Pastry Skills

Morning Glory

Morning Glory

Obsessive cook
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How are your pastry skills? What types of pastry have you made? There has been some discussion of this topic recently in The CookingBites Cookalong: Tarte Tatin. There are many different types of pastry. Here are some of the best known:
  • Choux pastry
  • Filo pastry
  • Flaky pastry
  • Hot water crust pastry
  • Puff pastry
  • Shortcrust pastry
  • Rough puff pastry
  • Suet pastry
Most can be made as vegetarian or vegan pastry, although puff pastry is more challenging as the right type of fat must be used. Gluten free is even more challenging, it seems. I enjoy making pastry but generally stick to short crust, rough puff or puff pastry. I'm now thinking that I must experiment more. How many types have you attempted?
 
I usually stick to short crust pastry (sweet or plain) as it's very quick to make, but I have made rough puff in the past. And of course I have now made strudel pastry, although I am still at the beginner's level. It is not quite the same as filo pastry, in spite of the fact that some manufacturers of ready made filo sheets will try to persuade you otherwise :laugh:
 
The only pastry I prepare on a regular basis is:

French Quiche Pastry - Flaky Piecrust called Pâte Brísée ..

Simple and I also use for the rare fruit pie I may bake, if time permits ..

250 Grams of Eco Bio Organic Unbleached Flour All Purpose
125 grams unsalted Normandy French Butter 82% Butterfat
1 large egg
1 teaspoon of Créme Fraîche ( holds together better - This is a Le Cordón trick of the trade )
1 / 2 teaspoon salt ..

On a rare occasion, I do Greek Mezze and Baklava with Greek Phyllo ..
 
I always make my own shortcrust and hot water crust because they're quick and easy, but I don't have the patience for puff pastry so I buy that in ready made in blocks :oops:
I did make some choux buns a few years ago - if I recall correctly they actually came out really well...it was probably just beginners luck though LOL
 
I make a couple of types of pastry. We both prefer my shortcrust pastry to shop bought, my plain version. There's a sweet shortcrust pastry that involves egg which in fine art, but there's another version without egg in it which my list attempt at was a better (Scottish) shortbread than a sweet shortcrust pastry.

I quite frequently make a yoghurt pastry for my aromatic vegetable pasties which is a nice soft pastry but it holds together exceptionally well. Useful when pasties are eaten in the hand. I've been able to make a dairy free version of that without any issues.

I am guessing that I've made the one the OP refers to a hot water crust pastry because I've made a kind of shortcrust type pastry with hot water in the past.

But puff pastry and filo pastry I still purchase. Both are easily vegan when purchased. Filo I guess I could try at home but I rarely use it (though do have plans to for Christmas). Puff pastry I have yet to find a vegan recipe for and again purchasing it both here in Australia and back in the UK is easy on vegan form.

Curiously though the Australian market for both fresh and frozen pastry at the supermarket is rather limited compared to the choice in the UK.
 
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