| You may have wondered about the secrets that are | | | | for 10 minutes extra is all right too, and people are |
| hidden in a light, tasty and flakey pastry; well, don't | | | | known to freeze it for up to 3 days after wrapping it in |
| anymore, because we've uncovered some of the | | | | air-tight material, which ensures easy handling when |
| best-kept secrets of top bakers here for you today! | | | | needed for shaping or rolling it. Pre-chilled dough should |
| Take a look at our handy hints and guidelines to | | | | be ideally kept for some time at room temperature to |
| making the lightest, fluffiest and most delightful puff | | | | make it more pliable and this one of the best tips for |
| pastries you've ever imagined! | | | | making perfect pastries I know. |
| 1. Always remember to use cold ingredients in your | | | | 6. Lightly dust some flour on the wax paper before |
| recipe for making pastry as these ensure you get a | | | | rolling out the pastry dough on it; invert it over the pan |
| flakey crust and fat that is extra cold when mixed into | | | | when ready and peel the waxpaper off once the filling |
| pre-chilled flour (especially useful in summer baking | | | | is done. It's an easy way to transfer the pastry without |
| sessions), gives the best pastries ever! | | | | a dent in it! |
| 2. If you remember to cut the fat in always up to the | | | | 7. If perchance, the pastry does break while |
| point that your mix looks akin to small peas or gravel | | | | transferring, you can pinch or press the dough back |
| then use it more to mould the dough, you can rest | | | | together again smoothly. For other problems that can't |
| assured your pastry crust will be nice and light. | | | | be patched up easily, you can use pieces for trimming |
| 3. On the occasion that you are making a pie with a | | | | for fixing these up. |
| double crust to it, you may want to keep aside some | | | | Overall, you need to remember to resist from |
| dough to use as the bottom crust; dividing this in two | | | | stretching the pastry to fit over the pie-dish along the |
| portions and keeping one bigger than the other will help | | | | bottom crust and instead try to ease it into the pan, |
| you cover the baking needs. | | | | lightly insert it into the bottom crease using gentle |
| 4. Previously chilled pastry is easy to mould and handle | | | | finger-tip motion to do so. |
| than one that has been left out, so do remember to | | | | On a parting note, for top crusts with a shine, lightly |
| refrigerate your pasty dough for at least half an hour | | | | brush these with cream a little before baking them to |
| before using the product. | | | | get a shiny top and evenly sprinkle a generous pinch |
| 5. The option of chilling the pastry dough in the fridge | | | | of sugar over - for added sweetness. |