When making shortcrust pastry it is important that you remember these tips:
Ingredients:
Directions:
Sieve the flour into a large bowl, holding the sieve as high as possible, so that the flour gets a really good airing.
Add the margarine, cut into smallish lumps, then begin to rub it into the flour using your fingertips only and being as light as possible. As you gently rub the fat into the flour, lift it up high and let it fall back into the bowl, which again means that all the time air is being incorporated, but do this just long enough to make the mixture crumbly with a few odd lumps here and there.
In a separate bowl mix together the sugar, egg yolk, vanilla essence and lemon rind. Mix well. Add this mixture to the flour mixture. Work into a dough. The pastry should leave the bowl fairly clean. Do not overwork the pastry because the end result will be a tough pastry. The pastry must be of a rollable consistency.
Place the pastry in a polythene bag and leave it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to rest. You can prepare it overnight and leave it in the fridge.
- All ingredients and utensils should be as cool as possible. This keeps the margarine hard. If it becomes at all warm it will start to make the fingers oily and then it becomes difficult to wrap it into the flour. When that happens the mixture becomes very heavy instead of light and airy.
- If you will be using egg yolks to bind the pastry there will be no need for you to add water. If you use too much liquid the pastry becomes tough.
Ingredients:
- 480g plain flour
- 300g margarine
- 120g sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- grated rind of 1 lemon
- 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
Sieve the flour into a large bowl, holding the sieve as high as possible, so that the flour gets a really good airing.
Add the margarine, cut into smallish lumps, then begin to rub it into the flour using your fingertips only and being as light as possible. As you gently rub the fat into the flour, lift it up high and let it fall back into the bowl, which again means that all the time air is being incorporated, but do this just long enough to make the mixture crumbly with a few odd lumps here and there.
In a separate bowl mix together the sugar, egg yolk, vanilla essence and lemon rind. Mix well. Add this mixture to the flour mixture. Work into a dough. The pastry should leave the bowl fairly clean. Do not overwork the pastry because the end result will be a tough pastry. The pastry must be of a rollable consistency.
Place the pastry in a polythene bag and leave it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to rest. You can prepare it overnight and leave it in the fridge.
By far, the BEST pizza dough in my opinion! Soft, yet with a crunchy outside. What's more? It is made in less than 30 minutes! If you can't find bread flour, all purpose flour will do just fine.
Ingredients:
Makes 1 large base
Directions:
Preheat oven to 230 degrees C. In a medium bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
Stir in flour, salt and oil. Beat until smooth, then let rest for 5 minutes. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat or roll into a round. Transfer crust to a lightly greased pizza pan. Spread with desired toppings and bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Let baked pizza cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Original Recipe
Makes 1 large base
- 2 1/2 cups bread flour
- 1 cup warm water
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 7g active dry yeast
- 1 tsp white sugar
- 1 tsp salt
Preheat oven to 230 degrees C. In a medium bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
Stir in flour, salt and oil. Beat until smooth, then let rest for 5 minutes. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat or roll into a round. Transfer crust to a lightly greased pizza pan. Spread with desired toppings and bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Let baked pizza cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Original Recipe
Classic savoury pie pastry.
Ingredients:
Serves 4
Directions:
Sieve the flour in a large bowl. Rub-in the butter in the flour until you have a course texture, similar to breadcrumbs. Add the salt and mix well.
Add the water little by little until you have a soft dough, knead softly then leave to prove for not less than an hour, covered in plastic wrap.
Original Recipe
Serves 4
- 420g plain flour
- 180g margarine
- 112g water
- pinch of salt
Sieve the flour in a large bowl. Rub-in the butter in the flour until you have a course texture, similar to breadcrumbs. Add the salt and mix well.
Add the water little by little until you have a soft dough, knead softly then leave to prove for not less than an hour, covered in plastic wrap.
Original Recipe
A Sweet Pastry Crust which is ideal for various desserts such as tarts and pies, especially those filed with fruit and/or cream. The pastry is usually pre-baked. While common practice is to line and fill the unbaked pastry crust with pie weights or rice before baking to prevent the pastry from shrinking and puffing up, you can simply place the unbaked pastry crust in the freezer for 15 minutes. This sets the crust which prevents these problems. Once the pastry shell has been baked, it is a good idea to 'seal' the crust. This sealing prevents the tart filling from softening the crust over time.
Ingredients:
Ingredients:
Serves 4
Directions:
In a bowl whisk the flour with the salt. Place the butter in a separate bowl and beat with a mixer until softened. Add sugar to butter and beat until light and fluffy. Gradually add the beaten egg, beating just until incorporated. Add the flour mixture all at once and mix just until it forms a ball. Flatten the pastry into a disk, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 15-30 minutes or just until firm. You can also place in the freezer for about 10-15 minutes.
Lightly butter and flour, or spray with a non-stick cooking spray, an 8-9 inch (20-23cm) tart pan. Once the pastry has chilled sufficiently, evenly pat onto the bottom and up the sides of the tart pan. While this is somewhat unconventional, this pastry is quite prone to cracks. This this is a better method. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 205 degrees C and place rack in center of oven. Lightly prick bottom of pastry crust with a fork (this will prevent the dough from puffing up as it bakes). Bake crust for 5 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 180 degrees C and continue to bake the crust for about 15 minutes or until crust is dry and lightly golden brown. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.
If desired, seal the crust with an egg white glace. Let the crust cool for about 3-5 minutes. Then lightly beat one egg white and brush onto the bottom and sides of the warm pastry crust.
Original Recipe
- 1 1/2 cups / 195g all purpose flour
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup / 113g unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/4 cup / 50g granulated white sugar
- 1 large egg, beaten
In a bowl whisk the flour with the salt. Place the butter in a separate bowl and beat with a mixer until softened. Add sugar to butter and beat until light and fluffy. Gradually add the beaten egg, beating just until incorporated. Add the flour mixture all at once and mix just until it forms a ball. Flatten the pastry into a disk, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 15-30 minutes or just until firm. You can also place in the freezer for about 10-15 minutes.
Lightly butter and flour, or spray with a non-stick cooking spray, an 8-9 inch (20-23cm) tart pan. Once the pastry has chilled sufficiently, evenly pat onto the bottom and up the sides of the tart pan. While this is somewhat unconventional, this pastry is quite prone to cracks. This this is a better method. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 205 degrees C and place rack in center of oven. Lightly prick bottom of pastry crust with a fork (this will prevent the dough from puffing up as it bakes). Bake crust for 5 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 180 degrees C and continue to bake the crust for about 15 minutes or until crust is dry and lightly golden brown. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.
If desired, seal the crust with an egg white glace. Let the crust cool for about 3-5 minutes. Then lightly beat one egg white and brush onto the bottom and sides of the warm pastry crust.
Original Recipe
A great pizza dough with a crunchy outside but a soft centre. I used Smithwicks beer.
Ingredients:
Yields 2 pizza bases
Directions:
Mix and knead together all the ingredients - by hand, mixer or bread machine - until you've made a smooth, soft dough. Cover the dough, and allow it to rise for 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 260 degrees C with a pizza stone (if you are using one) on a lower rack.
Divide the dough in half. Shape each half into a 10" to 12" round.
Place the rounds on parchment paper, if you're going to use a pizza stone. Or place the dough on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet.
Transfer the pizzas, parchment and all to the baking stone. Or place the pans in the oven. Bake for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the oven, top as desired, and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, until the bottom crust is crisp and the cheese is bubbly and browned.
Original Recipe
Ingredients:
Yields 2 pizza bases
- 4 cups flour
- 2 tsp instant yeast
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups room-temperature beer
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
Mix and knead together all the ingredients - by hand, mixer or bread machine - until you've made a smooth, soft dough. Cover the dough, and allow it to rise for 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 260 degrees C with a pizza stone (if you are using one) on a lower rack.
Divide the dough in half. Shape each half into a 10" to 12" round.
Place the rounds on parchment paper, if you're going to use a pizza stone. Or place the dough on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet.
Transfer the pizzas, parchment and all to the baking stone. Or place the pans in the oven. Bake for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the oven, top as desired, and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, until the bottom crust is crisp and the cheese is bubbly and browned.
Original Recipe
