(no subject)
Nov. 14th, 2008 09:41 pmPuff pastry update.
Fuck yes. It works like the instructions say. Follow the damn directions, get puff pastry. It's like magic. Tasty, layered, flaky magic.
This experiment also answered one of the primal questions of my pale-baked, lightly-browned world. "Why are bakery bought pastries (We do not, locally, have a bakery that does better than I can do myself, in my shoddy-ass cheap electric oven. I just look at bakery goods. I don't actually buy any.) always cooked way browner than I would cook my own stuff?"
Answer: When doing choux pastry or puff pastry, there has to be extra baking once the shape of the thing is set in order to make sure the innards are fully cooked. The time required for this inner cooking makes the outsides of the pastry browner than my PA Dutch upbringing is fully happy with.
So, if you (the studio lexience) have any interest in trying this at home, note well that even though your puff pastry is fully puffed at fifteen minutes, it is not BAKED THROUGH yet. You can pull it out of the oven and eat it so hot that it crackles when it hits your mouth (Oh yeah, baby!) but it will not really be done on the inside. Cook for the full time as per instructions.
Good thing I did a test batch of two tiny turnovers instead of making 'em all at once, innit? I'm smart like that, see.
All ya'll should try this, though. It's fun. The dough rolls really nicely. It's very tractable. (Yes, I know that the grocery sells frozen puff pastry in sheets. You who want to point this out to me, you are missing the fucking point.)
Fuck yes. It works like the instructions say. Follow the damn directions, get puff pastry. It's like magic. Tasty, layered, flaky magic.
This experiment also answered one of the primal questions of my pale-baked, lightly-browned world. "Why are bakery bought pastries (We do not, locally, have a bakery that does better than I can do myself, in my shoddy-ass cheap electric oven. I just look at bakery goods. I don't actually buy any.) always cooked way browner than I would cook my own stuff?"
Answer: When doing choux pastry or puff pastry, there has to be extra baking once the shape of the thing is set in order to make sure the innards are fully cooked. The time required for this inner cooking makes the outsides of the pastry browner than my PA Dutch upbringing is fully happy with.
So, if you (the studio lexience) have any interest in trying this at home, note well that even though your puff pastry is fully puffed at fifteen minutes, it is not BAKED THROUGH yet. You can pull it out of the oven and eat it so hot that it crackles when it hits your mouth (Oh yeah, baby!) but it will not really be done on the inside. Cook for the full time as per instructions.
Good thing I did a test batch of two tiny turnovers instead of making 'em all at once, innit? I'm smart like that, see.
All ya'll should try this, though. It's fun. The dough rolls really nicely. It's very tractable. (Yes, I know that the grocery sells frozen puff pastry in sheets. You who want to point this out to me, you are missing the fucking point.)
no subject
Date: 2008-11-15 03:00 am (UTC)Please proceed to the nearest NAP, where you will pick up the Internet that you have just won.
no subject
Date: 2008-11-15 03:15 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-11-15 03:42 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-11-18 06:27 am (UTC)http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-an-egg-wash.htm
I only know this because I used to help my mom cook when I was a kid, and she would egg wash the Beef Wellington.