Flour: For a tender crust, choose a low-protein flour.
Pastry flour
, with a protein content of about 8-10%, ranks between all-purpose flour and cake flour. All-purpose flour works just fine for pie crusts, while cake flour might lack enough protein to form a workable, elastic dough.
What is most flour used for making pies and pastries?
Wheat flour
is the main ingredient in most baked goods. In wheat bread, gluten is the key protein in the development of the dough’s protein matrix that traps air and gas molecules. In cakes and other applications, wheat flour provides the starch which helps form the structure via starch gelatinization.
What flour is best for pastry?
| Dish Flour required | Pastry Plain flour | Pizza Strong flour AKA breadmaking flour | Scones Self-raising flour OR strong flour | Sauces Plain flour (or cornflour) |
|---|
Why is my pie crust tough?
If your pie crust is tough instead of tender and flaky, you probably either
overworked the dough or added too much water to it
. There’s not much to do in this situation but plate up a slice and throw on a scoop of ice cream. Don’t sweat it: You’ll do better next time.
Can you use self-raising flour instead of plain flour for pastry?
No. If your recipe asks for plain or self-raising flour, it is important to remember that these two ingredients
are not interchangeable
and you should use the flour recommended in the recipe along with any raising agents, such as baking powder or bicarbonate of soda.
What is the difference between pastry flour and regular flour?
Pastry flour is a low-protein flour designed to make pastries lighter and more delicate than those made with all-
purpose
flour. It bakes tender pastries, chewy cookies and is an excellent solution for pie crusts.
Is bread flour the same as pastry flour?
If you want to grind flour for making bread, then look specifically for berries that say “hard” wheat berries. On the other hand, pastry flour is made with from “
soft” wheat
berries. They have a lower protein (and gluten) content and lends itself to more tender quick breads, desserts, pancakes, and soda bread.
What can I substitute for all-purpose flour?
- Chickpea Flour. Relatively new to American households, chickpea flour (also called garbanzo bean flour or besan in Indian kitchens) is arguably one of my favorite ingredients. …
- Rice Flour. …
- Almond Flour. …
- Buckwheat Flour. …
- Buckwheat Flour Flapjacks.
What flour do professional bakers use?
Professionally and even for home bakers,
pastry flour
is the way to go for flaky pie dough, Danish pastry and cookies. It absorbs a bit less water so you will get a better blend of ingredients and less toughness.
Can I use 1st class flour instead of all-purpose flour?
Yes, you can absolutely make a 1:1 substitute. For 1 cup bread flour,
use 1 cup all-purpose
, and vice-versa (note breads and pizza crusts made with all-purpose flour may have a little less chew than those made with bread flour, but results will still be good).
What does adding egg to pie crust do?
Egg: This
makes the dough more pliable and easy to roll out
. Eggs also make the crust more compact. Acid and Alcohol: Both acid and alcohol tenderize pie dough, make it easier to roll out, and prevent it from shrinking in your pan.
What should you avoid so the dough doesn’t shrink in the pie pan?
To avoid shrinking crusts, use
a metal or unglazed ceramic pie plate (available from The Pampered Chef) and blind bake the dough at 350°F
. If you only have glass pie plates, you can still blind bake the crust. Just be sure to trim the dough a tad beyond the rim of the pie pan, perhaps 1/8 inch.
What makes a better pie crust butter or shortening?
Butter
made a tastier, flakier, sturdier crust by far. This isn’t to say that shortening and lard aren’t useful ingredients. Shortening is a great way to get incredibly tender desserts.
What happens if use self-raising flour instead of plain?
The same applies to the flour. Bread recipes usually ask for plain flour, and that’s because the raising agent comes from the yeast working with the water, flour and salt. If you use self-raising flour,
your bread won’t rise evenly and you could end up with a stodgy crumb
.
What is the best type of flour to use in shortcrust pastry?
That’s why softer flour with lesser protein will increase your chances of making a shortcrust pastry that is crumbly rather than tough.
Ordinary plain flour
is fine.
Can you use self-raising flour instead of plain flour in white sauce?
Can you use self raising flour for white sauce?
It’s not recommended to use self raising flour for white sauce
. This is because self-raising flour contains salt and baking powder which may interfere with the flavour of the other ingredients.
