Dublin. It got its name from gurriers, little boys who skipped school and were generally, in my father's words, little thugs. The gur cake was the only cake gurriers could afford in the bakery.

Makes 24.

Ingredients:

8 slices stale bread with the crusts cut off

3 tbsp flour

1⁄2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp mixed spice

100g (1/2 cup) brown sugar

2 tbsp butter

175g currants or mixed dried fruit

1 large egg, beaten

4 tbsp milk

350g shortcrust pastry

icing sugar for sprinkling

Instructions

Soak the bread in a little water for an hour, then squeeze the moisture out. Combine the flour, baking powder, mixed spice, sugar, butter, fruit, beaten egg and milk. Mix well.

Line the bottom of a 22 cm (9 in) square tin with half of the pastry and spread the mixture over, then cover with the remaining pastry. Make a few diagonal gashes across the top and bake at 190°C/375°F/gas mark 5 for about an hour.

Sprinkle the top with sugar and allow to cool in the tin, then cut into 24 small squares.

Recipe taken from:

Tags: @rusalkaandtheshepherdgirl @charlataninred @grimalkinsquill @unseeliethot (ask to be added or removed)

[wonderlandleighleigh]

What’s your superior pastry types? (Filo, shortcrust, puff etc)

The ever versatile basic pastry dough:

Flour, butter, water. Maybe a pinch of salt.

When done correctly, there are very few things better.

[shapeshifterrr]

TV.

. CHAPTER 1 / 2

Content: T rating / Shin x Noi / mess and headache / light angst / This fic takes place after chapter167, the final one. Unquestionably, spoiler alert / Enjoy the light reading / too much thinking

Summary: ▓░▓░▓░▓▓▓▓░▓░░░▓▓▓▓▓░░▓▓▓░▓▓░▓▓▓▓ ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░▓░▓░▓▓░░▓▓▓▓▓▓░▓▓▓▓░▓░▓░▓▓▓▓░▓░░░▓▓▓▓▓░░▓▓▓░▓▓░▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░▓░▓░▓▓░░▓▓▓▓▓▓░▓▓▓▓░▓░▓░▓▓▓▓░▓░░░▓▓▓▓▓░░▓▓▓░▓▓░▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░▓░▓░▓▓░░▓▓▓▓▓▓░▓▓▓... too much thinking

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. ThereboutsVanished

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Ordinary night, quiet and dark enough to merge within, Shin likes it that way. Taking off his black suit and his mask, both are submerged in blood of those he murdered. In his apartment, there’s only him alone after he’s done with his job, he’d want nothing to do with anyone.

“Is this it?” he looks outside the window “This is my life?” he shakes off his head to forget. Those weird new thoughts going through his mind, where did those weird questions came from anyway? In the bathroom, the water runs on his blood filled hands but it takes some time till he can see his hands without blood again. The mirror reflects a tired face with some scars around, he has not even sensed something injuring his face “tsk, I’d tell Noi to fix it later” he mutters to himself— he stopped for a second then continued to wash his clothes.

On the bed he rest under a warm blanket, his head is drowned in insoluble noise “What’s wrong with me?” it is starting to irritate him, this state of unknown agitation have been a constant occurrence since they’ve ended everything in Hole. That massive ‘hole’ monster, whatever it was, it got purged and with that many new things has branched. He press on the bridge of his nose, press his palms against his forehead, and take a big sigh out. Maybe the overwhelming pressure of that time still got him, but he’s fine. Shin is fine, it’s whatever.

Shin blames every inconvenience on his human genes, would he be feeling stable if he were fully a sorcerer? But if he were not half human he would’ve lived a very different life back then, an ordinary hole civilian— “stop, this is dumb” – what if he were a full sorcerer?! Would En, his boss, raise his wage? And what about En’s cousin, Noi? Would he have had a chance with— “AAGh!” Shin sits up on the bed “am I hungry?” He went on to the fridge to get something to eat, he turned the TV on and adjusted the volume high enough to not hear himself thinking “Why am I acting weird? I’m fine!? Did something hit my head- no”

There was meat pie leftover, taste fantastic, thick seasoned gravy that oozes out of the pie’s shortcrust pastry and the minced meat— with mushroom… (of course, it’s from En’s chosen pie shop inside his massive ‘city’ inside the palace) It tastes rich and filling, something he’d have never knew the taste of had he not found this job a—-- Shin picks the phone to order some more, that pie is so well made he could chomp 10 at the same time, right now, instead of sleeping. Anything, just get the unbearable noise out of his head.

A sunny morning

Shin wakes up with a severe headache; he lingers on bed for an hour waiting for it to get better. Maybe the meat pies were a bad idea. The atmosphere in En’s mansion is still in shambles, after all the theft, wreckage and absolute desolation happened on the hands of the crosseye gang. It might be fine for him to just stay in bed and rest, since his boss’s entire focus is solely fixed on the restoration of his mansion lately, which would require at least a full year to finish. Shin those days has to deal with the few sorcerers left causing tension beside the ones left making threats opposing his boss.

Very still and reposed, Shin’s eyes looks up at the ceiling, his apartment is filled with quiet static sounds. The little rays of sunlight snuck above and through the curtains, reaching the blanket he rests comfortably beneath. The rays were nice and warm resting on his hand, as if the sun is propelling him to wake up. In his head he repeats “I have to wake up” His headache seems to only get worse, he close his eyes inevitably, gradually falling asleep again. Overthinking is not his speciality.

A grand change just happened before everyone’s eyes recently, the world has shifted up and down with no remorse, perplexing all of what was known the norm. Sorcerers and humans today are considered allies, what does that even look like. Shin in the back of his mind; sensing something peculiar, this new headache that lasted longer than his ability to ignore it.

-

Outside Shin’s apartment, Noi stood. Confused of what could have happened to Shin, she knocks on the door very loud “SENPAI!” “Something happened to you?!”

“…”

Noi warns “I’m going to break the door, excuse me-” the door opened and left half open, Noi gently pushes the door in to see Shin sitting on the edge of the bed. Being super quiet, well he is a cool guy but this is dead silence. Noi stands before him, looking around “Nothing… I thought someone attacked you, it’s not usual for you to wake up this late.” “…”

Noi crouches then look at him “Are you ok? You need some… uh, coffee? You love coffee”

“I’m fine, you go and I’ll come in 5 minutes”

She notice the scars on his face from last night “Wait, your face, let me heal that” Shin refuses saying “It’s just some scratches, don’t bother now” backing a little knowing she’s not going to listen, he’s not in the mood. She grip his face with her large strong hand as he try to escape “Hold on!” she said irritated, clenching his wrist while he’s pulling his arm away to release it. All the tussling led Noi to trip and fall on top of him on the bed. Instantly she put her forearms to lift herself off him “Sorry, Senpai!”

Few seconds of silence down on the soft bed and her fluffy longhair falls on his face. Embarrassed, he looks away; she’s so strong and huge while he’s too tired to quarrel. Letting her use her black smoke to heal him or whatever, just be done with this – “Ok, I’ll do it now” Noi says nonchalant on top of him, she blows some black smoke out of her lips and cure those scars.

After, as soon as she’s done, his hands on both her shoulders pushing her off him. Noi falls to the other side of the bed saying, “If you weren’t so stubborn”

Shin sigh, standing up to grab his suit, his back to her “Now let me get done, I’m coming in 5 minutes” He said in his typical cool tone.

“YOU HAD MEAT PIES AND DIDN’T EVEN TELL ME?!” Noi suddenly says after seeing the multiple boxes on his bedside

“Why would I tell you?” He ask

“I really love meat pies”

“… The shop is nearby go get pies on your own, idiot—” “Now get out”

Noi have no idea what’s wrong with him. Outside, she wonders if that’s just another one of those days when he becomes… more distant than before? Going around the wrecked halls of the mansion, thinking: ‘Shin is acting weird today 1. He overslept 2. He ate millions of meat pies IN THE MIDDLE OF NIGHT 3. He didn’t tell me about his late night feast 4. He didn’t tell me to fix his injuries 5. He doesn’t want coffee? 6. He did NOT have coffee this morning?!’ – Strange enough, but when Noi thinks about it, he’s been definitely acting strange these days, he’s her partner and so she believes her instinct when she sense something is wrong with him. She can’t point out what is it though; maybe the state of the destroyed mansion got him upset? Maybe something important was stolen from his room during all that mess. Noi stops at some room that’s cluttered with dust, garbage and ruined furniture

“Ugh, the vibes are off after all what the crosseyed did, that Hole thing, whatever it was” She looks at the broken ceiling where the big glistening chandeliers used to be “How long will this take to fix?”

Behind her stood little Ebisu calling “Noi”, Noi turns and pet her head “What’s up?”

“I want to play video games but no one wants to play with me” Noi looks around “I guess, there’s nothing to do- let’s go”

They both went to Ebisu’s room that’s still covered in broken glass, yanked door, flipped bed and table

Noi says “Damn, En didn’t tell his workers to clean your room yet??”

Ebisu near her console clicking buttons, getting the second controller. They both sit on a boulder near the TV, which its screen is nearly giving up.

Noi wasn’t super into the game that Ebisu plays but somehow she was good at the game and kept beating Ebisu. Cheering, screaming, laughing, sometimes having little argue while gaming for a while. Noi turned her head a little off the screen and the sun is already setting, time went by so fast “Ooah!” “I got to go”

“WHyyy!?” Ebisu started crying “NOOOooooo”

“I have to go check on Senpai”

“Why? Is he sick???”

“… hm” Noi thinks for a second “He might be sick!” Then Noi swiftly stands up and leaves while Ebisu is crying for attention.

“Where is he?” Noi walks around the wreckage, “Ugh he surly is wondering where I went” she can’t find him anywhere in this huge mansion and she only searched 5% of it. Shin usually hangs outside when he’s waiting for something so Noi went to that area but to no avail, it was empty. Maybe En sent him on a mission without telling her, that idea alone boiled her blood, she went to En’s office “EN!!!”

En is sitting comfortably on a cozy chair by the huge desk “Hm? Noi why are you here? Did you two forget to keep guarding t-” Noi cuts his slow talking “Where’s senpai????”

He raises an eyebrow “what do you mean? He disappeared?”

“No, your stupid big cluttered mansion makes it hard to find anyone”

“humph” he sighs “We’re working on that, it’d take sometime to clear and restore my precious mansion. In the meantime you two make sure to keep the—” She cuts him off again

“You talk too slow for me, just say did you send him on a mission alone?!”

“No”

“ugh” Noi sighs

En grabs his warm cup of coffee saying “If he’s not outside protecting the—” Noi cuts him off for the third time “Stop repeating stuff, we’re on it”

En gets irritated of the constant interruption, how rude “Noi, if you need to find your partner, you can sense where they’re at. It’s easy. The contract signed inside both of you should be the key to figuring out the destination you need to be. Just calm down and take a deep breath (slow inhale, slow exhale) like that, do it with me (inhale, exhale). It’s necessary to control your anger, I personally, find it hard to sense my partner when I’m not stable. You’re so mad for some reason you need to regain your focus and try to sense y—”

Noi leaves saying “You’re annoying me, I can’t sense SH*T” slamming the door behind her

……………………

……………………

………..…………. En “Did she just-”

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[kitchenhermit]

Pastiera Napoletana

Pastiera Napoletana, also known as grain pie, is a delicious and luxurious sweet enjoyed in Naples, Italy, throughout Easter. It is filled with a rich wheat and ricotta custard, brightened with candied fruit, orange blossom water, and lemon zest - baked in sweet shortcrust pastry. 

Recipe notes:

Shortcrust pastry: I have an easy recipe included. You can use store-bought dough, just make sure it’s sweet pastry. I’d also recommend buying an extra sheet of pastry, to cut the strips to put on top of the pastiera!

Making ahead: You can make the pastry and the ricotta mixture up to two days before baking. Pastiera is even better on the second day because the sweetness softens and the flavours become much more complex and nuanced. I love it the most on the second day - so this is perfect to make ahead.  

Ricotta: I use 200 grams of sheep’s milk ricotta (which is sweet and creamy) and 200 grams of cow’s milk ricotta (which is denser and slightly more savoury). This combination makes a delicious pastiera, but it’s also fine two use 400 grams of cow’s milk ricotta if you prefer!

Cooked wheat: This is an absolute must for pastiera! In Italy, it’s known as grano cotto, and you can buy it in jars at the supermarket around Easter time. If you can’t find it online, check out an Italian speciality grocer, or even a health-food store.  

Ingredients:

Sweet shortcrust pastry: 

315 grams all-purpose / 00 flour

135 grams granulated white sugar

180 grams cold lard/shortening 

3 egg yolks (whisked)

Wheat ricotta custard: 

250 grams whole milk

350 grams cooked whole wheat berries (grano cotto)

Zest from 1 lemon

30 grams lard/shortening

400 grams ricotta 

3 eggs 

350 grams white granulated sugar

100 grams finely diced candied orange/citron (optional*)

15 grams orange blossom water 

A pinch of ground cinnamon 

Seeds from one vanilla bean / 1 tsp vanilla extract 

Method:

Sweet shortcrust pastry: 

Sift flour into a large bowl. Then add the sugar and the cold lard in small pieces. Using a pastry cutter/fork, or your fingers, cut the lard into the flour until there are only pea-sized amounts remaining and the mixture looks sandy. Add in the egg yolks and mix the dough with your hands until it comes together. You may need to add 1 tsp of water, but the dough will be quite crackly and delicate. There may be little spots of egg yolk throughout, but this isn't important. Just don't over-mix! 

When it comes together, put the dough out on plastic wrap and shape it into a flat disk. Cover well with the plastic, and refrigerate for at least one hour and up to two days. 

Wheat ricotta custard:

While the pastry is in the fridge, add the milk, lemon zest, lard, and cooked wheat into a small pot. Cook over low-medium heat, stirring regularly and breaking up the large pieces of wheat. The cream is done when the lard is melted and isn’t separated from the milk, the wheat has softened and isn’t clumped together, and the mixture has just started to simmer. Take it off the heat, and let it cool while you prepare the ricotta. 

Push the ricotta through a fine-mesh strainer (use a rubber spatula to force it through). If you have a food mill, use that! The reason we do this extra step is to make sure the ricotta is nice and fluffy. If you don’t have these tools, just whisk it together well. 

Add in the eggs, sugar, and the cooled wheat and milk mixture. Then whisk in the candied fruit, orange blossom water, vanilla beans, and a pinch of cinnamon.

Putting it together: 

Grease a 22cm/9cm pie tin with lard/shortening. Dust generously with flour and set aside. 

Take the shortcrust pastry out of the fridge. If it's been in the fridge for more than an hour, let it rest for a few minutes on the counter. Lightly dust some flour on a silicone pastry mat or your counter top, and gently roll out the dough. This is a very delicate dough, so cracks are normal. Just gently press the broken dough back together and try not to use too much flour. Roll out into a circle until it's about 1/2 inch/ 1.5cm thick and 12 inches/30cm in diameter. Gently place it in the greased tin. Don't worry if it breaks in the process, just press it into the baking tin and it'll work fine! This is a very forgiving dough. Cut off the extra dough overhanging the baking tin. Gather it all together, dust with flour and roll it out into a rectangle, around 22cm/9 inches in length. With a pastry wheel cutter, cut as many 2-inch strips as you can. Gently place them across the pastiera in a weave pattern. I usually get around 6. 

Pour the mixture into the pie crust, and place the strips on top. Put the pie into an oven, preheated at 180C/356F. Bake for 60 minutes. Then, place the oven tray on the bottom and bake for 10 minutes more. The pastiera is done when it’s dark (but not burnt on top), the pie has puffed up, and there is a fragrant smell of orange blossom water throughout your kitchen. 

Once the pie is finished, open the oven door slightly and let the pastiera rest there until completely cool. I use a piece of aluminium foil, to keep the oven door slightly ajar. If you take it out too quickly the middle will sink, causing the pastiera to have a crackly hole in the middle. If this happens, don’t worry, the pastiera will still be delicious!

When the pastiera has cooled down, cover with plastic wrap and store it at room temperature. It will be good to eat for up to 5 days.

Serve with a light dusting of icing sugar, and enjoy your Neapolitan easter treat! 

Notes:

1- The pastiera is very delicate, so it may not be possible to take the entire pie out of the tin to serve. In Naples, bakeries actually sell the pastiera inside its baking tin, because it's so fragile! 

*Candied fruit: This is an optional mix-in, but highly recommended! Candied citrus fruit cuts through the sweetness, and adds to the floral notes of the pie. If possible, try to find candied citron (a large type of green lemon that’s grown in the south of Italy). If you can’t, orange or lemon peel will work just as well!

[maudeboggins]

This is GOOD

It filled two small pie pans for me. Jam filling was 1 c frozen blueberry, 1/4 c sugar, maybe ~2tsp cornstarch dissolved water

[gamehacksworld]

Slow-cooked lamb vindaloo pies

INGREDIENTS

2 Tbsp Vegetable Oil

2 Brown Onions, Finely Chopped

2 Tsp Yellow Mustard Seeds

1kg boneless lamb shoulder or leg, excess fat trimmed, cut into 3cm pieces

4 Tomatoes, Coarsely Chopped

1 Tbsp Brown Sugar

2 Fresh Or Dried Bay Leaves

1 Cinnamon Stick

80ml (1/3 Cup) White Vinegar

2 sheets frozen shortcrust pastry, just thawed

2 Sheets Frozen Puff Pastry, Just Thawed

2 Egg Yolks, Lightly Whisked

Bought tomato chutney, to servespice paste

5cm-piece fresh ginger, peeled, coarsely chopped

8 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

2 long fresh green chillies, coarsely chopped

1 tbsp garam masala

2 tsp coarsely sweet paprika

1 tsp chilli powder (or to taste)

1 tsp ground turmeric

.

Directions:

To make spice paste, place all ingredients and 2 tbs water in the food processor. Process until smooth, adding extra water 1 tbs at a time to help blend, if necessary.

Heat oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until softened. Stir in mustard seeds for 1 minute. Add spice paste and stir for 1 minute or until aromatic

Add lamb and cook for 4 minutes or until lamb just starts to colour. Add the tomato, sugar, bay leaves, cinnamon, vinegar and 60ml (1 ⁄4 cup) water. Reduce heat to low. Cover partially with a lid and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 2 hours or until the lamb is tender and sauce thickens. Season. Set aside to cool completely.

Preheat oven to 200C/180C fan forced. Cut each pastry sheet into 4 squares. Line eight 8cm (base measurement) pie tins with shortcrust squares. Trim excess. Fill with lamb mixture. Top with puff squares. Press edges together. Use a sharp knife to trim any excess pastry. Use a fork to press edges together to seal. Brush each pie with egg yolk and transfer to a large baking tray (depending on size of your oven and baking trays, you may need to cook in batches). Bake for 20 minutes or until pastry is golden. Serve with chutney.

[sakhshimandal]

Professional Baking Techniques for Perfect Desserts and Confections

Baking is both an art and a science, requiring precision, technique, and creativity to achieve perfection. For those aiming to create exceptional desserts and confections, mastering professional baking techniques is essential. From understanding the chemistry of ingredients to perfecting methods like tempering chocolate or achieving the perfect meringue, professional bakers rely on skill and practice to deliver flawless results every time.

In this article, we’ll explore the most important professional baking techniques to elevate your desserts and confections to a new level of perfection.

1. Understanding Ingredient Precision

In professional baking, precision is non-negotiable. Unlike cooking, where you can improvise, baking relies on the exact measurement of ingredients.

Weigh, Don’t Measure: Professional bakers use kitchen scales instead of cups to ensure accuracy. Even slight variations can impact the structure and flavor of the final product.

Room Temperature Ingredients: Butter, eggs, and milk at room temperature blend more evenly, ensuring consistent texture and aeration.

Using precise measurements helps produce consistent desserts such as sponges, cakes, and pastries.

2. Mastering the Creaming Method

The creaming method is a foundational technique in professional baking for cakes, cookies, and pastries. It involves beating butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. This incorporates air into the mixture, resulting in soft, tender baked goods.

Pro Tip: Use a stand mixer on medium speed and ensure the butter is at room temperature—soft but not melted. Overmixing can deflate the air, while undermixing results in dense textures.

3. Perfecting Dough Handling

When working with dough—whether for pies, cookies, or pastries—technique matters. Professional bakers follow these steps:

Don’t Overwork the Dough: Overmixing develops gluten, which can make dough tough. Handle dough just until it comes together.

Keep It Cold: For flaky pie crusts and pastries, chill the butter and dough. Cold fat creates steam pockets during baking, resulting in light, airy textures.

Resting the Dough: Allow dough to rest in the refrigerator to relax gluten and prevent shrinkage during baking.

This technique ensures consistent results for shortcrust pastries, puff pastries, and laminated doughs.

4. Achieving the Perfect Meringue

Light, airy meringue is a cornerstone of professional baking for desserts like pavlovas, macarons, and mousses. There are three main types of meringue:

French Meringue: Made by whisking sugar into egg whites until stiff peaks form. Perfect for cookies and delicate toppings.

Swiss Meringue: Egg whites and sugar are heated gently over a water bath and then whipped. This meringue is stable and glossy, ideal for buttercream.

Italian Meringue: Sugar syrup is heated to a precise temperature (115-120°C) and poured into whipped egg whites. It’s the most stable and commonly used in professional baking.

Pro Tip: Use clean, dry equipment. Any trace of fat will prevent egg whites from whipping properly.

5. Chocolate Tempering for Professional Confections

Tempering chocolate is a professional baking skill that ensures chocolate sets with a glossy finish and a satisfying snap—perfect for truffles, ganache, and decorative garnishes.

Melt the chocolate slowly to 45-50°C.

Cool it down to 27-28°C by stirring continuously.

Reheat to 31-32°C (depending on the type of chocolate).

Properly tempered chocolate stays shiny, holds its shape, and doesn’t melt easily. Skipping this step can result in dull, grainy confections.

6. Baking with Steam for Perfect Crusts

For breads and pastries, introducing steam into the oven creates a professional-quality crust. Steam delays crust formation, allowing the dough to expand fully and develop a crisp, golden exterior.

Pro Tip: Use a pan of hot water placed at the bottom of the oven or spritz water onto the oven walls during the initial baking stage. This technique is widely used in baking artisan bread.

7. Controlled Baking Temperatures

Temperature plays a critical role in achieving perfect desserts. A professional baker always preheats the oven and uses an oven thermometer to ensure accuracy.

Low Temperatures: Ideal for custards, cheesecakes, and slow-baked desserts.

High Temperatures: Used for quick rises, such as choux pastry or puff pastry.

Uneven baking can be prevented by rotating pans halfway through the baking time.

8. Glazing and Finishing Techniques

In professional baking, the final presentation matters as much as the flavor. Glazing, icing, and finishing techniques elevate desserts and confections:

Mirror Glazes: Achieve a sleek, reflective finish for cakes.

Ganache: Smooth and pourable chocolate coatings provide a rich finish.

Egg Wash: Used to achieve a golden, glossy look on pastries and bread.

Garnishes like edible flowers, gold leaf, and tempered chocolate shards add a professional touch to desserts.

Conclusion

Mastering professional baking techniques requires precision, practice, and a deep understanding of ingredients and processes. Whether you’re creaming butter to perfection, tempering chocolate, or managing dough, these skills elevate your desserts and confections to professional standards.

By combining artistry with science, professional bakers create treats that are not only delicious but also visually stunning. If you aspire to perfect your baking craft, focus on mastering these techniques—and watch your creations transform into masterpieces.

[askwhatsforlunch]

Tarte aux Myrtilles (Blueberry Tart)

Today, I’m going to visit my friend Marie for lunch, and I told her I’d bring the dessert. Thus, and as I returned from the market with a heap of gorgeous blueberries the other day, I baked this beautiful Tarte aux Myrtilles. A simple but nonetheless delicious fruit tart, too good not to share with mates! 

Ingredients (serves 4 to 6):

285 grams/10 ounces Pâte Brisée

1/4 cup almonds

2 cups fresh blueberries

2 large eggs

1/3 cup caster sugar

2/3 cup double cream

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Preheat oven to 200°C/395°F. Genrously butter a 20cm/8” tart tin; set aside.

On a lightly floured surface, roll Pâte Brisée out into a large circle. Gently fit Pâte Brisée circle into prepared tin, letting the Pastry overhang a little on the edges. Prick the base and edges of the Pastry case with a fork, and blind bake in the warm oven, 10 minutes, at 200°C/395°F.

Place almonds in a small food processor, and blitz until it has a coarse meal texture. Set aside. 

Thoroughly rinse and drain blueberries. Set aside.

Once the Pastry case is blind-baked, scatter ground almonds at the bottom and gently spread into a thin layer. Add blueberries on top, and arrange into an even layer as well. Return to the oven, and bake, a further 15 minutes, at 200°C/395°F.

Meanwhile, break the eggs into a medium bowl. Whisk, gradually adding sugar until well-blended. Then, whisk in double cream and Vanilla Extract until well-combined.

Gently pour egg and cream mixture over the softened blueberries, and return to the oven one last time, and bake, 20 minutes, at 200°C/395°F.

Serve Tarte aux Myrtilles warm, with a generous dollop of crème fraîche, or allow to cool before serving. It pairs well with a well-chilled Late Harvest Riesling, or a light sparkling white, like Crémant d’Alsace.

[poelouisewalker]

the pie is considered the national dish of Britain! What can be in it?

Over years and years the national dish has gained a number of various types such as Sweet and Savoury, Hot and Cold, Fusion, Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten Free there is now a pie for almost everyone. We have even developed the pastry casing along with the pie to include shortcrust, puff, rough puff filo, hot water crust, suet crust with even more choices for fillings.

The discovery of spices around the time of the crusades led to pies being made from meat and also from added dried fruit such as raisins and spices to give a sweet pie eaten at the best feasts.  Mince pies were said to be on the menu for the coronation banquet of King Henry V in 1413.  Little by little less meat and more sweet contents were contained in the pies, suet eventually replacing the minced meat until the need for vegetarian mince pies led to any connection with meat being dropped. Originally eaten all year round, mince pies became more associated with Christmas through the Christmas Pie which was made using the same ingredients as the traditional minced pie.

Pork Pies

Pork pies were a convenient way of using and preserving the less desirous cuts of meat from the family pig which was usually slaughtered during the winter. In many parts of the country the meat was cured and when needed made into pies which gives these pies their pink colour inside. In Melton Mowbray pigs were reared and fed on the whey from local Stilton Cheese production.

Modern era of pies

In recent years pies have undergone a renaissance. We still have the much-loved regional pies and large family pies, a godsend in difficult economic times. However, a number of bespoke pie companies have developed the gastro pie which is almost like having a restaurant in a pie. Vegetarian pies have been around for years but more lately vegan pies have come to the fore and a Vegan Pie became Supreme Champion or ‘Pie of Pies’ in the 2019 British Pie Awards. A gluten-free vegan pie won the same accolade in the 2022 Awards. More recent developments include ‘Fusion Pie’s’ such as Chicken Tikka Pies, Balti Pies, Vindaloo Pies and Lasagne Pies.

[ohwowimlonley]

Pls i soooo down wanna adapt a shortcrust pastry to hold a pasty shape as well as a hot water crust without losing any of its buttery layers but also make it vegan

[totalutfrysning]

Recipe for British Shortcrust Pie Pastry A quick and easy-to-make alternative to pre-made pie crusts, this shortcrust pastry dough is a staple in many British recipes. 1/4 cup shortening, 4 tablespoons ice water or more as needed, 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup chilled butter cut into pieces