by Julia Child
Start kneading by lifting near edge, using scraper or spatula to help you, and flipping it over onto the other side. Rapidly repeat the movement from one side to the other and end over end 8 to 10 times until dough feels smooth and begins to draw back into shape when pushed out. This is all the kneading it should have; you want just enough body so dough will hold together when eventually rolled, but you do not want to over-activate the gluten and make dough difficult to handle.
2) The two rises—first about 3 hours; second about 1½ hours—at 70–72 degrees
The clean 3- to 4-quart mixing bowl
A large plastic bag or sheet of plastic
A bath towel
You will have about 2 cups of dough that is to rise to 3½ times its original volume, or to 7 cups. Fill bowl with 7 cups of tepid water, make a mark on the outside at the 7-cup mark to guide you. Pour out the water, dry the bowl, and put the dough into it.
Cover with plastic and bath towel, and place at a temperature of between 70 and 72 degrees. In 3 or 4 hours dough should have risen to the 7-cup mark, and will be light and springy when touched.
Deflate by loosening dough from edges of bowl with a rubber spatula or the cupped fingers of one hand, and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. With the lightly floured palms of your hands, pat and push the dough out into a rectangle about 8 by 12 inches. Fold in three as though folding a business letter. Return dough to bowl; cover again with plastic and bath towel.
Let rise a second time, but only to double the original volume. Then loosen dough from edges of bowl and turn out onto a lightly floured plate. Cover airtight and refrigerate for 20 minutes, which will make the next step easier.
(*) DELAYED ACTION: Set dough in a colder place to rise, or let it rise the second time overnight in the refrigerator. After second rise, when dough has been turned out of bowl onto plate, you may freeze it for a week.
3) Rolling in the butter; turns 1 and 2
4 to 7 ounces (1 to 1¾ sticks) chilled unsalted butter
A rolling pin (see illustrated comments)
Flour as needed
A pastry scraper
Waxed paper or plastic
A plastic bag
Butter is now to be softened and rolled in layers with the dough. If this is your first attempt, use the minimum quantity. During all the following operations, roll rapidly and keep the dough well chilled—warm, limp dough is impossible to work with!
Butter must now be worked into a smooth but still cold paste that can be spread evenly on the dough and then rolled with it. Beat butter with rolling pin to soften it.
Then smear it out with the heel of your hand or a scraper or spatula until it is of very easy spreading consistency but still cold; it must not become soft and oily—refrigerate if necessary.
Place chilled dough on a lightly floured pastry marble or board. With the lightly floured palms of your hands push and pat it out into a rectangle about 14 by 8 inches.
Spread butter as evenly as possible over the upper two thirds of the dough rectangle, leaving a ¼-inch unbuttered border all around.
Dough is now to be folded into three layers, just as though you were folding a business letter. Fold the bottom (unbuttered) third up to the middle.
Fold the top (buttered third down to cover it, making three even layers of dough separated by 2 layers of butter. This is called Turn Number 1.
For Turn Number 2, lightly flour the top of the dough and your rolling surface, turn the dough so the edge of the top flap is to your right, as though it were a book you were going to open. Roll the dough into a rectangle about 14 inches by 6 inches. Roll rapidly, starting an inch from the near end and going to within an inch of the far end.
Fold again in three. You now have 7 layers of dough separated by 6 layers of butter; at the end of the fourth roll there will be 55 layers of dough.
Sprinkle dough lightly with flour, wrap in waxed paper or plastic, place in a plastic bag and refrigerate. Dough must now rest for 1 to 1½ hours to deactivate the gluten so that you can make the two final rolls without difficulty.
4) Turns 3 and 4—after a rest of 1½ to 2 hours in the refrigerator
Unwrap dough, sprinkle lightly with flour, and deflate by tapping lightly several times with rolling pin. Cover and let rest for 8 to 10 minutes, again to relax gluten. Being sure that the top and bottom of dough are always lightly floured, start rolling dough into a rectangle 14 by 6 inches. If you notice that butter has congealed into hard flakes, beat dough with light firm taps for a minute or so, going from one side to the other until butter has softened: it must be able to extend the length and width of the rectangle inside the dough as you roll it out. Fold rectangle in three, roll again into a rectangle, and fold in three to complete the final turn. Wrap and chill for 2 hours before forming dough into croissants, or leave overnight covered with a board and a 5-lb. weight.
5) Forming croissants—after dough has rested 2 hours in refrigerator
The dough is now ready to be rolled out into the usual rectangle and then cut into triangles that are rolled up and twisted into crescent shapes. Professionals use either the ingenious triangle-cutting roller illustrated, or do all the cutting by hand. To make everything as easy as possible for yourself, refrigerate all pieces of dough you are not actually working on.
PRELIMINARIES
A large sheet of plastic
A large, lightly buttered baking sheet (14 by 16 inches at least)
Unwrap chilled dough, place on a lightly floured surface, and deflate by tapping several times gently with rolling pin. Cover with plastic and let rest 10 minutes, to relax gluten.
TURNING TRIANGLES INTO CRESCENTS OR CROISSANTS
Holding one of the triangles of dough by its large end, roll it out toward the point to make the triangle about 7 inches long.
Then, to extend the large end slightly, stretch the 2 top angles of the triangle lightly between your thumbs and forefingers, enlarging end about an inch in all.
Start rolling up the croissant first by folding the large end forward onto itself. Then, holding the point with the fingers of your left hand, finish the roll under the fingers and palm of your right hand.
Bend the 2 ends down to form a crescent shape and place on a lightly buttered baking sheet, with point resting inside curve and against surface of baking sheet. Form the rest of the triangles into croissants in the same manner.
(*) DELAYED ACTION: Formed croissants may be wrapped airtight and frozen for a week, if dough was not frozen before.
6) Final rise—about 1½ hours at 75 degrees
Cover croissants loosely with a large sheet of plastic and set at a temperature of around 75 degrees for their final pre-baking rise. Dough should almost triple in size and feel light and springy when touched; if it does not rise and feel light, the baked croissants will be heavy and hard rather than tender, puffy, and light. In hot weather you may have to set dough in refrigerator from time to time to prevent butter from softening and oozing out.
(*) DELAYED ACTION: For a slower rise, set dough in a colder place or refrigerate; if thoroughly chilled, leave at room temperature 20 to 30 minutes before baking. Risen croissants may be frozen for a few days and baked in their frozen state.
7) Glazing, baking, and storing—oven preheated to 475 degrees
A pastry brush
1 egg beaten with 1 tsp water in a small bowl
A cake rack
Just before baking, paint the croissants with egg glaze, then set in middle level of preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until croissants are nicely puffed and brown. Cool on a rack for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
Croissants are at their best when freshly baked; even refrigerated in an airtight container, they are never as good the next day. Freezing is the best preservation: wrap airtight when croissants are thoroughly cool and freeze. To thaw and serve, set frozen croissants on a lightly buttered baking sheet and place in a preheated 400-degree oven for 5 minutes.
PASTRY DOUGHS
/> Pastry doughs, both tart and pie doughs and puff pastry, play an immensely important part in every phase of French cooking from little hot appetizers to quiches, and from pâtés en croûte to strawberry tarts, mille-feuilles, and Pithiviers. If pie dough has always been your culinary bugaboo, remember that no one is born a pastry chef, everyone has had to learn, and that the first big step is to make the decision that you are now, today, going to learn to make a decent pie crust. Then make pie dough every day or two for a week or more; serve everything you can think of in pastry. You will be surprised how quickly you develop the technique, and you will then be in the masterful position of having an endless number of delicious concoctions at your fingertips. All the recipes here are for at least 1 pound of flour. Our feeling is that if you are going to make dough at all you might as well make a lot, because it keeps beautifully in the freezer.
TART AND PIE DOUGHS
Pâtes Brisées—Pâtes à Croustades
DOUGH TALK
French pastry dough is flour and butter worked together and then moistened with liquid. Liquid forces the gluten molecules in the flour to join into a continuous web so that the dough will keep its shape when rolled out; the dough must have its stated amount of liquid for this effect to take place. Butter gives the pastry its flavor and texture; as always, we suggest that about ¼ of the butter proportions be given over to vegetable shortening, which has a tenderizing effect that almost all American flours seem to need.
It is in the first step, working the butter and flour together, that many people have difficulty. Trying to do everything just right, they work too slowly and carefully, lingering over each squeeze of butter and flour until their hot fingers melt the butter; thus the liquid cannot mix in properly, and the dough is a wet, oily mess that, even after chilling, bakes into a miserable piece of cardboard. An electric food processor or mixer eliminates the problems.
ELECTRIC MIXER PIE DOUGH
PTE BRISÉE À L’OEUF—PTE À CROUSTADE
[Egg Pastry Dough for Free-standing Shells and Cases, and for Turnovers]
The following dough formula is designed especially for pastry shells formed on upside-down tins, an informal and wonderfully easy way to make quiche and pie shells. Whatever your dough formula, you can use exactly the same system outlined here.
For about 1 pound of flour, enough for three 10-inch shells
1) Preliminaries
¾ cup liquid (1 “large” egg plus necessary ice water); ¼ to ⅓ cup more ice water as needed
3½ cups (1 lb.) all-purpose flour (scooped and leveled)
8 ounces (2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter
3 ounces (6 Tb) chilled vegetable shortening
2 tsp salt
¼ tsp sugar
Either an electric mixer or a food processor
Prepare the liquid and extra ice water. Measure the flour into the machine. Rapidly cut the butter into 4 lengthwise strips, then into ¼-inch pieces, and add to the flour along with the chilled shortening, and the salt and sugar. Plan to work rapidly so ingredients remain chilled—if you have to stop for any reason, place everything in the refrigerator until you can continue.
2a) Making the dough in an electric mixer
(If your electric mixer comes with a flat beater, so much the better; otherwise use the whisk-whip attachment)
A pastry scraper or rubber spatula
Plastic wrap
A little flour, as needed
A plastic bag
Run the machine at moderate speed, pushing fat and flour into the blades with a rubber spatula (if you are using a home-model whisk-type mixer). The object here is to break the butter into pieces less than 1⁄16 inch in size, each piece coated with flour. Then pour ¾ cup of liquid into the flour and beat a few seconds at moderate speed, just until dough has absorbed liquid and clogs in the blades—add up to ¼ cup more ice water by dribbles if needed. Turn the massed dough out onto the plastic; sprinkle droplets of ice water on any unmassed bits in the bowl, and press together as you add them to the rest of the dough. With lightly floured hands, press the dough into a roughly shaped cushion, wrap in plastic, and chill in the plastic bag. Proceed to Step 3.
2b) Making the dough in an electric food processor
A pastry scraper or rubber spatula
Plastic wrap
A plastic bag
(If you have a small—under 2-quart—container, divide ingredients in half and make the dough in 2 batches.) Flick the machine on and off 4 to 5 times to blend dry ingredients and butter. Turn the machine on and pour in the ¾ cup of liquid. Flick the machine on and off several times and the dough should begin to mass on the blade. If not, dribble in a little more water and repeat, repeating again if necessary. Dough is done when it has begun to mass; do not overmix it. Scrape the dough out onto your work surface, and with the heel of your hand smear it out by 2-tablespoon bits—making a 6-inch sweep (this is the final blending). Gather it into a rough cushion shape, wrap in plastic, and chill in a plastic bag. Proceed to Step 3.
3) Chilling the dough before forming—about 2 hours
Once dough has been mixed, it must be well rested and chilled before you roll it out. The rest relaxes the gluten in the flour, so the dough will roll easily; chilling firms the butter, giving the dough enough body for rolling. In all of the following procedures, keep the dough chilled—it is impossible to work with otherwise; refrigerate it even in the midst of rolling.
(*) Dough may remain in refrigerator several days, or may be frozen for several months.
UPSIDE-DOWN PASTRY SHELLS AND CASES
The classic free-standing French pastry shell is formed by rolling out the dough and pressing it inside a flan ring or mold. The dough is then braced in place with another mold or with buttered foil and dried beans so that it will not collapse during baking. This method is illustrated in Volume I, pages 141–6, and produces the most professional result.
A more informal and simpler method is to bake the shell on an upside-down cake pan, or on any upside-down fireproof object whose shape appeals to you, such as a pie tin, bread pan, ring mold, saucepan, baking dish, or even muffin tin. For this type of shell you must have a pastry that is light and buttery but will hold its shape when molded and baked upside down. The preceding egg pastry dough was designed especially for upside-down shells.
UPSIDE-DOWN PASTRY SHELLS
For a 10- by 1-inch round shell, or any shell formed on any 6- to 8-cup mold
1) Forming shells
1 tsp soft butter
The mold: a round cake pan or baking dish 9 to 10 inches bottom diameter
½ the preceding egg pastry dough, chilled
Butter the outside of the mold and set upside down. Rapidly roll out the dough into a circle ⅛ inch thick and at least 2½ to 3 inches wider in diameter than your mold. (Illustrated directions for rolling dough are on pages 141–4 in Volume I.)
Roll dough up on pin and unroll over upturned bottom of mold, then run pin lightly over dough to smooth it in place. With lightly floured fingers, press dough snugly against sides of mold, being very careful not to pull or stretch dough; it must retain its uniform thickness of ⅛ inch.
Even off the edges around the sides of the mold with a ravioli wheel or knife, making shell about 1 inch deep.
To prevent shell from puffing out of shape during baking, prick all over at ⅛-inch intervals with a table fork.
To even the sides all around press flat of fork against pastry, being careful not to reduce thickness. In case any section of sides seems too thin, paint lightly with cold water and patch with raw dough.
So that dough will bake properly and not draw up or out of shape, it should now be refrigerated for at least an hour before it goes into the oven; this relaxes the gluten in the flour. Press raw leftover dough into a ball, wrap and refrigerate; you may need a little later on, after baking.
(*) Shell may be frozen at this point. Set as is in freezer for an hour or so until hardened, then wrap airtight. Bake shell while s
till frozen.
2) Baking shells—after a rest of 1 hour
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. You will need to weight down the top of the dough after it has baked for 4 to 5 minutes, otherwise the top will puff and draw the sides up: choose a saucepan or baking dish weighing about 2 pounds, or a pie plate filled with dried beans, and butter the bottom of the pan, dish, or plate.
Place chilled dough-covered mold, still upside down, on a baking sheet and set in middle level of oven. In 4 to 5 minutes, place the buttered weight on top, remove 2 to 3 minutes before shell is done.
A partially baked shell, the type used for quiches and oven-baked tarts and pies, needs 6 to 10 minutes in all depending on the thickness of the dough. It is sufficiently baked when it has started to color and can be raised gently from the mold. Fully baked shells usually need 10 to 15 minutes in all, until the shell is nicely browned and crisp. When done, remove from oven and let cool on mold for 8 to 10 minutes, then, being very careful not to crack shell, unmold on a rack.