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    Pastry is a mixture of flour, water, shortening and salt

    The ratio of ingredients - particularly that of flour to fat - differs widely, depending on the type of pastry. Pastry dough is a very flexible food type and can be sweetened or savoury and used for starters, mains or desserts. 


     

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  • Ingredients and proportions

    Pastry has a very high fat and carbohydrate content because the primary and secondary ingredients are flour and shortening.

    The different types of pastry include: shortcrust pastry, flaky pastry, puff pastry, choux pastry and phyllo (filo) pastry. Some need to be freshly made and some can come pre-prepared or frozen. When referring to pastry as dough, it is normally when it is being used with other food items (e.g. in a Beef Wellington).

    Good pastry has to be light, buttery and flaky. Flour is the first ingredient and the proportion of flour used will determine the outcome of the pastry. Excess flour will result in tough and dry pastry while less flour will result in flat and bland pastry. The second ingredient is fat which is added to separate the flour particles. The fats used in pastry (i.e. shortening or butter) help to give pastry its texture. The third ingredient is water, only a small amount of which (or a substitute liquid, like milk), should be added. Too little liquid will cause the pastry to be crumbly while too much will create toughness. After this, the dough is kneaded.

    Raising agents, like baking powder or baking soda, can also be used when making pastry dough – they help with expanding the dough as it is cooked.. A small amount of salt is also added to bring out flavour.

  • Uses of pastry
    Pastries exist in different forms and have specific uses and ways in which they should be prepared - rolling, lining, filling, glazing, shaping -
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    Pastries exist in different forms and have specific uses and ways in which they should be prepared -  rolling, lining, filling, glazing, shaping - therefore the choice of pastry must be correct for its intended use in a pastry product.

    • Commonly, a basic pastry dough is used for making sweet and savoury dishes such as tarts, flans and quiches
    • Pastry that is very fatty and rich is often used for making sweet dishes like jam tartlets or custard slices. It can also be used as a dressing for savoury dishes like chicken or spinach and feta pies.
    • Light and flaky pastry, made without a raising agent, can be used in making pasties, turnovers, sausage rolls and plaits.
    • Special types of pastries, which expand by pockets of air when being cooked, can be used for éclairs, profiteroles and other treats that work well with fillings
    • Some pastry can be used for making other sweet or savoury dishes, which can then be fried, resulting in a crispy finish (like spring rolls)

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  • Quality characteristics

    Numerous factors can affect the quality of pastry; quality is normally determined by a pastry's lightness. As a general rule, pastries must be light but also strong enough to hold certain ingredients like fruits, nuts and meats.  Baking powder can be used to enhance the lightness within certain pastries by allowing air to pass through the dough.

    In addition, pastry must not be overly flaky. Flakiness occurs when the dough is not properly mixed with the other ingredients. A good pastry is also tender; this is determined by the presence of considerable amounts of fat and liquid.

    The colour of pastry has to be golden brown and this final look can be enhanced using a glazing agent.

    All these characteristics can be achieved by using the proper amounts of ingredients and mixing procedures. 

  • Ensuring a good product

    Determinants in the quality of pastry are closely related to each type of pastry that is used. In general, though, there are a few rules for ensuring that pastry is as good as it can be when served...

     

    • Special attention should be given to the ratio of ingredients in order to achieve the correct texture
    • Uncooked pastry should be tightly wrapped and refrigerated for no longer than 24 hours
    • Freshly made pastry can be frozen for up to a month
    • Baked pastry can be wrapped and should be used within 3 days
    • Baked pastry can also be frozen for a month
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Comments

HospitalitySupport07 May 2018 09:24
Thanks for the ffedback Karabo - we are glad you found it useful. Good luck with your studies.
karabo.vanderbyl1004 May 2018 19:18
Week 4's content was very useful ,
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