SEX SEX now i have your attention.How do i make the best pastry ever??????

[overdraft]

found a recipe basic half fat to flour.Do i use plain or self raising and do i really have to use lard

you don't have to use lard but it is best with a "hard" fat

have no idea but your title just made me snort v loudly.

My grandmother used half butter, half margarine.

She also had really cold hands, which helps.

And she made excellent pastry.

Am assuming you're talking about shortcrust, btw.

oh yes, cold hands is important.
i am SHIT at making pastry but my mum is excellent.

don't over work it, keep it cool...

plain flour, imagine if it rose

everything cold, and don't spend hours fiddling with it when you've added the water. and don't add too much water, do it really slowly and stir it in with a knife.

I use the half fat to flour ratio and just use all butter and plain flour, works fine for flan type cases but I am very much a pastry novice so will be watching the rest of the answers with interst.

Magimix...

For a sweet pastry or a savory?

I like 1lb Plain Flour 4oz lard, 4oz butter and an egg yolk with milk (add 1-2 tab spoons of caster suger if it's for a dessert)

The egg isn't strictly necessary - but I like it

half butter, half margarine, pinch of salt and very cold hands. Work it as little as possible. I use a knife to cut in the water. If you have a cool surface to roll it out on even better. I've always craved a marble/granite worktop.

It's for either really.I haven't made it for years.Tonight i found a recipe for flour,oil and hot water.You just mix it altogether.I thought great it was yuk

Use either lard or half and half lard and butter. Use half and half plain and self raising. You are supposed to use plai, but this mixture makes lighter, crumblier pastry.

Cold hands, don't mash it around as if it were playdough. Magimix is good for the rubbing in, but be careful to only blitz it for the briefest minute when adding the v cold water.

yes, what are you making?

mrs spoon, i've found processor means more water = more shrinkage. or perhaps is my new oven?

overdraft that sounds FOUL. burn that recipe

whats magimix Mrsspoon?

Agree with Blu, if you use the Magimix it has to be short pulses to mix the water and don't mix until it is a doughy ball, just until it looks like you could bring it together with your hands into a ball, then cover with clingfilm and stick in the fridge for 20 mins. I haven't noticed much shrinking TBH.

overdraft its a food processor, any brand would do but Magimix are fab.

And don't use margarine. Cheapest sainsbury's butter is only 58p a pack - you're not going to save money by using 2 oz of marge instead of butter!

It isn't to do with the cost; all butter pastry is quite difficult to work and very likely to break up.

Tamsyn Day Lewis does some pastry recipes with oil or wine etc in her 'Tarts with Tops On' book - but I always find her pastry quite difficult to roll out in one piece.

Half lard & half butter - lard gives you the texture & butter the flavour (marg won't give you either)

Strong (bread) flour is best

Keep everything cool & add as much air as you (very briefly) rub fat in, use the biggest bowl you have and rub wth just your finger tips, lifting flour and fat right up into airas you do so. Handle the pastry as little as possible.

Processors make ok pastry if you are careful - but can't match handmade IMHO.

batgirl: would you still use lard if you're using the pastry with a sweet filling?

That's easy, get my mum to make it.

Don't like any butter in myself, and def no sugar whether for sweet or savoury dish.
I like all lard or a hard white veg fat. White Flora is ok or Cookeen. SR flour is better than plain.
Everything should be cold. Only just enough water to make it bid, shouldn't be sticky. My mum also lets it rest in the gridge for 30 mins before rolling out if there is time, but not important.

Yes, I would - the lard doesn't give it a savoury taste, just a good "short" texture - crisp & flaky. This is what I use for mincepies, aplle pies etc as well as quiches etc.

If you were making a sweet tart or flan you could make a rich shortcrust - which does use all butter (as you end upwith a different textured pastry) & adds an egg & some sugar.
However, it is much more difficult to handle as it can be quite sticky. I use this if I make a fruit tart eg a custardy lemon tart.

HTH!