Quick Flaky Pastry
Making puff pastry can be most difficult and time consuming, what with the mixing, rolling refrigerating, mixing rolling refrigerating, generally up to four times can be a bind for most busy people.
This method is quick and the results are very good.
Ingredients:
- 8 oz plain flour
- 6 oz butter or block margarine (I prefer butter)
- a pinch of salt
- cold water to mix
Method:
Take the fat from the fridge, weigh the required amount then wrap in tinfoil and place in the freezer for approximately 35 to 40 minutes.
Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl.
When you take the fat from the freezer hold it in the tinfoil, dip in the flour and grate with a coarse grater placed in the bowl over the flour.
Keep dipping the fat in the flour which makes it easier to grate, at the end you will be left with a lump of grated fat in the middle of the flour, now take a palette knife and start to distribute into the flour please do not use your hands.
Just keep trying to coat all the fat with the flour until crumbly.
Now add enough water to form a dough and leaves the bowl clean, using your hands to bring it all together.
Pop into a polythene bag and refrigerate for 30 minute or until ready to use. Most chefs say to bring the pastry to room temperature before use.
I made a large batch of sausage rolls in the halogen oven and they were done to perfection. I am like most of you with these ovens, it is a new conception and you will have some errors.
© Chef Eric
Posted on 22/12/2009
