pastry making

your questions about pastry making

Q. Please help! I'm struggling to make gluten-free shortcrust pastry - can you give me some tips?

A. The ingredients and quantities are the same for gluten-free pastry as for traditional pastry. The basic recipe is half the amount of fat to the amount of Gluten-free Mix and hard fats will give the best results. This may be a combination of hard margarine (for flavour) and lard (for shortness) or all hard margarine if you prefer. Butter is also acceptable and will result in a rich pastry (ideal for special occasions e.g. mince pies at Christmas!).

Adding an egg gives the pastry extra structure and provides a source of protein which is acceptable to the diet.

The following recipe will make enough pastry to cover a 1 litre (2pint) dish, a 22cm (9inch) flan ring, or approx. 20 mini tartlets:

200g (8oz) JUVELA Gluten-free Mix or Gluten-free Fibre Mix
50g (2oz) hard margarine
50g (2oz) lard
1 medium egg, beaten
Cold water to mix

To make the pastry, place the Gluten-free Mix in a bowl, cut the fats up and add them to the Mix. It is important to keep the fats as cold and hard as possible; if they become warm and oily as you are rubbing them in, the mixture will start to form a dough before you want it to.

Using your fingertips, rub the fats into the Gluten-free Mix until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. (Take care not to over rub at this stage - you don't need to get the mixture to fine breadcrumbs because the dough will be kneaded at a later stage so any larger lumps of fat will be incorporated then).

Stir in the beaten egg and then gradually add sufficient cold water to produce a soft but not sticky dough (the amount you add will vary each time you make the pastry).

Using your hands, move the mixture around the bowl, allowing it to form a dough without actually forcing it together. When the dough starts to clean the bottom of the bowl, sufficient water has been added.

The dough will be quite crumbly at this stage so the kneading stage is crucial (this may seem very strange, but gluten-free pastry completely differs to traditional pastry as it actually benefits from being handled).

On a surface lightly dusted with some Gluten-free Mix, knead the dough well for 1-2 minutes. You will notice the texture of the dough change almost as soon as you start to knead it; the dough will become much smoother and more pliable.

The pastry is now ready to use. To roll out, lightly dust the surface and the rolling pin with Mix and roll out using smooth short strokes. Keep tha pastry moving around the surface but do not turn it over. As the piece gets bigger use your rolling pin, rather than your hands, to pick it up. (Once you have lined your dish or tartlet tins, any trimmings can then be re-kneaded and rolled out again).

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Q. Is gluten-free pastry suitable for freezing?

A. If freezing is necessary, you need to pierce the packaging to release the protective atmosphere. We suggest that you remove the bread from its outer packaging and place into a freezer bag. Alternatively, remove all packaging and wrap in freezer bags in individual portion sizes.

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