Pastry - Family de Freitas

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Pastry (Step by Step Guides)


Pastry should not be baked in the oven at the same time as foods which produce steam as the steam takes away crispness. If your pastry seems a little hard even after following the directions exactly, try “weakening” the flour by replacing 25 g (1 oz) in every 225g (1/2 lb) with corn flour. (Delma Gomes)

Cheese Pastry (Maria Teresa Faria de Freitas)
Sift together 1 ¼ cups flour and ½ tsp salt. Work 3 ½ tbsp lard into the flour mix with a fork.

Once mixed, add in another 3 ½ tbsp lard and work in again. Once mixed, add 3 tbsp water and mix in.

Roll out and then cover with cream cheese or grated cheese. Roll into a sausage and place in refrigerator until ready to use. Cut into thin slices and bake.

Choux Pastry – Step by Step (Delma Gomes)
2 ½ oz plain flour
2 medium eggs
2 oz butter or margarine
A pinch of salt
¼ pint water
Vanilla extract
  1. Melt the fat, salt and water in a saucepan over moderate heat.
  2. Stir with a wooden spoon from time to time until the fat has melted and the liquid comes just to the boil.
  3. The moment the fat has melted, you must remove the pan from the heat. Left to continue boiling, would evaporate some of the water changing the basic proportions – it could result in insufficient liquid.
  4. Instead, switch off the heat and place the pan on a wooden board and immediately tip in all of the flour. Beat until smooth.
  5. Return the saucepan to a low heat and beat vigorously until a smooth ball is formed which leaves the side of the pan without sticking – 2 minutes at most.
  6. Cool and then add the beaten eggs a little at a time stirring until all is incorporated.
Choux Pastry – Tested – Very good (Delma Gomes)
½ pint water
2 eggs lightly beaten
2 oz butter or margarine
½ tsp salt
¾ cup plain flour
  1. Place the water and fat in a saucepan and gently bring to the boil.
  2. Tip in the flour and salt all at once.
  3. Using a hand-mixer, beat on high speed until the mixture comes away from the sides of the ban.
  4. Continue to beat on high speed, adding the eggs a little at a time. The mixture should become thick, smooth and glossy.
  5. Pipe small rounds, ½ inch apart onto a baking sheet.
  6. Bake at 425F/218C for 15 – 20 minutes.
  7. Make a slit in the side of each puff to allow the steam to escape.
  8. Cool on a wire rack.

Genoese Pastry (Maria Teresa Faria de Freitas)
4 eggs
3 oz flour
4 oz castor sugar
3 oz clarified butter
  1. Grease and line a deep baking tin with paper. Brush the paper with clarified butter.
  2. Heat the flour and rub it through on a wire sieve.
  3. Clarify the butter.
  4. Put eggs and sugar into a deep basin and whisk until thick and frothy.
  5. Add the butter and flour very lightly to the eggs and sugar.
  6. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin.
  7. Bake in a very steady oven about 30 minutes.
  8. Turn out to cool.
  9. Use the pastry as the foundation for small iced cakes – thoroughly whisk eggs before putting in sugar. Whisk over a pot of boiling water for 10 to 15 minutes.

Genoise Pastry (Maria Teresa Faria de Freitas)
3 eggs
3 oz castor sugar
Pistachio or almond nuts
2 ½ oz butter
Apricot marmalade

  1. Break eggs into a basin – add castor sugar.
  2. Stand basin over a basin of boiling water and remove from fire and whisk thoroughly until mixture is thickened and creamy.
  3. Line cake tin with kitchen paper and grease very thoroughly.
  4. Heat flour and pass it through sieve.
  5. Clarify butter.
  6. Add the flour and butter to the egg and sugar mixture then gently pour mixture into prepared tin.
  7. Bake in a moderate oven for 30 – 40 minutes.
  8. Take from fire and allow to cool.
Pastry (Delma Gomes)
½ lb flour

3 oz lard
3 oz butter
  1. Chip lard and butter with a knife and then mix with a little iced water.
  2. Chill and then roll out.
Pastry (Delma Gomes)
2 ½ cups margarine or shortening
Enough water to create the dough

3 cups flour
1 tsp salt
Pastry (Delma Gomes)
1 lb flour
1 dsp butter

½ lb lard
½ tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
Pastry - very good (Delma Gomes)
5/8 cup corn oil
3 tbsp iced water

2 cups flour
Pinch of salt
Combine in a bowl.
Danish Sweet Short Crust Pastry  (Delma Gomes)
½ lb plain flour
2 egg yolks

4 to 6 oz butter
2 – 3 drops vanilla essence
2 ½ oz icing sugar
  1. Sift the flour onto a pastry board.
  2. Make a well in the centre and in this, place the butter, icing sugar, egg yolks and vanilla.
  3. Work it all up together to a smooth paste.
  4. Chill for ½ an hour before using.

Flaky Pastry (Delma Gomes)
½ lb (225g) plain flour
3 oz lard

½ tsp salt
7 tsp cold water
3 oz butter or margarine
2 tsp lemon juice
  1. Sift flour and add fat. Use a knife to cut fat until all the pieces are pea-sized and coated with flour.
  2. Rub the fat until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Lift high and let the mixture fall back into the bowl.
  3. Sprinkle 2 tsp cold water and stir with a knife – add 2 more and stir again and 2 more – using the flat side of the blade to press out lumps Add the remaining water.
  4. Use your fingers to test if the dough is moist enough to stick together.
  5. Draw the dough into a ball. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm and relax.
  6. The pastry is now rolled and re-rolled to make new layers. A light hand is necessary on the rolling pin because heavy rolling will break up the air pockets and expel the precious air.

German Sweet Pastry  (Delma Gomes)
2½ cups flour
A few grains of salt

2 tbsp sugar or less
2/3 cup butter
1 egg
2 tbsp water/vinegar/rum to moisten the mix
  1. Sift the flour onto a pastry board.
  2. Make a well in the centre with a spatula and cut in the butter and egg until well blended.
  3. Add the salt, sugar and enough liquid to form a dough. Knead for 5 minutes.
  4. Cover in a bowl for 1 – 2 hours before rolling out.
  5. Bake in a hot oven.
Hot Water Pastry – Very good (Delma Gomes from Noémi McCowan)
½ lb Crisco lard
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp butter

½ cup boiling water
1 tsp salt

2 cups flour
1 tsp sugar
  1. Pour boiling water over lard and butter.
  2. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar together.
  3. Add to the water and shortening mix, and stir until blended.
  4. Put in fridge for at least two hours.

Makes enough for the top and bottom of one large or two small pies.  Good only for covered pies since it is inclined to shrink if not covered.

Israel Pastry  (Delma Gomes)
¼ lb margarine
1 cup sugar
Strawberry/guava jam/cheese

1 cup flour
1 pie shell

4 egg yolks
4 egg whites
  1. Cream all together.
  2. Press into the pie shell and bake until the edges are light brown.
  3. Fill with any/all of strawberry jam, guava jam or cheese.
  4. Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold in sugar to taste. Bake.

Puff Pastry  - For Tartlets (Maria Teresa Faria de Freitas)
½ lb flour
½ lb butter
Squeeze of lemon juice
Cold water


  1. Have the butter firm and into a solid block.
  2. Sieve the flour and mix to a firm dough with the lemon juice and water.
  3. Knead very thoroughly for 10 to 15 minutes until smooth and elastic.
  4. Roll out to a strip, place the butter in the centre and fold the pastry over with the butter inside.
  5. Roll the pastry into a strip. Fold in 3 and set aside for 15 minutes.
  6. Roll and fold it twice and set aside again.
  7. Repeat this twice until the pastry has had 7 rolls and 7 folds.
  8. Roll out to size and thickness required.
  9. Bake in a very hot oven.
Rich Short Crust Pastry  (Delma Gomes)
½ lb plain flour
1 egg yolk

6 oz butter or margarine
1 dsp castor sugar

Pinch of salt
1 – 1 ½ tsp water
  1. Mix all ingredients together
  2. Turn out onto a floured pastry board.
  3. Knead lightly until smooth.
Rough Puff Pastry (Delma Gomes)
½ lb (225g) plain flour
3 oz lard

½ tsp salt
7 tbsp cold water
3 oz margarine
2 tsp lemon juice
  1. Cut fats into walnut sized pieces and chill.
  2. Sift flour and salt into a chilled bowl, add chilled fats and toss lightly with a palette or round-bladed knife to coat the fats into flour.
  3. Add water and lemon juice to bowl and gather mixture together with fingertips to form a soft, pliable dough.
  4. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured board or surface and shape by gently patting. DO NOT KNEAD. Use light short strokes to roll. Do not over-flour board or rolling pin.
  5. Fold dough over three times and roll lightly.
  6. Cover pastry and place in refrigerator for 30 minutes to relax.
  7. Repeat rolling, folding, and sealing twice more.
  8. If the pastry is still mottled, roll and fold a fifth time.
  9. Relax for 30 minutes.

 
Use for pies, chicken or mince, for peach and banana puffs, for Cheese D’Artois.
Short crust (Delma Gomes)
½ lb (225g) plain flour
2 oz lard or cooking fat

½ tsp salt
8 tsp cold water
2 oz butter or margarine
  1. Sift flour and add fat. Use a knife to cut fat until all the pieces are pea-sized and coated with flour.
  2. Rub the fat until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Lift high and let the mixture fall back into the bowl.
  3. Sprinkle 2 tsp cold water and stir with a knife – add 2 more and stir again and 2 more – using the flat side of the blade to press out lumps Add the remaining water.
  4. Use your fingers to test if the dough is moist enough to stick together.
  5. Draw the dough into a ball and knead lightly until smooth.
  6. Chill for 30 minutes.

Short Crust Pastry (Maria Teresa Faria de Freitas)
Short Crust
8 oz flour
4 oz butter
½ tsp salt or sugar
Cold water/egg yolk mix (to bind)

Rough Puff
8 oz flour
½ tsp salt
5-6 oz fat
Cold water
Squeeze of lemon juice.
  1. Sieve the flour with the salt or sugar into a cool dry basin.
  2. Put in the butter and rub it into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
  3. Add sufficient liquid to form a stiff paste.
  4. Turn the paste on to a floured board. Knead slightly until free from cracks, then roll it out to the size required. The pastry should be about 1/8th inch thick.

For Rough Puff Pastry, substitute as indicated

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