Recipes – Pastry

• Keep it Cold: Use chilled butter, ice water / milk, and even cold bowls. This prevents the fat from melting into the flour, which would result in a greasy, tough crust.
• Don’t Overwork It: Excessive handling develops gluten, making the pastry chewy or hard instead of crumbly and light.
• Let it Rest: Always chill your dough in the fridge for at least 30 minutes after mixing and before rolling to relax the gluten and prevent shrinkage. 

Ingredients

• 200 g (8 oz) plain flour.
• pinch of salt.
• 100 g (4 oz) butter, cut into small pieces.
• 100 g (4 oz) mature cheddar cheese finely grated
• a beaten egg, or water

Method

1. Mix the flour and salt together in a bowl.
2. Rub the butter into the flour using fingertips and thumbs until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
3. Mix in the cheese.
4. Add a little egg or water and stir until the ingredients start to clump together.
5. Knead the dough into a smooth mixture.
6. Roll out onto floured work surface and use as required.

Cooking

• Blind bake at 200°C (400°F, gas mark 6, 180°C Fan) for approximately 15mins or see recipe where used.

Quantity

• Makes about 400 g of pastry, sufficient to make the case for an 8 inch flan or the crust and base of an 8 inch pie.

Ingredients

• 125 g (4.5 oz) plain flour.
• pinch of salt (optional – for savoury dishes)
• pinch of caster sugar(optional – for sweet dishes)
• 100 g (3.5 oz) butter
• 250 ml (9 fl oz) water
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten

Method

1. Sift the flour with the sugar and salt if using.
2. Boil the water and butter together, remove from the heat and quickly add the flour all at once.
3. Beat with a wooden spoon until the dough is smooth and comes away from the sides of the pan.
4. Allow the dough to cool and transfer into a bowl.
5. Beat in the eggs a little at a time (might not need all of the eggs), this should be done vigorously until at dropping consistency.
6. Put the dough into a piping bag and pipe as required onto a baking tray. 5cm diameter buns for profiteroles using a plain medium/large nozzle, for eclairs use a large nozzle and make lines approximately 13xm long. Leave plenty of space between each item as they expand a lot.

Cooking

• Usually baked at 200°C (400°F, gas mark 6, 180°C Fan) for 20 – 25 minutes until golden brown. Do not open the oven door while cooking otherwise they will collapse. While still hot; for eclairs split open, for profiteroles pierce a hole in the base about the size of the piping nozzle. Cool on wire racks.

Quantity

• Sufficient for around 12 profiteroles or 6 eclairs.

Ingredients

• 200 g (8 oz) plain flour.
• pinch of salt.
• 150 g (6 oz) butter or a mixture of butter and lard.
• 100 ml (7 tbsp) cold water
• squeeze of lemon juice (optional)
• beaten egg to glaze (optional)

Method

1. Mix the flour and salt in a bowl.
2. If using lard and butter blend/mix together.
3. Divide the fat into 4 equal parts.
4. Rub one part of the fat with the flour.
5. Add the water and lemon juice, mix to a soft elastic dough
6. Roll out to a rectangular shape on a floured surface. Approximately 3 times as long as it is wide.
7. Dot a portion of the fat over the top two thirds of the pastry (like small buttons).
8. Fold the bottom third of the pastry up and then the top third down.
9. Rotate 90 degrees and roll to the same size as before.
10. Press together the edges of the pastry with the rolling pin then dot again with the fat, fold turn and roll again. Repeat once more using the last portion of fat.
11. Rest it at least 30 minutes in a refrigerator before use.
12. Roll out to about 0.3cm thickness and use as required.
13. Brush with the beaten egg before baking to glaze if required.

Cooking

• Usually baked at 220°C (425°F, gas mark 7, 200°C Fan), see recipe where used for more information.

Quantity

• Makes about 350 g of pastry, sufficient for a 7 inch pie or around 20 small sausage rolls.

Ingredients

• 200 g (8 oz) plain flour.
• pinch of salt.
• 150 g (6 oz) butter, cut into small pieces.
• 5 ml (1 tsp) caster sugar
• 1 egg beaten

Method

1. Mix the flour and salt together in a bowl.
2. Rub the butter into the flour using fingertips and thumbs until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
3. Mix in the sugar.
4. Add the egg, stirring until the ingredients start to clump together.
5. Knead the dough mix lightly for a few seconds to give a firm smooth dough. It can be used straight away but is better if covered with cling film or foil and chilled in the refrigerator for 30 mins first.
6. Roll out onto floured work surface and use as required.

Cooking

• Blind bake at 200°C (400°F, gas mark 6, 180°C Fan) for approximately 15mins or see recipe where used.

Quantity

• Makes about 350 g of pastry, sufficient to make the case for a 9 inch flan.

Ingredients

• 450 g (1 lb) plain flour.
• 10 ml (2 tsp) of salt
• 100 g (4 oz) lard
• 150 ml (5 fl oz) water
• 60 ml (4 tbsp) milk

Method

1. Mix the flour and salt in a bowl and make a well in the centre.
2. Melt the lard in the milk and water and bring to the boil.
3. Pour into the well and quickly beat with a wooden spoon to form a fairly soft dough.
4. When cool enough to handle pinch the dough together and knead until smooth and elastic.
5. Shape or mould into a pie tin while still warm, fill as required, does not require blind baking.

Cooking

• Usually baked at 180-200°C (350-400°F, gas mark 4-6, 160-180°C Fan) for 30 minutes plus, depending on the recipe and filling etc.

Quantity

• Makes sufficient pastry for two pies approximately 4 inch diameter, approximately 4 inch high holding around 450 g meat.

Ingredients

• 200 g (8 oz) plain flour.
• pinch of salt.
• 200 g (8 oz) butter, preferably unsalted.
• 100 ml (7 tbsp) cold water
• squeeze of lemon juice (optional)
• beaten egg to glaze

Method

1. Mix the flour and salt in a bowl.
2. Work the butter with a blunt knife on a plate until soft.
3. Rub a knob of the softened butter into the flour.
4. Add the water and lemon juice and mix to a soft elastic dough.
5. Knead on a floured surface until smooth.
6. Roll the pastry into a square.
7. Form the remaining butter into a rectangle, place it on one half of the pastry and fold the pastry over to enclose the butter. Seal the edges with the rolling pin.
8. Turn the pastry so that the folded edge is on the side and roll into a rectangle 3 times longer than it is wide.
9. Fold the top third down and the bottom third up sealing the edges with the rolling pin.
10. Wrap the pastry loosely in greaseproof paper and refrigerate for approximately 20 mins.
11. Turn the pastry so that the folds are at the side and repeat rolling, folding and cooling another 5 times.
12. Roll and use the pastry as required
13. Brush with the beaten egg before baking to glaze.

Cooking

• Usually baked at 230°C (450°F, gas mark 8, 210°C Fan), see recipe where used for more information.

Quantity

• Makes about 400 g of pastry, sufficient for 10 medium vol-au-vents or around 20 small sausage rolls.

Ingredients

• 200 g (8 oz) plain flour.
• pinch of salt.
• 100 g (4 oz) butter, cut into small pieces.
• 45-60 ml (3-4 tbsp) cold milk.

Method

1. Mix the flour and salt together in a bowl.
2. Rub the butter into the flour using fingertips and thumbs until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
3. Sprinkle the milk evenly over the flour mix. Stirring until it begins to stick together in large clumps.
4. Knead the dough mix lightly for a few seconds to give a firm smooth dough. It can be used straight away but is better if covered with cling film or foil and chilled in the refrigerator for 30 mins first.
5. Roll out onto floured work surface and use as required.

Cooking

• Blind bake at 200°C (400°F, gas mark 6, 180°C Fan) for approximately 15mins or see recipe where used.

Quantity

• Makes about 300 g of pastry, sufficient to make the top and bottom crust for a 7 inch pie or the case for a 9-10 inch quiche.

Ingredients

• 200 g (8 oz) plain flour.
• pinch of salt.
• 150 g (6 oz) butter or a mixture of butter and lard.
• 100 ml (7 tbsp) cold water
• squeeze of lemon juice (optional)
• beaten egg to glaze (optional)

Method

1. Mix the flour and salt in a bowl.
2. Cut the fat into 2cm cubes.
3. Stir the fat into the flour without breaking up the cubes.
4. Add the water and lemon juice, mix to a rough dough, do not overwork.
5. Roll out to a rectangular shape on a floured surface. Approximately 3 times as long as it is wide.
6. Fold the bottom third of the pastry up and then the top third down.
7. Rotate 90 degrees and roll to the same size as before.
8. Press together the edges of the pastry with the rolling pin then turn and roll again. Repeat once more.
9. Rest it at least 30 minutes in a refrigerator before use.
10. Roll out to about 0.3cm thickness and use as required.
11. Brush with the beaten egg before baking to glaze if required.

Cooking

• Usually baked at 220°C (425°F, gas mark 7, 200°C Fan), see recipe where used for more information.

Quantity

• Makes about 350 g of pastry, sufficient for a 7 inch pie or around 20 small sausage rolls.

Ingredients

• 200 g (8 oz) plain flour.
• pinch of salt.
• 50 g (2 oz) butter, cut into small pieces.
• 50 g (2 oz) lard, cut into small pieces.
• 30-45 ml (2-3 tbsp) cold water.

Method

1. Mix the flour and salt together in a bowl.
2. Rub the butter and lard into the flour using fingertips and thumbs until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
3. Sprinkle the water evenly over the flour mix. Stirring until it begins to stick together in large clumps.
4. Knead the dough mix lightly for a few seconds to give a firm smooth dough. It can be used straight away but is better if covered with cling film or foil and chilled in the refrigerator for 30 mins first.
5. Roll out onto floured work surface and use as required.

Cooking

• Blind bake at 200°C (400°F, gas mark 6, 180°C Fan) for approximately 15mins or see recipe where used.

Quantity

• Makes about 300 g of pastry, sufficient to make the top and bottom crust for a 7 inch pie or the case for a 9-10 inch quiche.

Ingredients

• 200 g (8 oz) self raising flour.
• 1/2 tsp of salt.
• 100 g (4 oz) shredded suet.
• 100 ml (7 tbsp) cold water.

Method

1. Mix the flour, salt and suet together in a bowl.
2. Add enough cold water to give a light elastic dough.
3. Sprinkle the milk evenly over the flour mix. Stirring until it begins to stick together in large clumps.
4. Knead the dough mix lightly until smooth.
5. Roll out to a thickness of 0.5cm and use as required.

Cooking

• See recipe where this is used.

Quantity

• Makes about 300 g of pastry, sufficient to cover a 1 pint dish or to line and cover a 7 inch pie.

Ingredients

• 200 g (8 oz) plain flour.
• pinch of salt.
• 100 g (4 oz) butter, cut into small pieces.
• 100 g (4 oz) caster sugar
• 3-4 egg yolks

Method

1. Mix the flour and salt together in a bowl.
2. Make a ‘well’ in the centre of the flour and add into it the sugar, butter and egg yolks.
3. Cover the ‘well’ with the flour from the sides and blend together with the fingertips until all the flour is combined.
4. Work the dough into a smooth mixture using the heel of the hand.
5. Cover with cling film or foil and chill for an hour in the refrigerator before use.
6. Roll out onto floured work surface and use as required.

Cooking

• Blind bake at 200°C (400°F, gas mark 6, 180°C Fan) for approximately 15mins or see recipe where used.

Quantity

• Makes about 400 g of pastry, sufficient to make the case for a 9-10 inch flan or 24 small tarts.