I am on the cusp of becoming moderately annoyed with my shrinking pastry.

[Slubberdegullion]

WHY doe s it always shrink on me? WHY WHY GODDAMIT?

I have read ALL the mn threads on pastry (almost) and have fully and completely grasped the need for coldness and minimal handling.

Here is what I did today.

Cold cold water from the tap plus ice cubes in the fridge until the last minute.

Butter from the freezer grated.

Egg yolk from the fridge.

I even refrigerated the flour ffs.

Correct measurements into food processor, blitz blitz careful now until it came together.

Back in the fridge in a ball for ten mins.

Super quick roll out into quiche dish and back into the fridge for ten mins.

Into oven for blind baking

The edges were up and over the sides.

IT HAS SHRUNK. The edges when I went to put the filling in are half way down the inside of the bastard dish.

What in the name of all that is holy am I doing wrong? What else can I do save make it in the garage?

Please help me. 2011 is my year of pastry.

ah now I am wondering if you had everything too cold so it didn't rub in properly, hence you needing the extra water. I wouldn't usually use as much as a whole tablespoon of water.

tbh I don't do all that faffing around with making everything extra cold - just room temp flour, fat straight out of the fridge and cut into 1cm cubes before bunging in blender, room temp egg yolk, water out of cold tap. Our house is fairly cold though and the flour is kept against an outside wall at the far end away from the cooker.

if it's properly breadcrumby it will stick together a bit even without water, just get your hands round it all and push it together in a big lump, but it will fall apart easily. you're not really handling it much - it's not as if you're rolling and re-rolling.

Slubber, the person on this thread yesterday could do with your help with cakes!

slubber which recipe do you use?
i use delia's quiche pastry recipe it's straightforward and never fails me

110g plain flour
25g lard
25g butter
pinch of salt
cold water to mix
20cm quiche or flan tin with fluted edges lightly greased

blitz it all,then add water to bind.place in a bag in the fridge for 20-30mins.
roll out pastry,line tin,press base and sides firmly,then prick all over with a fork.
bake the pastry case for 15 mins @ 350of/180oc although i opt for 160oc as i use the fan oven.
remove pastry case from oven and paint the insides with it with some of the beaten egg mixture which you'll be using for the filling.
pop pastry case back into the oven for a further 5 mins to set.
remove then add filling of your choice
HTH

Thanks seth. I will have a go at balling it up together with my hands next time.

blondemoment I have yet to find my perfect failsafe recipe yet as every different one I try usually shrinks and I get so pissed off I don,t try pastry again for six months. Will have a try with delias and i'll also try Jamie's sausage (fnar) too.

Will have a look Norman

I might almost be feeling inspired to revoke my previous revoking of pastry making and make 2011 my year of pastry too. If slubber doesn't mind the copying :)

it's all in the first Naked Chef book.

No no Griselda, please go ahead.

By the end of this year I want to have created one of these beautiful French tarts with custard and glazed strawberries on top and to casually produce it at the end of a dinner party like I make them all the time just like that

Seth I'll have a google and see if I can find it. 2011 is also the year of not buying any more cookery books.

That sounds a truly noble aim, slubber.

I can see that there is going to be a tricky course to be navigated between 2011 The Year Of Pastry and 2011 The Year Of Slenderness.

your library will probably be able to get it for you.

I did one of those fruit tarts once - it was very nice indeed. You know how you buy them from supermarkets but they are always a bit soggy, whereas this one was not....

I had 'mastering puff pastry' as one of my maternity leave plans, which did not ever happen, but fortunately I left my job instead so I'll try and do it this year.

along with producing a souffle in my Cobb.

my mother has gone all 'Delia's quick flaky pastry' with her mince pies and sausage rolls and I must say it's very good; I might try and do that one too.

faints dead away at thought of flaky pastry mincepies

From what you've said earlier, I'd lay money it's the water...up the fat to flour ratio and it goes together better.

I use flaky for sausage rolls, but mince pies must be made with shortcrust!

I use Delia's quiche pastry recipe and don't have too much trouble with shrinkage, but I use metal quiche tins, don't know if it makes any difference.

Actually it's SoMuch who makes these things, I just enjoy them with a cup of tea!

best mince pie recipe is nigellas!
agree that jamie's sweet pastry recipe is foolproof too his choc tart is to die for!

I use anodised silver tart/quiche tins, and it shrinks.

But....I come at it from the expectation of shrinkage, press it into fluted sides, and ensure adequate overhang.

Then once cooked cut off the overhang with a very sharp knife.

It looks great then.

Thank you all for your suggestions. I will be coming back to this thread with feedback as I try each of the recommended recipes.

I WILL have mastered good pastry by the end of it so help me.

It's shrinking because you are stretching it too much when you roll it out and possibly when you are squidging it into the fluted edges. Less haste with the rolling and less pressure per roll, plus always roll in one direction (e.g. away from you not backwards and forwards)

Always turned mine over by draping over the rolling pin never had shrinkage! I keep grated butter and lard in the freezer and use half the amount of fat to flour (e.g 8oz flour, 4oz fat - 2oz lard and 2oz butter)don't bother with iced water or cold flour.

My pastry is always good

I don't use baking beans, instead I freeze the pastry, in its tin, for at least 30 minutes (prick with fork first) then put in oven straight from frozen.

I would agree with the streching diegnosis. I tend to bring my pastry together, do one roll out and fold and then pop it in the fridge. It tends to roll out more easily after this, and as a result it stays cooler and I am less likely to stretch it out of frustration to get it to the right size.

Try rolling it out the LooL00 way,put cling film above and below the lump of pastry and roll away. Then take the top cling film off and fling it pastry side down into your fluted tart tin. Use the cling film to help shake it into the tin, right into the 'corners'. Still using the cling film use a wooden spoon handle to flute it nicely then whip off the cling film .