My first experience scuba diving was at the Great Barrier Reefs. I was so excited, it was something I had wanted to do a long time and couldn't wait. Have spent hours on the boat from Cairns to finally be able to go diving, to see all that coral up close. Wow!
So with the help of the PADI instructors I get all geared up - they ask me to lower myself into the water and I start breathing through the mouth thingy and the minute I hit the water, I pull out my mouth thingy and start trying to breathe through my nose - underwater. Needless to say - it didn't work, I panicked and I almost gave up.
Then my PADI instructor said something that stayed with me all these years - he said, "If you give up now, you'll never forgive yourself and you'll never forget it. Diving is all about the mind. Stay in the water, hold on to the side of the boat and talk to yourself till you get comfortable and try again"
I am very glad I did - because there is NOTHING and I mean NOTHING compared to being down on the ocean floor holding your first sea cucumber (and your last) or putting your hand in the mouth of a giant clam.
So no matter what your experience baking your first pie pastry has been, its time to strap on your diving equipment, try again and succeed! Having said that - check your diving equipment i.e. your recipe.
Which is why - you won't find a gazillion variations of tart pastry or sweet pastry dough on this blog - nope just 2 - one for fruit tarts and one for quiches. Why? because the only recipes that matters are the ones that don't let you down the night before Thanksgiving when you've been at it for 3 hours and its already 11.00pm and you've tried everything to fix this pastry mess and you can't - it still won't work so, you start over ...... not funny and plays havoc with your confidence (yup - I know, been there-done that).
The difference between the 2 tart pastries is that one is made with butter & sugar which makes it a little crusty and flaky (which I think is wonderful for grilled fruit tarts) and other with lard and salt which is very flaky and wonderful for quiches).
Today's sweet pastry dough is the first step towards a Easter Ricotta pie. Yum!
In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, add all-purpose flour, cold butter (from refrigerator) cut into 8 slabs, 1 tbs sugar, egg yolks and 2 tbs chilled (from refrigerator) water.
Pulse for upto 25 seconds till a ball has formed. If in 25 seconds the mix is still crumbly & a dough ball has not formed, add 1/2 tbs chilled water and knead again for 25 seconds till a dough ball has formed.
Transfer the dough ball to a lightly floured surface and using the heel of your palms, knead the dough 3-4 times. This process is called fraisage and gives that wonderful flaky crust we all crave.
Flatten dough ball between palms, lightly flour the surface, wrap it in cling wrap and refrigerate for 10-15 minutes till it is cold (this will make it easier to roll out) Remove from the refrigerator, discard the cling wrap and sprinkle with 1 tbs flour.
For a double pie crust, divide the dough into 2 parts - one slightly larger than the other.
Return the smaller pie dough ball to the refrigerator.
Begin working on the larger dough ball.
Begin to roll out the pastry. Using a rolling pin, apply light pressure while rolling outwards from the center of the dough.
Every once in a while you may need to gently lift under the dough with your fingers to make sure it is not sticking. Also, turn the pastry a quarter turn every once in a while so it is rolling out uniformly. As the edges fray, pinch with finger and continue rolling.
Once in a while place the baking pan (spring foam or tart pan) to make sure you've rolling a large enough pastry:
If you are using a spring foam pan (like I am) you will need a pastry 1-1/2" large than the diameter of the base.
If you are using a tart pan (preferably one with a pop-up bottom) roll 2-1/4" larger than the diameter of the bottom.
Lift the pastry off the bottom and wrap around the rolling pin. Pull the spring foam/tart pan closer to you and drape the pastry over it as best you can.
OR
If the pie crust seems a little too fragile to lift off or if you're getting the jitters, try this fool proof method -
Separate the sides of the spring foam pan from the base. Place the over the rolled crust just to make sure your have an idea of the center. Gently life the polled crust and insert the base under the rolled crust.
Fold the sides on the pastry into the base. Attach the sides and lift the sides up.
Adjust the pastry so it is more or less in the center of the pan. Mold the pastry to the sides of the pan.
Using 2 fingers gently press the sides of the pastry to the sides of the pan. Using a knife, trim the edges of the pastry in straight line.
Now that the pastry is sitting pretty in the pan (don't fret it'll be fine)
Refrigerate while preparing the filling and you are ready for the next step.
Cook's Note - I want to draw your attention to the fact that I have used only 1-2 tbs sugar (not 3/4 cups as some recipes call for) - this is very important point - the more sugar you put in the pastry the harder the handling because softer the dough which is why most of us have had our share of pastry disaster stories.
Recipe for
Pate Sucree, Pasta Frolla, Sweet Pastry dough
Makes a double layer pie crust (11")
Shopping list
2-1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 stick (115 gms) cold butter, unsalted
2 egg
1/4 tsp salt
about 3-4 tbs ice cold water
2 tbs sugar
OR
Makes 1 single layer tart (11")
Shopping list
1-1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 stick (115 gms) cold butter, unsalted
1 egg
1/8 tsp salt
1-1/2 tbs to 2 tbs ice cold water
1 tbs sugar
Preparation
Dough -
In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, add all-purpose flour, cold butter (from refrigerator) cut into 8 slabs, 1 tbs sugar, egg yolks and 2 tbs chilled (from refrigerator) water.
Knead for 25 seconds till a ball has formed. If in 25 seconds the mix is still crumbly & a dough ball has not formed, add 1/2 tbs chilled water and knead again for 25 seconds till a dough ball has formed.
Flatten dough ball between palms, wrap it in cling wrap and refrigerate for 10-15 minutes till it is cold (this will make it easier to roll out) Remove from the refrigerator, discard the cling wrap and sprinkle with 1 tbs flour.
For a double pie crust, divide the dough into 2 parts - one slightly larger than the other. Return the smaller pie dough ball to the refrigerator.
Begin to roll out the pastry. Using a rolling pin, apply light pressure while rolling outwards from the center of the dough.
Every once in a while you may need to gently lift under the dough with your fingers to make sure it is not sticking. Also, turn the pastry a quarter turn every once in a while so it is rolling out uniformly. As the edges fray, pinch with finger and continue rolling.
Once in a while place the baking pan (spring foam or tart pan) to make sure you've rolling a large enough pastry:
If you are using a spring foam pan (like I am) you will need a pastry 1-1/2" large than the diameter of the base.
If you are using a tart pan (preferably one with a pop-up bottom) roll 2-1/4" larger than the diameter of the bottom.
Lift the pastry off the bottom and wrap around the rolling pin. Pull the spring foam/tart pan closer to you and drape the pastry over it as best you can.
OR
If the pie crust seems a little too fragile to lift off or if you're getting the jitters, try this fool proof method -
Separate the sides of the spring foam pan from the base. Place the over the rolled crust just to make sure your have an idea of the center. Gently life the polled crust and insert the base under the rolled crust.
Fold the sides on the pastry into the base. Attach the sides and lift the sides up to adhere to the sides of the pan.
Adjust the pastry so it is more or less in the center of the pan. Mold the pastry to the sides of the pan.
Mold the pastry to the sides of the pan.
Using 2 fingers gently press the sides of the pastry to the sides of the pan. Using a knife, trim the edges of the pastry in straight line. If using a tart pan, trim the edges using the edge of the tart pan as a guide.
The sugar pastry tart is now ready for the next step. Refrigerate while preparing the filling.
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