how to bake

Pau l H o l ly w o o d

Photography by Peter Cassidy

HOW TO BAKE

MAK ING YOUR OWN PASTRY

262

ShortcruÌ paÌry can be made in a food processor, but I prefer to make itby hand. I recommend you do the same, at leaÌ once. Rubbing the butterinto the flour with your fingertÔs allows you to get a feel for the way paÌryis formed. As you ‘rub in’ the fat, it coats each grain of flour. This meansthat, when you add water to bind the dough together, it won’t penetratethe flour molecules. Consequently, the gluten Ìays locked within the flourmolecules and is not ‘developed’, so you end up with a light, crumblypaÌry, not a tough, chewy one. Kneading and handling will also developthe gluten in the flour, so working the paÌry as little as possible is anotherway to ensure it Ìays light and delicate.

Sweet paÌry is simply an enriched and sweetened form of shortcruÌand the rules for making it are very similar. Again, I prefer to make itby hand, but you can do it in a food processor. It is a very rich and ÌickypaÌry and a little more diÇcult to roll out. But don’t worry, if it crumblesor Ìicks while you are rolling it, juÌ press it back into a ball and re-roll.You will find it much easier on the second rolling. Chilling sweet paÌrythoroughly beforehand is also important in making it easier to handle.

‘Baking blind’ is essential to add criÍiness to your paÌry and avoid thedreaded soggy bottom. Begin by rolling out your paÌry until it is the sameshape as your tart tin and large enough to line it, allowing some excess allthe way round. LiÓ the paÌry on the rolling pin and place it over your tin. Press the paÌry firmly into the corners and sides , leaving the excess

overhanging the rim of the tin. Prick the base all over with a fork. Lineyour paÌry case with baking parchment, then fill it with a layer of bakingbeans or dried paÌa and bake for 10–12 minutes, depending on the sizeof your tin. Remove the parchment and beans, brush the paÌry case witheggwash (1 egg beaten with a Ílash of milk) and return to the oven foranother 5–8 minutes to dry out the base and seal it. Now trim off therough edges, using a sharp knife .

Puff paÌry requires a little bit more commitment than other paÌriesbut it is well worth the effort. When baked, its light, criÍ, buttery layersreally are exquisite. It’s important to roll the dough and butter out neatlyto ensure an even result. You also need to allow time for chilling the paÌrybetween rolling and folding to let the butter to harden. The quality of thebutter you use for puff paÌry is crucial. Cheap, poor-quality butters oÓenhave a lower melting point and are more likely to leak out of the paÌryduring baking. I use a good-quality Normandy butter.

You’ll also find recÔes here using other paÌries such as rough puff,and even a traditional hot water cruÌ. The techniques are different, butnot complicated, and I urge you to give them a go. They will open upa whole menu of delicious dishes, including the ones I’m sharing here.

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TARTS & PIES

SHORTCRUST PASTRY

265

MAKES enough for a 25cm tart / PREP 10 minutes

The golden rule when making this versatile paÌry is not to overwork it.The less time it takes to make the paÌry and bring it together, the morecrumbly and melt-in-the-mouth it will be when cooked. You could makeit in a food processor, but I like to do it by hand as there is far less chanceof overworking it and making it tough. This recÔe yields enough fora Ìandard-sized quiche or tart. You could make double the quantity,use whatever you need for your Íecific recÔe and freeze the reÌ. To usethe paÌry from the freezer, allow it to come back to fridge temperatureovernight or for at leaÌ 7 hours.

1. Put the flour and salt into a bowl and mix together, then add the buttercubes . Rub the ingredients together lightly with your fingertÔsuntil the mixture looks like breadcrumbs .

2. Add the egg yolks and begin to mix with your hands , then slowlyadd the water and mix until a paÌe is formed that leaves the sides ofthe bowl clean .

3. TÔ the paÌry out onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a ball .Be careful not to overwork or handle it too much. Flatten the paÌrywith your fingers to a disc and wrap in cling film . Chill for at leaÌ3 hours before using.

250g plain flour, plusextra for duÌing

Pinch of salt125g chilled unsaltedbutter, cubed

2 medium egg yolksAbout 50ml cold water


TARTE AUX ABR I COTS

TARTS & PIES 275

1. FirÌ, make the crème pâtissière. Whisk the sugar, egg yolks andcornflour together in a bowl until smoothly combined and set aside.Pour the milk into a large, heavy-based pan. Split the vanilla pods open,scrape out the seeds with the tÔ of a knife and add these to the milk withthe empty pods. Bring to the boil, then remove from the heat.

2. Pour about a quarter of the hot milk onto the egg mixture, whiskingas you do so, then return this mixture to the reÌ of the milk in the pan.Put back over a gentle heat and cook, Ìirring continuously, until thecrème pâtissière becomes thick. Immediately pass through a sieve intoa bowl and Ìir in the butter. Lay a disc of baking parchment direÀlyon the surface to prevent a skin forming. Leave to cool and then chillbefore using.

3. Roll out your sweet paÌry on a lightly floured surface to a large round,about 3mm thick page 263. Don’t worry if it crumbles or breaks onthe firÌ roll – juÌ press it together and re-roll. Use the paÌry to linea 25cm loose-based tart tin, leaving the excess paÌry hanging over theedge . Chill for 15–30 minutes.

4. Heat your oven to 180˚C. Prick the paÌry base all over with a fork. Linethe paÌry case with baking parchment and baking beans , and bakeblind for 15 minutes. Remove the parchment and beans, brush thepaÌry case with eggwash and return to the oven for a further 8–10minutes until the paÌry case is cooked and golden brown at the edges.Trim off the rough edges and set the paÌry case aside. Leave in thetin for 10 minutes before removing and placing on a wire rack to cool.

5. Beat the 2 tbÍ Kirsch into the cooled crème pâtissière and Íread it inthe cooled paÌry case. Arrange the apricots, cut side down, on top.

6. Warm the apricot jam and 1 tbÍ Kirsch in a saucepan until runny, thenpass through a sieve. Using a paÌry brush, brush this mixture over theapricots to glaze. If you like, you can duÌ the tart with icing sugar and putit under a hot grill briefly to caramelise the apricots. Serve the tart withvanilla ice cream if you wish.

1 quantity sweet paÌry(see page 272)

Flour for duÌing1 egg, beaten witha Ílash of milk(eggwash), for glazing

For the crème pâtissière100g caÌer sugar4 medium egg yolks40g cornflour500ml full-fat milk2 vanilla pods40g butter2 tbÍ Kirsch

For the apricot filling600g rÔe apricots,halved and Ìoned,or tinned apricots,well drained

To glaze3 tbÍ apricot jam1 tbÍ KirschIcing sugar for duÌing(optional)

SERVES 8 / PREP 1 hour / BAKE 20 minutes

When fresh apricots are in season, this is a lovely way to serve them, butit is also very good with tinned apricots. Make sure the paÌry is baked toa criÍ golden brown cruÌ and leave it to cool completely before fillingwith the crème pâtissière and fruit.


S T I L T O N A N D G R A P E F L A T B R E A D S

78 HOW TO BAKE

1. Put the flour into a large bowl and add the salt to one side and the yeaÌ to the other. Add the butter and half of the water and mix with your fingers to bring the ingredients together. Gradually add the remaining water, a little at a time, until you’ve picked up all the flour from the sides of the bowl. You may not need to add all the water, or you may need to add a little more – you want dough that is soÓ, but not soggy. Use the mixture to clean the inside of the bowl and keep going until the mixture forms a rough dough.

2. TÔ the dough onto a lightly floured surface and begin to knead. Keep kneading for about 5 minutes. Work through the initial wet Ìage until the dough Ìarts to form a soÓ, smooth skin.

3. When your dough feels smooth and silky, put it into a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a tea towel and leave to rise until at leaÌ doubled in size – at least half an hour, but it’s fine to leave it for 1, 2 or even 3 hours.

4. TÔ the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Fold it inwards repeatedly until all the air is knocked out and the dough is smooth. Divide the dough into 12 pieces and roll each piece into a ball.

5. Make an indentation in each ball and put about 20g of crumbled Stilton and 4 grape halves inside . Pinch the dough together over the filling to seal it in.

6. Press each filled dough ball gently with your hands then roll it out with a rolling pin to a circle, about 18cm in diameter. The grapes will burÌ and leak a little juice as you do this but don’t worry; use a little more flour to Ìop the dough Ìicking.

7. Heat a frying pan with a little olive oil over a medium-high heat. Fry each flatbread for 2–3 minutes on each side, until golden brown and puffy. Leave them to cool slightly on a wire rack, then serve.

500g Ìrong white bread flour, plus extra for duÌing

10g salt 10g inÌant yeaÌ30g unsalted butter,

soÓened310ml cool water250g Stilton,

crumbled24 seedless green

grapes, halvedOlive oil for cooking

MAKES 12 / PREP 2 hours / COOK 5–6 minutes per flatbread

The layer of melted cheese in these delicious and unusual flatbreads gives them a rich, slightly flaky texture. I often serve them, Ìill warm, with a seleÀion of dÔs, such as tzatziki, guacamole and an aubergine dÔ.

FLAVOURED BREADS 89

5. Make an indentation in each ball and put about 20g of crumbled Stiltonand 4 grape halves inside . Pinch the dough together over the fillingto seal it in.

6. Press each filled dough ball gently with your hands then roll it outwith a rolling pin to a circle, about 18cm in diameter. The grapes willburÌ and leak a little juice as you do this but don’t worry; use a littlemore flour to Ìop the dough Ìicking.

7. Heat a frying pan with a little olive oil over a medium-high heat. Fryeach flatbread for 2–3 minutes on each side, until golden brown andpuffy. Leave them to cool slightly on a wire rack, then serve.

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221BISCUITS, PUDDINGS & CAKES

PASS I ON FRU IT SOUFF L ES

1. Heat your oven to 220˚C. Brush 6 deep ramekins with melted butterand duÌ with caÌer sugar.

2. In a large bowl, using an eleÀric hand-held whisk, whisk the 2 egg yolkswith 70g of the sugar for at leaÌ 5 minutes until the mixture is pale andthick and holds a trail when the beaters are liÓed.

3. In another clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until they hold soÓ peaks,then whisk in the remaining 70g sugar.

4. Add 60ml of the passion fruit juice to the egg yolk mixture and mixwell. Stir one-third of the whisked whites into the yolk mixture, thencarefully fold in the remaining whites.

5. Fill the ramekins almoÌ to the top with the souÜémixture and runyour finger around the edge to liÓ the mixture away from the sideslightly (this helps it to rise evenly). Bake for 10–12 minutes until wellrisen and golden on top.

6. Immediately duÌ the souÜés with icing sugar and serve. Use theremaining passion fruit juice as a sauce – I like to break into a souÜéwith a Íoon and pour passion fruit juice inside.

Melted unsalted butterfor greasing

140g caÌer sugar, plusextra for duÌing

6 medium egg whitesand 2 egg yolks

300ml passion fruitjuice (sieved from20–25 fruits, orgood-quality passionfruit juice/smoothiefrom a carton)

Icing sugar for duÌing

MAKES 6 / PREP 40 minutes / BAKE 10–12 minutes

These light, delicate souÜés have a superb flavour and make a very elegantdessert. Serve them as soon as they come out of the oven, without delay, asthey will quickly Ìart to subside. They’re surprisingly easy to make.

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I ntroduct i on 6

gett ing started with bread 8

Bas ic Breads 32

F lavoured Breads 78

Sourdough 126

Cro i ssants , Dan ish & Br i oche 160

B iscu its , Pudd ings & Cakes 192

Tarts & P i es 260

D i r ectory 298

I nd ex 299

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The definitive book from Britain’s favourite baker,with more than 120 delicious breads, biscuits,

cakes, tarts, puddings and pies.

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http://www.bloomsbury.com/Paul-Hollywood/books/author/14288

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