The CookingBites Cookalong: Tarte Tatin

Aubergine and Tomato Tatin with Lavender and Agave. I used home made rough puff pastry.


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To make rough puff or puff pastry it has to be hard margarine. The sort that (like butter) is impossible to spread straight from a cold fridge. For croissants it has ti be hard margarine with a very high fat content - the only one I've found in the UK is Tomor.

I found this Australian brand: http://www.peerlessfoods.com.au/catalogue/pastry-margarines/perfex-ready-bits-hard-15kg

Thanks. I've not seen that in the shops. I might need to find a smaller packet though... I hadn't planned on quite that much rough puff pastry!

Ah, won't be able to get that, it's for the food service industry only. Under retail my only option seems to be this one.
http://www.peerlessfoods.com.au/catalogue/cooking-margarines/copha-250g
 
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Shortening won't work - it will be too soft I think. :ohmy:
I'm not certain of that. I think this could be an Australian terminology thing... If you look at the ingredients there are only two (Hydrogenated coconut oil, soybean lecithin). The amount of fat per 100g is 100g. It could actually have to low water content of anything when you compare it to something like butter. It's pretty much solid coconut oil that has been hydrogenated, so turned into a margarine like compound.
 
I'm not certain of that. I think this could be an Australian terminology thing... If you look at the ingredients there are only two (Hydrogenated coconut oil, soybean lecithin). The amount of fat per 100g is 100g. It could actually have to low water content of anything when you compare it to something like butter. It's pretty much solid coconut oil that has been hydrogenated, so turned into a margarine like compound.

Yes - but coconut oil doesn't go really hard. There are recipes on the internet using coconut oil for puff pastry but I'm not convinced by the photos. And I note that the Copha blurb doesn't mention puff pastry. But why not try it and see...
 
Yes - but coconut oil doesn't go really hard. There are recipes on the internet using coconut oil for puff pastry but I'm not convinced by the photos. And I note that the Copha blurb doesn't mention puff pastry. But why not try it and see...
This is hydrogenated coconut oil though. Who knows what had happened to it. It comes in the standard cardboard box that veg fats like Trex come in. I have some, so will godly give it a try during the week. I just might not pick the day thats 38C though! Perhaps the coolest day next week would be the best move, at 27C which is Thursday. I'm going to spend Tuesday (the hottest day) shopping and enjoying the delights of air con!
 
This is hydrogenated coconut oil though. Who knows what had happened to it. It comes in the standard cardboard box that veg fats like Trex come in. I have some, so will godly give it a try during the week. I just might not pick the day thats 38C though! Perhaps the coolest day next week would be the best move, at 27C which is Thursday. I'm going to spend Tuesday (the hottest day) shopping and enjoying the delights of air con!

If its the comsistency of Trex then it really won't work for rough puff or puff. The test really is whether or not its spreadable straight from the fridge. To maintain layers in puff or rough puff the margarine has to be hard in between the layers. Otherwise = Sog!
 
If its the comsistency of Trex then it really won't work for rough puff or puff. The test really is whether or not its spreadable straight from the fridge. To maintain layers in puff or rough puff the margarine has to be hard in between the layers. Otherwise = Sog!
The Trex I know was not spreadable from the fridge, just like butter. It was hard and quite, quite solid. Anything but spreadable in fact.
 
The Trex I know was not spreadable from the fridge, just like butter. It was hard and quite, quite solid. Anything but spreadable in fact.

I just used some straight from the fridge. It isn't what I'd call hard - its very easily rubbed into flour from cold. You can easily pinch a piece with your fingers off of a cold block and it melts quickly. Perhaps spreadable is the wrong word. I don't think have the resilience needed to make rough puff pastry. The reason its called 'shortening' is because its for short crust pastry. But as I have some I will try it! May not be for a few days as I'm away tomorrow.
 
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