pastry

Jamie Oliver's sweet pastry always works fine for me. He uses icing sugar instead of caster. Also puts an egg in it so it looks golden. The exact recipie is on line. Don't forget to chill before cooking. I chill it before rolling out.

As for puff pastry, I buy it! x

I am a reasonably competent cook and make good cakes and sponges but my pastry is not good. This after 56years of marriage. MyDD is just opposite her pastry just melts. However I win in the roast dinner stakes according to the GC. Perhaps like me you will just recognise your weak spot and
buy it

think i might annsixty but i,ll go down fighting, first ill try jamies with icing sugar (thanks J52) please tell your DD im green with envy

I buy puff pastry too- fortunately I can buy all butter puff pastry- as most bought pastries are full of palm oil, which I try very hard to avoid (boycott! If it say 'vegetable oil' it means 'palm oil' - I like that the law here makes in compusory for plam oil to be labelled as such).

Shortcrust pastry should have half fat to flour:

150g plain flour
75g fat - I use stork margarine because I find all butter pastry can be a bit tough.
2 tbspns icing sugar for a sweet pie
Enough water to bind ingredients to form a soft dough.

I used to use half lard and half margarine which made an even better pastry but I hardly ever buy lard these days.

Merlotgran your recipe is what I have followed ever since learning to bake 50 odd years ago and I am very good at pastry
I would only add... go easy when rolling out and try to roll it as little as possible.

The less you handle short-crust pastry the better it is. I find I make my best pastry when I am running late and have to throw it together in a hurry.

8 of flour to 4 oz fat (my mother always used half marge and half white fat but now that animal fat is out of favour I use all marge) Rub together with fingertips or mash with a fork until it is like breadcrumbs then add cold water a little at a time until it all holds together, stirring it with a fork. Too much water makes it hard. Let it rest for a bit, then roll it out. Roll up and down, then give it a half-turn and roll the other way, the turning it gives it a chance to relax a bit.

Here is a daring way to finish off a sweet pie - flash the finished pie very briefly under the tap, then sprinkle granulated sugar on the wet pastry and bake at once. The sugar sticks to the top crust.

Please only butter for shortcrust. Not difficult to handle and so much healthier than margarine. Even 21st century margarine is not a patch on butter. And, half butter, half lard, for savoury pies. Yum! And the lard makes it easier to handle.

your all so good many thanks ,if in doubt ask a gransnetter xxx

I never rub fat into flour by hand. These days I use my food processor, a tip I picked up from watching The Hairy Bikers. It has improved my pastry no end. Actually I must decamp to my kitchen as OH has requested a pavlova for pudding tomorrow. He bought the first strawberries of the year and wants meringue with them.

Strawberries in March in the UK?

The trick with all types of pastry is to handle it as little as possible and make sure that your hands, bowl and utensils are cold. A marble board and rolling pin are especially useful.

I use a fork to rub the fat into SR flour and at least half butter to the flour weight. I mix it with egg and then milk. This is a recipe from Fanny Craddock in a Saturday Telegraph in 1962 - never fails but you do need to chill it for at least 30 mins. I brush with milk and sprinkle with sugar.

This is the recipe I was given at college back in the 60's when 'All-in-one' recipes became popular. It is best made in a processor but a fork works too. Almost (!) fool proof.

Shortcrust Pastry
5oz soft marg or butter + 2 Tbsp cold water + 4oz flour. Mix all together - it will be a sticky mess !! Add 4oz more flour and mix in. It will now have the texture of plasticine and should leave the bowl clean. It is very easy to handle and does not crack at the edges when rolling out.

I use plain flour if it is for a base and SR if for a top. Like all pastry it does not like been over worked.

that sounds interesting tiggypiro will give it a try xx

My recipe is almost exactly the same as tiggypiro:

8 oz plain flour, 5 oz stork. In the food processor till it resembles breadcrumbs then add 2 tablespoons water and it'll all come together. In fridge for a short time then roll out. Usually I brush with a beaten egg but I'll certainly give Elegran's method a try

I find it's the flour that matters. My grandson can make pastry now, using Doves Farm flour.
When I had a cafe, it was all wholemeal. By trial and error, we found out that all the staff could make good pastry using Doves Farm flour.

My pastry used to be very good until I had a fan oven.

Yogagran The tapwater-and-sugar finish is a good one to do when you are being watched - it never fails to impress! But you do need to be brave, and quick. Have the sugar ready to sprinkle on so that the water is absorbed by it before it has a chance to make the pastry soggy.

My Mum used to make beautiful pastry, she used mainly lard, which we don't eat now.
My pastry is rubbish too, though I'm quite good at bread, cakes, savouries etc. I use soft margarine.
I'm going to try some of the ideas on here - thanks

A grat tip thanks- especially as egg and milk finish is not possible due to GS very bad allergy to egg. Can't wait to try

For a short crust pastry
Half fat to flour,

you could use self raising if you are not experienced at pastry making
but normally you would use plain flour.
always sieve flour

the fat butter preferably or margarine cut into small pieces with a knife then with finger ends rub the fat into the flour

handle the pastry as little as possible
and use as little water as possible,

brush with egg

This is a receipt for a great pastry every time.

My family can't get enough of my bakewell tarts.

Pastry --- I remember pastry- delicious daren't eat it- makes my guilty conscience work overtime - enjoy your baking.