Shortcrustorsweet pastry,hot-water raised pastry,choux, andflaky pastrycan all be made usingGluten Free Flouralthough these recipes may differ from their conventional counterparts. Follow one of our tried and testedpastry recipes.
FREEE Plain White Flourwill make reliable gluten free pastry whileRice Flour PastryorBuckwheat Flour Pastrycan add another dimension to your baking. Here are a few tips to help you get the best results when making gluten free pastry.
Choosing and Using Gluten Free Pastry Ingredients
- A chilled solid fat, such as a vegan baking block, dairy butter or lard, is best for pastry making
- Avoid using any soft spread when making gluten free pastry as this can cause the pastry to become difficult to handle
- A pinch ofFREEE Xanthan Gumcan help to bind gluten free pastry, which will be absorbed during the resting stage
- Add enough water, a little more than conventional pastry, to make a slightly sticky dough, which will rehydrate the flour during resting
Handling Gluten Free Pastry
- Chop the baking block or butter into small cubes before adding it to the flour
- Mix the flour and fat with a fork or pastry blender, rather than using your fingers, to avoid over-mixing
- Using a kitchen mixer can overwork gluten free pastry making it hard
- Cover and rest gluten free pastry according to the recipe to re-hydrate the flour and make the pastry easier to handle
- If pastry is still slightly sticky after resting, dust the work surface and rolling pin with flour
- Large pieces of gluten free pastry can be delicate to pick up but can be easily pressed into a pie dish or tart tin
- Pie tops can be rolled out between two pieces of greaseproof paper or parchment
- Blind baking a pastry case helps top avoid a soggy bottom in fruit tarts
Gluten Free Pastry Troubleshooting
Even the most experienced cooks can have trouble with their bakes. Our troubleshooting guide below should help you get out of many sticky situations!
Crumbly Pastry Dough
Possible Cause
- Insufficient water in dough
- Gluten free flour does not make very elastic pastry
Possible solution:
- Add more water to make a slightly sticky dough, rest and roll out again
- Add a pinch ofFREEE Xanthan Gum, to the flour and mix well before making the pastry
Pastry is difficult to handle and roll out
Possible Cause
- Insufficient water in dough
- Gluten free pastry is not very elastic
Possible solution:
- Sprinkle a little more water over the dough until it comes together easily into a ball
- Press pastry into dish with fingers
- Roll pastry between two pieces of greaseproof paper or parchment
- Add a pinch of FREEE Xanthan Gum to the flour and mix well before making the pastry
Cooked pastry is hard
Possible Cause
- Fat overworked into flour
- Too much water
Possible solution:
- Use a fork or pastry blender to mix fat and butter, avoiding using fingers
- Use a solid baking block or butter
- Fat too soft resulting in overmixing
- Use less water
Cooked pastry is cracked
Possible Cause
- Insufficient water in pastry
Possible solution:
- Add a little more water to pastry dough and rest before rolling out
FAQs
Some common examples include pies, tarts, donuts, croissants, Danishes, and scones.
Is it cheaper to make your own pastry? ›
It's easy to make your own shortcrust pastry – and it's cheaper and better than the shop-bought variety. Just three ingredients stand between you and it! It's easy to make your own shortcrust pastry – and it's cheaper and better than the shop-bought variety.
What are the three 3 basic rules for pastry making? ›
General rules
Keep everything as cool as possible otherwise the fat may melt which would spoil the finished dish. Introduce as much air as possible during making. Allow to relax after making to allow the fat to harden.
What is the golden rule of pastry making? ›
The first golden rule of making pastry; keep the ingredients, the bowl and the hands as cool as possible. Sieve the flour to add extra air and lightness to the pastry.
What is the simplest and most common pastry? ›
Shortcrust pastry is the simplest and most common pastry. It is made with flour, fat, butter, salt, and water to bind the dough.
What are the four basic pastries? ›
List of 5 Types of Pastry Doughs
- Flaky. Delicate and simple to make, flaky pastry is used for sweet or savory dishes that bake quickly, such as the common pie crust. ...
- Shortcrust. Perfect for cooks who love to bake, shortcrust pastry is a stout dough used to make thicker pastries like tarts and cookies. ...
- Puff. ...
- Choux. ...
- Filo.
If the dough is overworked, it can become tough and difficult to roll out. This can happen if the dough is kneaded too much or if too much flour is added during the rolling process. Shortcrust pastry can shrink during baking if it's not properly chilled beforehand or if it's rolled too thin.
How long does homemade pastry last? ›
Keeping in the fridge
Shape uncooked pastry into a disc. Wrap well in plastic wrap and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Stand at room temperature for about 1 hour (depending on the temperature in your kitchen) until softened slightly and pliable enough to roll easily.
What does adding an egg to pastry do? ›
Egg (optional) – the fat of the egg yolk enriches the pastry whilst the egg white gives it structure (making it easier to work with). They're both also wet so help to bind the dry ingredients together.
What is the best flour for making pastry? ›
Plain flours are best for pastry because their gluten strands are relaxed while the stronger gluten in bread flours can cause pastry to shrink back. Warm pastry cooked in an oven that was not pre-heated can collapse as its water evaporates before the pastry cooks and hardens.
5 Tips for Perfect Pastry
- Be Mindful of Flour: Avoid adding excessive flour to the work surface. ...
- Keep Everything Cool: Make sure your butter is really cold and chopped up into small pieces before you add it to your flour. ...
- Allow for Chilling: ...
- Bring to Room Temperature: ...
- Opt for the Middle Shelf:
Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes, or up to overnight. Tip: Chilling hardens the fat in the dough, which will help the crust maintain its structure as it bakes.
Why should pastry be pricked before baking? ›
Another way to prevent bubbling is to prick the pastry all over with a fork before cooking it, a process sometimes known as 'docking'. This creates an escape route for any steam that may get into the pastry, so it shouldn't build up and form bubbles.
Should you chill pastry before rolling? ›
After chilling the pastry in the fridge, remove it when it is cold and firm to the touch, not completely hard or it will crack when rolled; it should be just pliable. If it has been chilled for more than 2–3 hours, remove from the fridge and leave at room temperature for 5 minutes before rolling, to soften it slightly.
Why is my pastry always hard? ›
Problem: Your Cooked Pastry is Tough
Why is your cooked pastry tough? This occurs when too little fat and too much liquid are added.
What are the 10 most popular types of pastry? ›
Top 10 Types of Pastries
- Croissant. Known for their crescent shape and delicate, croissants feature flaky layers made from folding and rolling butter into the dough. ...
- Danish Pastry. ...
- Éclair. ...
- Cream Puff. ...
- Strudel. ...
- Palmier. ...
- Baklava. ...
- Turnover.
Bakery products, which include bread, rolls, cookies, pies, pastries, and muffins, are usually prepared from flour or meal derived from some form of grain. Bread, already a common staple in prehistoric times, provides many nutrients in the human diet.
What are 10 example of bakery products? ›
Some of the commonly known bakery products are Bread, Bread rolls, Flatbreads, Bagels, Doughnuts, Muffins, Pizzas, Buns, Pastries, Pies, Crumpets, Tarts, Brownies, Cakes, Croissants, Cupcakes, Cookies, Scones, Barmbrack, Soda bread, Biscuit (bread), Crackers, Biscuits, Pretzels, Biscotti, Kalakukko, Cornbread, Pandesal ...
