Pie crust or the pastry used for making
most pies is known as plain pastry in contrast
to rich pastry or puff pastry. Rich pastry is
never used for pie crust, at least not for the
bottom crust, since it is too tender to hold
the weight of most pie fillings. The propor¬
tions and method of making pie crust or
plain pastry are given on pages 275 to 276.
PASTRY INGREDIENTS AND
METHODS
Either pastry flour (soft-wheat) or bread
flour (hard-wheat) may be used for either
kind of pastry. Somewhat less fat (shorten¬
ing) may be used with pastry flour, since a
soft-wheat flour makes a more tender mixture
than a hard-wheat flour.
Any of the cooking fats can be used in
making pastry. Oils do not give a flaky pas¬
try. Solid (plastic) fats are especially desir-
[321]
able for the richer pastries, since they do not
combine with the flour and decrease the
amount of water that can be added. Butter
and margarines give good flavor to pastry and
are often used in puff paste, where the pro¬
portion of fat is very high. For other pas¬
tries, shortness is the characteristic most de¬
sired, and lard, compounds (see page 147), or
any of the hydrogenated fats may be used.
Experiment shows that lard has greater
shortening power than the other fats. It is
more pliable and workable over a wider range
of temperatures than other fats, and does not
show the brittleness that butter, many mar¬
garines, and hydrogenated fats show when
used immediately upon removal from the
refrigerator. This brittleness makes blending
with the flour difficult.
The oils are difficult to use in pastries.
They soak up the flour and make it impos¬
sible to add enough water to hydrolize the
starch and leaven the pastry while making a
dough that can be handled and rolled thin.
In using the various fats, one must work
out substitutions on the basis of fat content.
The shortening value also should be con¬
sidered. Both the composition of the various
fats used for shortening and their compara¬
tive shortening value are given in the chapter
on "Fats and Their Uses in Cookery.” The
amount of water in table fats increases by
just so much the total amount of water in
the pastry if it is properly combined. This
is one reason why butter and margarine make
desirable puff paste.
When an unsalted fat is used in pastry,
salt should be added in the proportion of ap¬
proximately one teaspoon to a quart or pound
of flour. When large amounts of salted fat
are used it may be necessary to wash out
some of the salt. This washing may improve
the consistency of the fat, making it more
pliable. Since it is desirable to keep the fat
as hard as possible, it is well to keep it cold
and to use cold water in mixing.
Page 295
Presented as published in 1935. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
Pie crust or the pastry used for making most pies is known as plain pastry in contrast to rich pastry or puff pastry. Rich pastry is never used for pie crust, at least not for the bottom crust, since it is too tender to hold the weight of most pie fillings. The propor¬ tions and method of making pie crust or plain pastry are given on pages 275 to 276.
PASTRY INGREDIENTS AND METHODS
Either pastry flour (soft-wheat) or bread flour (hard-wheat) may be used for either kind of pastry. Somewhat less fat (shorten¬ ing) may be used with pastry flour, since a soft-wheat flour makes a more tender mixture than a hard-wheat flour.
Any of the cooking fats can be used in making pastry. Oils do not give a flaky pas¬ try. Solid (plastic) fats are especially desir-
[321]
able for the richer pastries, since they do not combine with the flour and decrease the amount of water that can be added. Butter and margarines give good flavor to pastry and are often used in puff paste, where the pro¬ portion of fat is very high. For other pas¬ tries, shortness is the characteristic most de¬ sired, and lard, compounds (see page 147), or any of the hydrogenated fats may be used.
Experiment shows that lard has greater shortening power than the other fats. It is more pliable and workable over a wider range of temperatures than other fats, and does not show the brittleness that butter, many mar¬ garines, and hydrogenated fats show when used immediately upon removal from the refrigerator. This brittleness makes blending with the flour difficult.
The oils are difficult to use in pastries. They soak up the flour and make it impos¬ sible to add enough water to hydrolize the starch and leaven the pastry while making a dough that can be handled and rolled thin.
In using the various fats, one must work out substitutions on the basis of fat content. The shortening value also should be con¬ sidered. Both the composition of the various fats used for shortening and their compara¬ tive shortening value are given in the chapter on "Fats and Their Uses in Cookery.” The amount of water in table fats increases by just so much the total amount of water in the pastry if it is properly combined. This is one reason why butter and margarine make desirable puff paste.
When an unsalted fat is used in pastry, salt should be added in the proportion of ap¬ proximately one teaspoon to a quart or pound of flour. When large amounts of salted fat are used it may be necessary to wash out some of the salt. This washing may improve the consistency of the fat, making it more pliable. Since it is desirable to keep the fat as hard as possible, it is well to keep it cold and to use cold water in mixing.