What is the function of plain flour in shortcrust pastry?
Flour provides the structure in baked goods. Wheat flour contains proteins that interact with each other when mixed with water, forming gluten. It is this elastic gluten framework which stretches to contain the expanding leavening gases during rising. The protein content of a flour affects the strength of a dough.
What is the function of flour in pie crust?
Flour: Flour is there for strength, structure, and elasticity. It’s the binder that holds the other ingredients together and, well, makes the pastry a pastry! For pie crusts, we usually use regular all-purpose flour instead of cake or pastry flour because we want some gluten development for structure, but not too much.
What is the function of flour in puff pastry?
Resource summary
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Function of Water in pastry shortcrust. | The water binds the ingredients together |
| Function of Flour: | Adds bulk |
| Why is Strong plain flour is used in choux and flaky or rough puff pastry? | as it contains more gluten – this is needed to make the dough and give the pastry elasticity. |
What makes shortcrust pastry short?
By rubbing fat into flour before adding any liquid, small cells of flour coated in fat are formed, giving shortcrust pastry its fragmentary, discontinuous, particulate texture. The more coated the flour cells, therefore, the less well they will bind with their neighbours and the weaker (shorter) the pastry will be.
Should you use egg in shortcrust pastry?
Eggs can be used whole or only egg yolks or only egg whites. The choice varies depending on the desired crumbliness: the yolks – being fatter – will accentuate it, while the egg whites are for a crispier shortcrust pastry. More generally, to make a soft shortcrust pastry for tarts it is always better to use whole eggs.
What is the best flour to use in pastry production?
With protein levels somewhere between cake flour and all-purpose flour (8-9 %), pastry flour strikes the ideal balance between flakiness and tenderness, making it perfect for pie dough, biscuits, brownies, tarts and many cookies. Whole Wheat Flour – Whole wheat flour means business.
What are the characteristics of a good pastry?
A good pastry is light and airy and fatty, but firm enough to support the weight of the filling. When making a shortcrust pastry, care must be taken to blend the fat and flour thoroughly before adding any liquid. This ensures that the flour granules are adequately coated with fat and less likely to develop gluten.
How do you keep pastry crisp?
Place fresh pastries inside a paper bag to help retain the quality of the crust. Keep the pastries at room temperature to prevent condensation so that they don’t soften. Seal the paper bag inside a plastic storage bag for extended storage of up to about five days.
Do I have to chill pie crust?
A. There’s no need to chill a pie crust for three hours. It’s not a food safety issue, but the dough need to be chilled so the fat is firm, not liquid, when it goes into the hot oven; it’s the quick melting of the fat that creates the flaky crust.
Can I use bread flour to make pastry?
You can use bread flour in place of AP flour when you actually want a chewier result—in pizza dough, for instance—but you don’t want to use it in place of cake or pastry flour, or in any baked goods that you want to be light and tender.
Can I use bread flour instead of all purpose flour for pie crust?
Can I use it instead of all-purpose flour in cakes, pies and other baking? A. You can use your bread flour for other recipes, but you might notice a difference in results, particularly in toughness. So you use a bread flour, which is higher in protein and will develop more gluten.