Basic Pastry Patisserie Low Fat Recipes

PUFF PASTRY

Steps:

• Mix the flour and salt together in a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer that is fitted with a dough hook. Gradually stir in water until the dough holds together enough to clean the sides of the bowl. You may not need the full amount of water. Shape into a flat ball, and allow to rest for at least 10 minutes.
• Place the butter between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound into a flat disc using a rolling pin or other heavy object. Refrigerate until firm, about 20 minutes.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a large rectangle about 1/2 inch thick. Place the disc of chilled butter in the center and fold the two ends over it so that it is completely encased in dough. Roll out the dough again, taking care not to let the butter break through the dough, to about 1/2 inch thickness. Fold into thirds. This is the first ''turn''. Rotate the dough 90 degrees and roll out into a rectangle again. Fold into thirds. By this time the butter is starting to warm up. Place the dough on a baking sheet and mark it with two pokes from your finger (two turns). Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• Repeat this rolling, folding and turning two more times, then refrigerate until firm. Repeat two more times for a total of 6 ''turns''. Wrap and refrigerate. The dough is now ready to roll out and use in any recipe calling for puff pastry. Roll the dough out as thin as 1/4 inch to make pastries. Bake in a preheated oven of at least 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) to get the maximum puff from your pastry.

BASIC SHORTCRUST PASTRY

Steps:

• Sift 225g plain flour into a large bowl, add 100g diced butter and rub in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
• Stir in a pinch of salt, then add 2-3 tbsp water and mix to a firm dough.
• Knead the dough briefly and gently on a floured surface.
• Wrap in cling film and chill while preparing the filling.

VANILLA PASTRY CREAM (LOW FAT)

Steps:

• Whisk in 1/4 cup of milk with cornstarch in a small nonstick pan until smooth. Whisk in remaining 3/4 cup of milk.
• Scrape the seeds of the vanilla bean into the mixture then add the bean.
• Bring the mixture to boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat.
• In a small bowl, beat together the egg, egg yolk, and sugar. While beating constantly, add a little bit of the milk mixture to temper the egg mixture. Beating constantly, add the egg into milk mixture in pan.
• Cook over low heat, stirring constantly for 1 minute or until the mixture has thickened.
• Strain through fine sieve into a clean bowl. Sauce can be used warm or chilled.
• Sauce can be stored in air tight container in fridge for 2 days.

BASIC PASTRY (PATISSERIE) LOW FAT

Steps:

• Place flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a food processor fitted with plastic blade.
• Pulse briefly to combine, then with motor running, add cottage cheese and oil.
• Quickly add water and pulse quickly just to combine. The dough will be crumbly but moist.
• Remove dough from the processor bowl, use your hand to gently pat the dough together to form a disk shape.
• Wrap in plastic wrap, refrigerate for 30 minutes, or until well chilled.

BEST FLAKY PASTRY

Steps:

• Mix flour and salt in medium bowl. Cut in shortening, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until particles are size of small peas. Sprinkle with cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost leaves side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons more water can be added if necessary). Gather pastry into a ball. Shape into flattened round on lightly floured surface. Wrap flattened round of pastry in plastic wrap and refrigerate about 45 minutes or until dough is firm and cold, yet pliable. This allows the shortening to become slightly firm, which helps make the baked pastry more flaky. If refrigerated longer, let pastry soften slightly before rolling..Roll pastry, using floured rolling pin, into circle 2 inches larger than upside-down 9-inch glass pie plate. Fold pastry into fourths; place in pie plate. Unfold and ease into plate, pressing firmly against bottom and side.Trim overhanging edge of pastry 1 inch from rim of pie plate. Fold and roll pastry under, even with plate; flute as desired.

BRYANNA'S YEASTED PASTRY DOUGH, NO FAT

Steps:

• NOTE: use regular all-purpose unbleached and wholewheat flour, not pastry flour or bread flour). The potatoes need to be just potatoes, no milk if using "real" mashed potatoes. If using instant mix with the boiling water.
• Mix the warm milk, mashed potatoes, syrup and yeast in a medium bowl or food processor; let stand 5 minutes.
• Add the flour and salt. Knead for 5 minutes or process in food processor for 30 seconds.
• Place the dough in an oiled bowl, spray the top of the dough with a little oil, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled (30-60 minutes) OR in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
• To make a double crust pie, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Divide the dough in half and roll out one half to fit the bottom of a lightly oiled 9" pie pan (you have to oil the pans because this dough has no fat in it-OR use a really good non-stick pan). Don't use much flour when rolling out. Fill the pie and cover with the rolled-out second half of the dough. Crimp the edges together and cut some slits for the steam to escape. Bake immediately (no rising) for 25-30 minutes or until golden. The pie may be glazes before baking with soymilk and maybe sprinkled with coarse unbleached sugar, or after baking with maple syrup or juice concentrate.
• To make a "freeform" pie, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Roll the dough out to a 16" circle (use as little flour as possible) and place it carefully on a lightly oiled or good nonstick cookie sheet or 14" round pizza pan. (To transfer the dough, you can cover it with waxed paper and loosely roll it up on your rolling pin, lift it to the pan, unroll and remover the paper.) Make sure there are no holes or excessively thin spots in the dough. Pile the filling in the center and drape the edges over the filling, leaving about a 5" uncovered "hole' in the center, and pleating the dough to make it fit over the filling. This doesn't have to look fancy-after all, it's a "rustic" pie!. Bake immediately (no rising) as instructed for the double crust pie above. Glaze as above, too, if you like.
• Bryanna:It's impossible to make a flaky pastry without fat, but this is a really tender yeasted pastry for pies and quiches-even fruit pies! You can make a conventional double crust pie, or a "freeform" or "rustic" pie. This last is rolled into one large circle with the edges folded up over the filling and baked free-standing on a cookie sheet rather than in a pie pan. (It's doesn't work with very runny fillings!) A food processor makes this easy!