Evaluating The Do's And Don'ts When Baking Pastries

By Jennifer Marie Anderson


There's no doubt that the pastry arts is sweet. With so many different pastries to create, it goes without saying that certain methods will be more useful than others. However, even the most astute culinary authorities will tell you that some methods simply shouldn't be used as well. As a result, I believe that it would be wise to go over some of the do's and don'ts associated with the pastry arts, which will further expand your knowledge on the matter.

Do keep your ingredients close. If you're going to create pastries, there are certain ingredients you'll need for the job. Once you have them in your possession, make sure that they are set out in front of you. In addition, they should be kept reasonably close to one another so that you do not have to move around too much in the kitchen. If you take part in this endeavor, it'll be that much easier to bring the pastries you desire to life.

Don't over-knead the dough. If you're going to use dough, whether it's for pastries or other recipes entirely, it's important that it is kneaded. The main reason for this is that it has to be stretchy enough to use, so it's vital for this to be done for about 15 minutes. However, when you go overboard, it's easy to imagine that the dough can break, which is especially unfortunate for crusts. Take it easy when kneading the dough, and do not overwork it.

Do use cold ingredients often. As a matter of fact, it would be in your best interest to use cooler ingredients all the time. For example, if you are tasked with utilizing a pie crust for a particular pastry, you should ensure that the ingredients meant for it are kept at low temperatures. This way, the crust in question will be flakier, thereby making it a higher-quality ingredient. To say that this is a vital step would be nothing short of an understatement.

Don't open the oven door. When you're finally ready to bake your pastry, you have to make sure that the oven door is kept closed at all times. There is a certain temperature that your product must be situated in, after all. When the door in question is opened, an irregularity in the environment is created, which can cause your pastry to suffer. It may fall, or it's possible it won't bake through all of the way. With these points in mind, please keep the door shut.




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