Pastry-phobic

**Dr Spouse** · 21-09-2007, 04:43pm

I want to make an apple pie, I am going to use my mum's recipe for sweet pastry, in the food processor, but it's everything else I'm afraid of:

Do I need the butter cold or warm? What about the other ingredients? I think it has egg in too, and a bit of sugar.

What do I do with it then? Do I put it back in the fridge? How long for?

How do I roll it out without it falling to bits???

**Narcissa Malfoy** · 21-09-2007, 04:46pm

My turning point in pastry making was after reading Nigella's suggestion:

Put everything (inc weighed out flour) into the freezer to get really cold. Also put a squeeze of lemon juice in the water.

It really made a difference for me. My pastry is now edible, which believe you me, is a miracle.

**Narcissa Malfoy** · 21-09-2007, 04:47pm

Oh,

**Narcissa Malfoy** · 21-09-2007, 04:47pm

Oh, then after making it - put it in the fridge to rest

**Narcissa Malfoy** · 21-09-2007, 04:47pm

Oh, then after making it - put it in the fridge to rest for 1/2 hr or so wrapped in clingfilm and after

**Narcissa Malfoy** · 21-09-2007, 04:47pm

Oh, then after making it - put it in the fridge to rest for 1/2 hr or so wrapped in clingfilm and after rolling and putting in the case let it rest

**Narcissa Malfoy** · 21-09-2007, 04:47pm

Oh, then after making it - put it in the fridge to rest for 1/2 hr or so wrapped in clingfilm and after rolling and putting in the case let it rest again in the fridge before baking.

**Narcissa Malfoy** · 21-09-2007, 04:48pm

Oh sweet heavens, I've done a willy woolly nilly!

**clementinexyz** · 21-09-2007, 04:48pm

OK I am very lucky to have good pastry genes :smugsmiey:. i don't often use the food processor for mine but have done so here's my advice:

Butter cold. water cold-you could even put it into the freezer to chill while you do the other bits. throw in all the ingredients except water and blitz (not sure at what point you add the eggs)

Add water gradually till a dough forms.

wrap in clingfilm and refrigerate for about 30 mins.

Roll out on a floured surface, handling as little as possible.

I may be teaching you to suck eggs but I learnt this only recently

To get the pastry into the flan dish without collapsing it all, place your rolling pin in the middle of the rolled out dough and fold half of the dough over the pin. Lift up the in with pastry hanging off it and move the short distance to your flan dish where you deposit the pastry. prick bottom of pastry to stop ballooning.

Good luck