Handmade Pastry Recipes

HOMEMADE PUFF PASTRY

Steps:

• Place cubed butter in a bowl; lower into a large bowl full of ice to keep cold.
• Combine flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor; pulse twice. Add 1/4 cup of the butter cubes and pulse 4 times. Repeat with the remaining butter cubes, 1/4 cup at a time. Place mixture into a large, chilled bowl.
• Combine 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon ice water and lemon juice in a small bowl. Add 1/2 the mixture to the flour-butter mixture and toss until just combined; dough should be lumpy with bits of solid butter.
• Place dough on a floured work surface. Knead lightly to form a ball. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Roll chilled dough out into a square. Place whipped butter in the center of the dough and smooth outward, leaving a 1/2-inch edge. Fold dough in half; pinch edges and seal. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for another 30 minutes.
• Roll dough out into a rectangle. Fold 1/3 of the dough into the center. Fold the other side toward the center to overlap the first fold. Rotate dough 90 degrees. Roll out into a rectangle again. Repeat folding. Make 2 indents in the top of the dough with your finger to show you've completed 2 folds. Wrap dough again and chill for 30 minutes.
• Repeat folding and rolling 4 more times, marking the dough before chilling every time. Cut in half after the sixth fold; wrap each half and chill.

HANDMADE PASTRY

Steps:

• Place flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl; whisk to combine. Add butter and shortening to the flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter or two table knives, cut in the butter and shortening until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Gradually add ice water, mixing with a large fork, using just enough so the dough holds together.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Divide dough in two. Place each piece on a sheet of plastic wrap. Grasping the ends of the plastic wrap with your hands, press the dough into a flat disc with your fists. Wrap in the plastic, and chill for at least one hour.

QUICKEST PUFF PASTRY

Steps:

• Cut 8 ounces (2 sticks) butter into 1/2 to 1/4-inch dice, place on a plate and refrigerate while preparing remaining ingredients.Measure water and add salt; stir to dissolve and set aside.
• Coarsely dice remaining 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter. Place flour in work bowl of food processor fitted with metal blade; add 4 tablespoons butter and pulse until butter is absorbed -- about ten to twelve 1-second pulses.
• Add remaining butter and pulse once or twice to distribute. Add water and pulse 3 or 4 times, just until dough forms a rough ball. Do not over-process.
• Flour work surface and scrape dough from work bowl. Shape dough into a rough rectangle and place between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Press dough with rolling pin to flatten, then roll back and forth several times with rolling pin to make a 12 by 18 inch rectangle of dough.
• Peel away plastic wrap and invert dough to floured work surface. Peel away second piece of wrap. Fold dough in thirds in the width, folding the top third down and the bottom third up, to make a 6 by 18-inch rectangle, then roll up the dough from one of the 6-inch ends, making sure to roll end under dough. Press the dough into a square, wrap in plastic and refrigerate 1 hour, or until firm.

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.

BASIC PASTRY DOUGH

Steps:

• In a food processor, pulse flour and salt to combine. Add cold butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few pea-size pieces of butter remaining. Sprinkle with ice water. Pulse until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed (if necessary, add up to 3 tablespoons more water, 1 tablespoon at a time). Do not overmix. Form dough into a 1-inch-thick disk, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour (or up to 3 days).

NEVER, NEVER FAIL PIE PASTRY

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in lard until mixture resembles coarse meal.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together water, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and vinegar. Stir into flour mixture and knead dough briefly, just until smooth. Allow to rest 15 minutes before rolling out. Pastry is easier to work with when chilled. Can be stored in refrigerator for up to 1 week.

BUTTERCRUST PASTRY DOUGH

Steps:

• Place blade insert into bowl of food processor. Add 1 cup flour. Sprinkle frozen butter cubes over flour. Add remaining 1 cup flour, sugar, and salt. Cover. Pulse in short bursts on and off until butter is broken into small pieces and looks crumbly, about 1 minute. Drizzle in ice water. Pulse with longer pulses, on and off, until mixture turns pale yellow and looks like crumbs, about 10 to 12 seconds. Scrape down sides with spatula. Pulse once or twice more.
• Transfer mixture onto a work surface. Bring pieces together to form a tight round ball of dough. Flatten slightly and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight before rolling out.