Trimming Pastry Technique
I'm trying to obtain advice on trimming pastry.
Watching television some cooks will trim the pastry after it has baked. I assume this is for two reasons it takes account of shrinkage and it also creates a much better look. But what is the technique used?
Do you use a serrated knife or one with a straight edge? Do you work level or with a downward slope? That is the type of thing I'm trying to find out. Youtube is generally a good place to find and see techniques like this but so far I haven't found a suitable video so any help would be appreciated.
My reason for asking was that I was baking an Orange and Passionfruit cake yesterday and I had a hell of a time trying to trim the pastry and I want the one that I'm taking to an Easter do to be that little bit more presentable.
Kevin
I baked tart regularly. I also had the same issue with shrinkage after the bake.
I've tried leaving the pastry overhanging from the pan. It was too fiddly to remove the excess.
One thing I found quite effective is putting the lined pastry tin (I mean the pastry in the tin) in the freezer for 10 mins before baking (instead of chilling them in a normal compartment). With this, I hardly had any shrinkage.
Sue
http://youcandoitathome.blogspot.com
if by pastry you mean things like pie crust, or tart crusts, to keep them from shrinking, I learned long ago, to roll out, use a straight edged tableknife to trim the edge, by going aound the tinned crust, then place 1 tablespoon or so of flour in the crust in the pan, and gently (cannot emphasize that word enough) tip the pan and roll the flour all over the crust, place into a refrigerator without any covering for at least 1 hour, place filling in crust and bake, if I'm doing a double crust pie, I will leave the entire crust in the pan before filling, and use part of the over edge bottom crust to roll into a thin edge to flute this holds both crusts together (no leaking) and helps with shrinkage.
I have found that vegetable shortening used in pie crusts shinks worse than lard, and to bake a blind pie crust (no filling) either use something to weight the crust (pie weights or double pans that they sell) and leave it in the fridge longer, it takes more of the water out of the shell and you get less shrinkage.
Can't speak about trimming cakes, since I don't usually do that! But sponge cake trimmings make great triffle I know from experience.