Pastry

Most kinds of pastry are made with a combination of flour, fat and a liquid to bind. The texture, flavor, and color of the resulting pastry will vary tremendously depending on the proportions and type of ingredients used.

Main Ingredients of pastry

• Flour

The flour used in pastry making is weak to medium-strong. This type of flour requires a longer fermentation period, yet has a better tolerance for extended work on the bench, especially for doughs such as puff or Danish which require multiple rolls and folds.

• Shortening/Fat

Lard was probably the first fat used in pastry making but has fallen out of favor for health reasons. Pure butter gives the pastry a rich flavor and color and a crisp texture, but it can be difficult to handle. Most bakers use a combination of butter and hard margarine to achieve a balance of good buttery color and flavor with the short, flaky texture provided by the margarine. Unsalted butter is preferable because it has lower water content and the amount of salt can be controlled.

• Liquid

Most pastry is bound with water, although milk or other liquids can be used. Fresh milk is acceptable to use in any formula.

• Sugar

It is used to both sweeten the final pastry and create a crisper texture. A teaspoon or two is often added to savory doughs because the sugar helps the pastry to color. The most common sugar used is the white granulated type. This yields the finest product.

• Eggs

They are added for richness in texture and flavor, and because they help bind all the ingredients together. Eggs improve the handling and quality of the dough.

• Yeast

Yeast content is increased in pastry dough because of the high sugar content.

• Spices & Additives

A little grated orange or lemon rind should add just the right flavor to your pastry. Flavoring such as vanilla, almond can be used to enhance the dough, as can spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger or cardamom.