Okey dokey, this is from my ancient (1960, older than me) cookery book. I use it for recipes that need precise ingredients, like cakes and pastries. Some of the recipes are hilarious, they are just so ... OLD ... but I saw one earlier today for deep fried pasties which might indicate that cooking, like fashion, goes through phases.
Certain Success With Pastry
Keep ingredients, utensils and hands as cool as possible.
Use a large bowl rather than a small basin for short pastry, so there is plenty of air space.
When rubbing fat into flour, lift hands as much as possible so that air is introduced into dough.
Rub fat in oniy with forefinger and thumb. Too much pressure when rubbing will make pastry too sticky.
Sieve flour before mixing. This lightens the dough.
(Abbrev) Use plain flour.
(Abbrev) Don't make dough too wet or dry. The dough is the right texture when it rolls into a large ball with very little handling.
Pastry should be baked quickly.
When using very hard fat (perhaps straight from the refrigerator) ... you will find it helpful to grate it
[LOL, I disagree with this one ... just take the butter out of the fridge before you need it so it can soften]
When making short pastry oil can be used instead of [other] fat.
[I don't agree with this one either]
When rolling out pastry remember never to roll the rolling-pin backwards and forwards. It should roll one way only - straight ahead. The pastry should be turned at right angles to obtain right shape.
When rolling the pastry, lift rolling-pin from time to time. This helps to keep the dough light.
[I am not sure what this means ... you NEED to lift the rolling-pin ... ]
When a recipe says that the pastry case should be baked "blind" it means empty. To prevent the bottom of the tart or flan rising, fill case with cursts of stale bread [EWWWWWW] or haricot beans onto a piece of greased grease proof paper during the baking. Remove filling five minutes before pastry case is quite cooked.
[I use rice. When the pie is nearly cooked, I tip it out and put it back into a jar to be re-used ... you can also make some fork marks in the base to stop pastry rising]
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Recipe
Short crust pastry
8oz flour
4 oz fat
good pinch salt
cold water to mix (approx 2 tbsplns)
Sieve flour and salt and rub in fat (my preference is half butter and half lard, but, whatever you like ... except I'd caution against using margarine. Not only is it evil and nasty, I just don't think it gives the best results) until mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs (so, finer than stuffing mix). Gradually add cold water and use fingers to make dough.
Not only should it roll into a ball easily, but your should be able to "feel" if it is good pastry at this stage. It should be firm, but giving if you stick a finger in it.
Lightly flour the rolling-pin and a chopping board. Roll away from you, and turn. After a couple of turns, lift it up using the rolling pin and turn on other side. Continue until it's the right size and thickness. Add a little extra flour to board and pin when pastry starts to feel sticky.
Don't mess around now. You should have everything ready before you start making the pastry. Oven on, dish ready, and in it goes.
You can use any leftovers to make a jam roly poly, or cheese straws ... or the kids can make them 🙂
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Treat time. Ok, you've read all the above and you're raring to go ...
Make a quantity of the above recipe. Bake blind in a pie dish, remove rice (or whatever), return to oven until base is cooked.
Let COOL. I mean COOL.
Take a can of Nestle's Caramel Top 'n' Fill. Place in pie (still in pie dish and very very cool) spread evenly.
Top with real whipped cream. Lots of cream. The cream counters the sweetness of the caramel.
Enjoy
