The trick of this type of pastry is that the fat will form little pockets of fat within the dough. Then, when the dough is baked, this fat will melt away. As a result, the crust will have a layered texture of various dough layers on top of one another, separated by empty pockets where formerly the fat sat.
What happens to pastry when cooked?
Towards the end of cooking, when the surface of the pastry has reached a high enough temperature, Maillard browning reactions will start. Brushing the pastry surface with raw egg will add to these reactions and also forms a waterproof layer, which is again useful in blind baking.
Why does my shortcrust pastry go hard when cooked?
Shortcrust. Hard and/or tough pastry: Usually occurs due to too much liquid and too much flour when rolling out, too little fat, over-handling or insufficient rubbing in. … Brushing the pastry base with a little egg white helps but the best solution is to use a metal tart plate (enamel) or an ovenproof glass dish.
How do you know when shortcrust pastry is cooked?
Trim off edges with a sharp knife. Make a small hole in the top of the pie to allow the steam to escape. Brush top with beaten egg and bake for 30 minutes or until pastry is golden brown. This pie may be eaten hot or cold.
What does shortcrust pastry do?
Shortcrust pastry is a type of pastry often used for the base of a tart, quiche or pie. Shortcrust pastry can be used to make both sweet and savory pies such as apple pie, quiche, lemon meringue or chicken pie. Shortcrust pastry recipes usually call for twice as much flour as fat by weight.
Why did my pastry shrink?
Pastry shrinks when it’s baked as its liquid content (from eggs, butter and water) evaporates. Here’s how to help stop your pastry shrinking in the oven and ruining your tart case. When flour combines with liquid, proteins in it form elastic strands of gluten. … For light, crumbly pastry, handle the dough gently.
What are the rules of making shortcrust pastry?
Tips for working with shortcrust pastry
- Don’t overwork the dough. Roll and handle shortcrust pastry as little as possible as overworking it can produce tough and unpleasant results.
- Use a metal tart tin. …
- Don’t stretch. …
- Repair tears. …
- Allow a little overhang. …
- Rest. …
- Bake it blind. …
- Watch the colour.
Why does my shortcrust pastry crack when rolling?
Chilled pie dough cracks when rolled out
Dough was too cold or not kneaded enough, making the edges of the dough disk ragged and dry. Also, the dough may not have rested enough to allow the flour to hydrate evenly. If there are many cracks and the edges seem dry, gather the dough into a ball.
Why does my pie crust fall apart?
If your pie dough breaks and crumbles when you try to roll it out, it’s probably too dry. This is a relatively easy fix. Just sprinkle some cold water over the dough with your fingers and work it in—gently! … If your dough gets too warm, send it back into the fridge to chill out.
What causes tough pie crust?
Pie doughs fail when they come out tough, not tender and flaky. Usually due to overworking, this can happen either during the initial mixing or during rolling and shaping. … Cold butter is a key to pie dough success. It should be straight-out-of-the-fridge-cold.
How long does it take for shortcrust pastry to cook?
Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Fill the pastry case with a round of baking paper and add baking beans (see tip) to weigh it down. Bake for 15 mins, then carefully remove the paper and beans and cook the pastry for 5 mins more (this is called baking blind).
How do you make sure pastry is cooked underneath?
To ensure crisp pastry, the base can be blind baked before adding the filling. Alternatively, fillings should be cooled before adding to the pastry to cut down on the amount of steam, and therefore moisture, that’s produced. Cutting large slits into the lid of the pie ensures that steam can escape.
Does shortcrust pastry need to be blind baked?
To prevent them becoming soggy, shortcrust pastry cases need to be partially cooked before adding moist fillings. This process, known as blind baking, which seals the surface and results in a crisp pastry case.
What does egg yolk do to pastry?
The Role of Yolks
Due to their high fat content, yolks add flavor and emulsifying power to any batter. Fatty yolks enrich the flavor of many pastries and create a velvety texture. Additionally, the yolk uniquely binds liquids and fats together through an emulsion process.
Why is my pastry hard and tough?
If your pastry is hard and tough, this may because too much liquid was added or the pastry was over-handled, resulting in the development of gluten. If your pastry is too crumbly and hard to handle, this may be because too much fat was added, it was over-mixed or not enough liquid was added to bind the fat and flour.
What is the difference between pie crust and shortcrust?
Shortcrust pastry is made with half the amount of fat as flour (mass wise). Shortcrust pastry is the same thing as pie dough. … If you can make a great shortcrust pastry, you can make incredible pies (like this one – but use this crust recipe instead) and tarts.