Can I make something with the spare pastry? – JD, 5
I’m not sure if this method ‘belongs’ to anyone, but it’s the method my mum taught me and it’s also the method Mary Berry used on The Great British Bake Off, so perhaps it’s hers. In any case, it works, so I thought I’d share it.
Here’s what to do…
1. Pop the bottom out of a loose bottomed quiche tin and place on a sheet of greaseproof with your pastry dough on top. Roll out to approximately 1.5 inches wider all the way round than the tin base.
2. Carefully fold the pasty up into four so it’s within the edges of the base.
3. Put the base back in the tin and open it out all the way round. With a bit of spare pastry, carefully push the pastry into place around the edges, so that there are no air bubbles. If you’re baking blind, do so now.
4.. Take a sharp knife and carefully cut all the way round. You should be left with a perfect lining with no overlaps and no holes.
And that’s it! Simple. Do you have a different method? Let me know.
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Interesting! I use the rolling pin as both measure, rolling pin and then delivery tool over the tin – it saves folding, which creates thin lines in the pastry. Secondly, if you are pre-baking, then leave the edges long – they will simply regress from the edge in pre-baking, so allow for it.
Good Luck!
Thanks Ian – this method doesn’t leave any lines at all in the pastry for me.
I find with the rolling pin method, there’s sometimes a tendency for the pastry to tear or develop holes as it’s pushed in. It may well be because I’m not an expert at it, but that’s precisely why the method I describe is foolproof…it’s great because it’s hard to get wrong, even if the recipe calls for very thin pastry, I never get any holes or tears.
I was taught differently at college.Take your rolling pin and use it to measure across and up the sides.When you roll it out to your measurements and then a then a little more.Having said that the amount of pastry I made on a daily basis and bases I lined it came down to measuring by eye and just knowing.
To do list for tomorrow:
Go out and buy pastry case
Learn how to make pastry
USE THIS GUIDE!
This reminds me of the t-shirt folding guide that went round the net a few years ago, so simple and clever, thanks for sharing!
Yes I do. I buy the case ready made from Sainsbury *hangs head in shame*
thats brilliant! thanks for sharing x
Oh you are clever, I always break mine and then squish it back together again!
Maggy
Very nice.
Do you have any tips to stop it shrinking when you blind bake it? That’s my problem and it drives me nuts!!
Thanks – I do indeed! When you get to step three (ie when the pastry is in but not yet trimmed) line it with baking paper and fill with clay baking beans, then bake blind. When it comes out of the oven, let it cool a little and only then trim the edges down. You should then find that it doesn’t shrink.
I’m ‘virtually’ kissing your feet right now.
Thank you.
Liz, let the pastry rest for 1/2 hour before baking, and dont trim it off to the edge, leave a little over hang, bake it, then trim it up neatly after xxx