My pastry starts with a nice round shape out of the fridge but soon
resembles an ouline map of Iceland and I end up sealing up the fjords,
but they still leak after baking blind.

What am I doing wrong?

"conrad" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> My pastry starts with a nice round shape out of the fridge but soon
> resembles an ouline map of Iceland and I end up sealing up the fjords,
> but they still leak after baking blind.
>
> What am I doing wrong?

To maintain the round shape you need to roll the dough on a floured surface,
turning 1/8 of a turn each time you roll across the dough. As you turn, be
sure to lift the dough and dust the dough and the surface, as needed, to
prevent it from sticking to the surface. To get the dough started, press it
into a flat, round disk before refrigerating, not a ball. Before rolling,
press your rolling pin into the dough in parallel rows, then turn and repeat
a couple of times. This will help soften the dough without warming it and
gets the rolling process out to a quick start.

As for the leaks, I guess I don't understand the situation. Quiche is baked
in a pie plate or a quiche tin. You roll out the dough and line the pan so
to some degree the shape of the dough before the pan is lined doesn't really
matter. I don't blind bake my quiche pastry but I know that other do. I
don't think any pastry would support a quiche and not leak unless it was
supported by a pan.

"conrad" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> My pastry starts with a nice round shape out of the fridge but soon
> resembles an ouline map of Iceland and I end up sealing up the fjords,
> but they still leak after baking blind.
>
> What am I doing wrong?

To maintain the round shape you need to roll the dough on a floured surface,
turning 1/8 of a turn each time you roll across the dough. As you turn, be
sure to lift the dough and dust the dough and the surface, as needed, to
prevent it from sticking to the surface. To get the dough started, press it
into a flat, round disk before refrigerating, not a ball. Before rolling,
press your rolling pin into the dough in parallel rows, then turn and repeat
a couple of times. This will help soften the dough without warming it and
gets the rolling process out to a quick start.

As for the leaks, I guess I don't understand the situation. Quiche is baked
in a pie plate or a quiche tin. You roll out the dough and line the pan so
to some degree the shape of the dough before the pan is lined doesn't really
matter. I don't blind bake my quiche pastry but I know that other do. I
don't think any pastry would support a quiche and not leak unless it was
supported by a pan.

Thanks for info. The pastry is baked blind in a loose-bottomed tin. If
there are any leaks in the pastry shell it allows the liquid filling to
leak out.

I'll try out your ideas.

Thanks for info. The pastry is baked blind in a loose-bottomed tin. If
there are any leaks in the pastry shell it allows the liquid filling to
leak out.

I'll try out your ideas.

"conrad" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> Thanks for info. The pastry is baked blind in a loose-bottomed tin. If
> there are any leaks in the pastry shell it allows the liquid filling to
> leak out.
>
> I'll try out your ideas.
>

It sounds like you are rolling it too thin.

I have just done another this morning, this time a sweet pastry for a
cold whipped cream fill so the leaking is not a problem this time.

The pastry began to crack early in the rolling process. My suspicions
is the texture before I begin rolling. Is it too dry, too much
handling, too little kneading, too little shortening?

I have just done another this morning, this time a sweet pastry for a
cold whipped cream fill so the leaking is not a problem this time.

The pastry began to crack early in the rolling process. My suspicions
is the texture before I begin rolling. Is it too dry, too much
handling, too little kneading, too little shortening?

"conrad" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> I have just done another this morning, this time a sweet pastry for a
> cold whipped cream fill so the leaking is not a problem this time.
>
> The pastry began to crack early in the rolling process. My suspicions
> is the texture before I begin rolling. Is it too dry, too much
> handling, too little kneading, too little shortening?
>

I think it was too dry. I used to be afraid of adding too much water when I
started to make pie pastry and always had that problem. What recipe are you
using? Do you make it by hand? Do you have a food processor?

"conrad" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> I have just done another this morning, this time a sweet pastry for a
> cold whipped cream fill so the leaking is not a problem this time.
>
> The pastry began to crack early in the rolling process. My suspicions
> is the texture before I begin rolling. Is it too dry, too much
> handling, too little kneading, too little shortening?
>

I think it was too dry. I used to be afraid of adding too much water when I
started to make pie pastry and always had that problem. What recipe are you
using? Do you make it by hand? Do you have a food processor?

Basic recipe 6oz flour, 3oz shortening, 2 tablespoons water. I
sometimes mix by hand but recently moved to food processor where I use
less water, stopping when dough forms ball. I remove a knead gently
before chilling.

I use a proprietry "baking" shortnening though recipies ask for mixture
of margarine and lard. I don't use lard (no reason other than I don't
use enough to justify)

Recent recipe also used ground almonds and sugar.

I have had the same problem both hand- and machine-mixed.
I'll try making it a "very little" less dry!

Basic recipe 6oz flour, 3oz shortening, 2 tablespoons water. I
sometimes mix by hand but recently moved to food processor where I use
less water, stopping when dough forms ball. I remove a knead gently
before chilling.

I use a proprietry "baking" shortnening though recipies ask for mixture
of margarine and lard. I don't use lard (no reason other than I don't
use enough to justify)

Recent recipe also used ground almonds and sugar.

I have had the same problem both hand- and machine-mixed.
I'll try making it a "very little" less dry!

"conrad" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Basic recipe 6oz flour, 3oz shortening, 2 tablespoons water. I
> sometimes mix by hand but recently moved to food processor where I use
> less water, stopping when dough forms ball. I remove a knead gently
> before chilling.
>
> I use a proprietry "baking" shortnening though recipies ask for mixture
> of margarine and lard. I don't use lard (no reason other than I don't
> use enough to justify)
>
> Recent recipe also used ground almonds and sugar.
>
> I have had the same problem both hand- and machine-mixed.
> I'll try making it a "very little" less dry!
>

Here is the recipe that I like

1 1/2 cups AP flour
1/2 cup cake flour
6 oz butter (3/4 cup), cubed and chilled or frozen
2 oz shortening (1/4 cup), chilled if possible
1/2 tsp salt
egg yolk (optional)
2 tablespoons sugar (optional)
ice water

I put the flour, salt, and sugar into the food processor and pulse to mix.
I cut the butter into small pieces and freeze for about 30 minutes or more
or use it well chilled out of the refrigerator. The butter goes into the FP
bowl and I pulse it about 5 times. There will still be large chunks of
butter. Then I put in the shortening and a couple of tablespoons of water
and the egg yolk if used, and pulse a few times. Then with the motor
running I slowly add cold water until the dough forms walnut size lumps. I
find that if you process until a ball is formed the dough is over process
and becomes tough. I pour the contents out onto a surface and with the heel
of my hand, smear the lumps together. If you find that the dough won't
stick together, you can sprinkle the mixture with some water. I then gather
the dough into a ball, divide into two portions, and form the portions into
disks. . The disks are wrapped in plastic film and allowed to rest in the
refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up to two days. You can also freeze
it at this point.

Here is a link to some videos that show some variations on the process.
http://tinyurl.com/4kr47

"conrad" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Basic recipe 6oz flour, 3oz shortening, 2 tablespoons water. I
> sometimes mix by hand but recently moved to food processor where I use
> less water, stopping when dough forms ball. I remove a knead gently
> before chilling.
>
> I use a proprietry "baking" shortnening though recipies ask for mixture
> of margarine and lard. I don't use lard (no reason other than I don't
> use enough to justify)
>
> Recent recipe also used ground almonds and sugar.
>
> I have had the same problem both hand- and machine-mixed.
> I'll try making it a "very little" less dry!
>

Here is the recipe that I like

1 1/2 cups AP flour
1/2 cup cake flour
6 oz butter (3/4 cup), cubed and chilled or frozen
2 oz shortening (1/4 cup), chilled if possible
1/2 tsp salt
egg yolk (optional)
2 tablespoons sugar (optional)
ice water

I put the flour, salt, and sugar into the food processor and pulse to mix.
I cut the butter into small pieces and freeze for about 30 minutes or more
or use it well chilled out of the refrigerator. The butter goes into the FP
bowl and I pulse it about 5 times. There will still be large chunks of
butter. Then I put in the shortening and a couple of tablespoons of water
and the egg yolk if used, and pulse a few times. Then with the motor
running I slowly add cold water until the dough forms walnut size lumps. I
find that if you process until a ball is formed the dough is over process
and becomes tough. I pour the contents out onto a surface and with the heel
of my hand, smear the lumps together. If you find that the dough won't
stick together, you can sprinkle the mixture with some water. I then gather
the dough into a ball, divide into two portions, and form the portions into
disks. . The disks are wrapped in plastic film and allowed to rest in the
refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up to two days. You can also freeze
it at this point.

Here is a link to some videos that show some variations on the process.
http://tinyurl.com/4kr47

Thanks for all the tips. I will try to improve next time.

I thought I understood USA terms. UK term for A/P is "plain", ie no
raising agent. You use "cake" flour. Does this contain a raising agent?
We often use "self-raising" for for cakes, though I prefer plain and
add the corect amount of baking soda and cream of tartar.

Thanks for all the tips. I will try to improve next time.

I thought I understood USA terms. UK term for A/P is "plain", ie no
raising agent. You use "cake" flour. Does this contain a raising agent?
We often use "self-raising" for for cakes, though I prefer plain and
add the corect amount of baking soda and cream of tartar.

conrad wrote:

> Thanks for all the tips. I will try to improve next time.
>
> I thought I understood USA terms. UK term for A/P is "plain", ie no
> raising agent. You use "cake" flour. Does this contain a raising agent?
> We often use "self-raising" for for cakes, though I prefer plain and
> add the corect amount of baking soda and cream of tartar.

are you familiar with continental European flour types?

all purpose is what over here is called Type 405. Or your plain flour. Cake
flour is a finer ground with usually less gluten, made from low protein
wheat, while bread flour has more gluten (Type 550 over here). Cake flour
would be Type 00 in Germany (and Italy, Farina di grano ternero 00).

What I do when I need cake flour, is, use plain flour mixed with about 2-3
tablespoons of cornstarch per cup, and sift several times.

HTH,

Petra in Haburg, Germany

"conrad" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> Thanks for all the tips. I will try to improve next time.
>
> I thought I understood USA terms. UK term for A/P is "plain", ie no
> raising agent. You use "cake" flour. Does this contain a raising agent?
> We often use "self-raising" for for cakes, though I prefer plain and
> add the corect amount of baking soda and cream of tartar.
>

The flour I use has no leavening agents. The reason for using the mixture
is to approximate pastry flour. If you have pastry flour, the I would use
two cups of that instead.

"conrad" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> Thanks for all the tips. I will try to improve next time.
>
> I thought I understood USA terms. UK term for A/P is "plain", ie no
> raising agent. You use "cake" flour. Does this contain a raising agent?
> We often use "self-raising" for for cakes, though I prefer plain and
> add the corect amount of baking soda and cream of tartar.
>

The flour I use has no leavening agents. The reason for using the mixture
is to approximate pastry flour. If you have pastry flour, the I would use
two cups of that instead.

Not familiar with continental European flour. It opens up a new vista.
I know that our local baker claims to use French flour for baking
baguettes etc.

I use plain, strong (or very strong) and wholemeal or strong wholemeal.
Strong for bread and pizzas, plain for all other types of cooking
including cakes, sauces and pastry.
I didn't know there was such a variety.