Post by SeaDragon on Dec 18, 2017 14:07:42 GMT 10
Have a pastry party
By Amy Beh (May 4, 1999)
MAKING pastry is an art by itself. Everyone loves pies, tarts and puffs with their crisp pastries and luscious fillings. The latest craze in town is the Portuguese Egg Tart that is selling like hot cakes. Here are some sweet and savoury pastry goodies you can make at home:
Portuguese Egg Tarts
Ingredients:
For pastry dough:
Pastry (A):
80g plain flour
75g melted butter
Pastry (B):
80g plain flour
1 tsp milk powder
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp corn oil
1 egg yolk
2 tbsp ice-cold water
For cream cheese filling:
100g whipping cream
55g sugar
1 piece cheddar cheese--chop finely
125ml UHT milk
2 eggs--beat lightly
Pinch of salt
1/4 tsp vanilla essence
Method:
To make the pastry:
Sift flour (A) into a mixing bowl. Add melted butter and mix well to combine. Set aside for 10 minutes.
Sift flour (B) and milk powder into a mixing bowl. Stir in sugar, salt and corn oil. Add egg yolk and stir in water. Work the ingredients together to form a smooth and fine dough. Leave aside for 10 minutes.
Roll out pastry (A) into a rectangle. Roll out pastry (B) into a rectangle twice the size of (A). Place pastry (B) in the centre of pastry (A). Fold over both sides to overlap. Roll out flat.
Fold the pastry into four or quarters. Roll out flat. Repeat twice, then fold again into quarters and leave aside for 10 to 15 minutes.
Roll dough into a big rectangle. Roll the rectangle Swiss roll- style. Cut the roll into 7 equal pieces. Take a piece and press lightly into a greased tart mould. Trim the edges neatly. Set aside to rest for 5 minutes.
Pour filling 8/10th full into the tart mould and bake in a preheated oven at 220°C for 25 minutes or until the top or surface of the tart turns golden brown.
To make the filling:
Bring half portion of cream to a low boil. Stir in sugar to dissolve. Add the rest of the cream and cheese. Mix well to blend. Set aside to cool. Add beaten egg, vanilla essence and milk to combine. Strain the mixture through a wire mesh sieve.
Apple Puffs
Ingredients:
3 red apples (350g)--skin, core and chop finely
70g castor sugar
1/3 cup water
2cm piece cinnamon stick
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tbsp butter
1/4 tsp flour, to thicken
For sweet short-crust pastry:
200g plain flour
60g castor sugar
Pinch of salt
150g chilled butter--cube
100ml or 7tbsp ice-cold water
Squeeze of lemon juice
Method:
To make the filling:
Cook apples in water and sugar in a heavy-based saucepan. Simmer until apples turn soft. Add cinnamon stick, lemon juice and butter and continue to cook until mixture reaches the right consistency (can sift in flour to thicken further). Dish out to cool. If you prefer a smooth filling, puree the cooked filling.
To make the pastry:
Sift flour and salt into a mixing bowl, add sugar to combine. Add butter and, using your fingertips, quickly and lightly rub the butter until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture, stir in water and lemon juice and work together until a fairly stiff dough is formed. Try not to break up the pieces of fat or butter too much.
Form the pastry into a ball. If it is slightly sticky, add a little more flour. Wrap the pastry with cling film and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before using.
To make the puffs:
Cut the pastry in two. On a lightly floured surface roll out into a sheet of 2mm thickness. Cut out 10cm x 6cm rectangles. Spread about 1 1/4 to 2 tbsp of the apple filling on each rectangle. Damp the edges and close up with another piece of rectangle.
Press the edges together well to seal. Use a fork and press down on the edge of the pastry to form a decorative pattern. With the pointed edge of the knife make a small steam vent on top of each pastry.
Place puffs on trays lined with parchment paper and chill for 10 minutes. Glaze the puffs with beaten egg and bake in a preheated oven at 200°C for 15 minutes or until they turn golden brown.
Chicken Pie With Cream Of Mushroom Soup
Ingredients:
For flaky pastry:
250g plain flour--sift
55g butter
115g pastry margarine
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp lime juice
100-150ml ice-cold water
For filling:
200g chicken meat--cube
1 Bombay onion--dice
100g button mushrooms--quarter
75g potatoes--parboil till cooked and dice
75g carrots--dice
50g celery--dice
50g green peas
1 tin cream of mushroom soup--dilute with 1 tin of water
Seasoning:
1 tsp oyster sauce
1 tsp light soy sauce
Dash of white and black pepper
1/4 cube chicken stock
Pinch of salt
For thickening, combine:
1 tbsp corn flour
2 tbsp water
For egg glaze or wash, beat:
1 egg yolk
1 tsp water
Pinch of salt
Method:
To make flaky pastry:
Place flour, salt and butter in a mixing bowl. Mix till fine crumbs form. Add ice water and lime juice to bind. Knead lightly. Chill for 30 to 40 minutes.
Put dough on a lightly-floured surface and roll into an oblong shape, 38cm x 14cm. Cut pastry margarine into small pieces. Spread half the pastry margarine pieces on the centre of the rectangle.
Fold the left side of the rectangle to cover these margarine pieces. Dot or spread the remaining pastry margarine pieces on top of the fold. Then fold the right side of the rectangle to cover these magarine pieces.
Press the edges well to seal and roll out the pastry into a rectangle. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Repeat this process two times then roll out pastry into a rectangle again. Cut pastry into rounds. Use one piece to line a tart mould. Add filling and egg wash the rim, then cover with another piece of round pastry. Egg wash the top and bake in a preheated oven at 220°C for 25 minutes.
To make filling:
Heat in wok 1 tbsp butter, then saute onions until soft. Add chicken and button mushrooms. Stir-fry well. Add carrots, celery, potatoes and cream of mushroom soup. Blend in seasoning. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add thickening and green peas. Dish out to cool.
For variation:
Brush 4 ramekins with melted butter. Spoon filling into prepared ramekins. Cut four circles of pastry slightly larger than the tops of the ramekins, and make a small slit in the centre of each with a sharp knife.
Place circles over the fillings and press the rims to seal. Brush with egg glaze and bake in a preheated oven at 220°C for 20 to 25 minutes or until pastry turns golden brown.
By Amy Beh (May 4, 1999)
MAKING pastry is an art by itself. Everyone loves pies, tarts and puffs with their crisp pastries and luscious fillings. The latest craze in town is the Portuguese Egg Tart that is selling like hot cakes. Here are some sweet and savoury pastry goodies you can make at home:
Portuguese Egg Tarts
Ingredients:
For pastry dough:
Pastry (A):
80g plain flour
75g melted butter
Pastry (B):
80g plain flour
1 tsp milk powder
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp corn oil
1 egg yolk
2 tbsp ice-cold water
For cream cheese filling:
100g whipping cream
55g sugar
1 piece cheddar cheese--chop finely
125ml UHT milk
2 eggs--beat lightly
Pinch of salt
1/4 tsp vanilla essence
Method:
To make the pastry:
Sift flour (A) into a mixing bowl. Add melted butter and mix well to combine. Set aside for 10 minutes.
Sift flour (B) and milk powder into a mixing bowl. Stir in sugar, salt and corn oil. Add egg yolk and stir in water. Work the ingredients together to form a smooth and fine dough. Leave aside for 10 minutes.
Roll out pastry (A) into a rectangle. Roll out pastry (B) into a rectangle twice the size of (A). Place pastry (B) in the centre of pastry (A). Fold over both sides to overlap. Roll out flat.
Fold the pastry into four or quarters. Roll out flat. Repeat twice, then fold again into quarters and leave aside for 10 to 15 minutes.
Roll dough into a big rectangle. Roll the rectangle Swiss roll- style. Cut the roll into 7 equal pieces. Take a piece and press lightly into a greased tart mould. Trim the edges neatly. Set aside to rest for 5 minutes.
Pour filling 8/10th full into the tart mould and bake in a preheated oven at 220°C for 25 minutes or until the top or surface of the tart turns golden brown.
To make the filling:
Bring half portion of cream to a low boil. Stir in sugar to dissolve. Add the rest of the cream and cheese. Mix well to blend. Set aside to cool. Add beaten egg, vanilla essence and milk to combine. Strain the mixture through a wire mesh sieve.
Apple Puffs
Ingredients:
3 red apples (350g)--skin, core and chop finely
70g castor sugar
1/3 cup water
2cm piece cinnamon stick
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tbsp butter
1/4 tsp flour, to thicken
For sweet short-crust pastry:
200g plain flour
60g castor sugar
Pinch of salt
150g chilled butter--cube
100ml or 7tbsp ice-cold water
Squeeze of lemon juice
Method:
To make the filling:
Cook apples in water and sugar in a heavy-based saucepan. Simmer until apples turn soft. Add cinnamon stick, lemon juice and butter and continue to cook until mixture reaches the right consistency (can sift in flour to thicken further). Dish out to cool. If you prefer a smooth filling, puree the cooked filling.
To make the pastry:
Sift flour and salt into a mixing bowl, add sugar to combine. Add butter and, using your fingertips, quickly and lightly rub the butter until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture, stir in water and lemon juice and work together until a fairly stiff dough is formed. Try not to break up the pieces of fat or butter too much.
Form the pastry into a ball. If it is slightly sticky, add a little more flour. Wrap the pastry with cling film and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before using.
To make the puffs:
Cut the pastry in two. On a lightly floured surface roll out into a sheet of 2mm thickness. Cut out 10cm x 6cm rectangles. Spread about 1 1/4 to 2 tbsp of the apple filling on each rectangle. Damp the edges and close up with another piece of rectangle.
Press the edges together well to seal. Use a fork and press down on the edge of the pastry to form a decorative pattern. With the pointed edge of the knife make a small steam vent on top of each pastry.
Place puffs on trays lined with parchment paper and chill for 10 minutes. Glaze the puffs with beaten egg and bake in a preheated oven at 200°C for 15 minutes or until they turn golden brown.
Chicken Pie With Cream Of Mushroom Soup
Ingredients:
For flaky pastry:
250g plain flour--sift
55g butter
115g pastry margarine
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp lime juice
100-150ml ice-cold water
For filling:
200g chicken meat--cube
1 Bombay onion--dice
100g button mushrooms--quarter
75g potatoes--parboil till cooked and dice
75g carrots--dice
50g celery--dice
50g green peas
1 tin cream of mushroom soup--dilute with 1 tin of water
Seasoning:
1 tsp oyster sauce
1 tsp light soy sauce
Dash of white and black pepper
1/4 cube chicken stock
Pinch of salt
For thickening, combine:
1 tbsp corn flour
2 tbsp water
For egg glaze or wash, beat:
1 egg yolk
1 tsp water
Pinch of salt
Method:
To make flaky pastry:
Place flour, salt and butter in a mixing bowl. Mix till fine crumbs form. Add ice water and lime juice to bind. Knead lightly. Chill for 30 to 40 minutes.
Put dough on a lightly-floured surface and roll into an oblong shape, 38cm x 14cm. Cut pastry margarine into small pieces. Spread half the pastry margarine pieces on the centre of the rectangle.
Fold the left side of the rectangle to cover these margarine pieces. Dot or spread the remaining pastry margarine pieces on top of the fold. Then fold the right side of the rectangle to cover these magarine pieces.
Press the edges well to seal and roll out the pastry into a rectangle. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Repeat this process two times then roll out pastry into a rectangle again. Cut pastry into rounds. Use one piece to line a tart mould. Add filling and egg wash the rim, then cover with another piece of round pastry. Egg wash the top and bake in a preheated oven at 220°C for 25 minutes.
To make filling:
Heat in wok 1 tbsp butter, then saute onions until soft. Add chicken and button mushrooms. Stir-fry well. Add carrots, celery, potatoes and cream of mushroom soup. Blend in seasoning. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add thickening and green peas. Dish out to cool.
For variation:
Brush 4 ramekins with melted butter. Spoon filling into prepared ramekins. Cut four circles of pastry slightly larger than the tops of the ramekins, and make a small slit in the centre of each with a sharp knife.
Place circles over the fillings and press the rims to seal. Brush with egg glaze and bake in a preheated oven at 220°C for 20 to 25 minutes or until pastry turns golden brown.