Vinegar in Re: [Sca-cooks] Tart crusts

[Nick Sasso]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Phil Troy/ G. Tacitus Adamantius"
<adamantius.magister at verizon.net>
 > As annoying as this will sound, this is where experience comes in.

> >   Hot hands, and fingers,
> >have made pastry a real challenge for me when I don't want to go to
the
> >Pilsbury boxed stuff.

> Just out of curiosity, do you use ice water?

Yes, thanks.  I have gotten better results by using water chilled as
much as possible, as well as freezing/chilling all utensils, then
working like a demon to get it done quickly. I have also actually
improved my technique to limit the 'kneading' action that toughens the
bugger up.  I do know that experience will improve that portion as well.
 ( I actually overstate my case . . . I make a passable pastry, but
nowhere near as good as it should be)

I've had people work with me side by side doing the self same things
with similar ingredients and utensils to find different textures result.
 Lots of odd variable can enter, and still the heat of my hands seems
the most likely variable to deal with next.  The dough warms much more
quickly when I work it than my colleague, though I haven't taken
internal temps to know how much.  Rather than keep fighting for the
flaky, I may just go for a hot water/lard pastry and settle for a tender
less (non?) flaky pastry.  It doesn't suck, and it accepts heat nicely
in processing.  Lard can't be bad.

BTW, 'Crisco' fats (partially hydrogenated vegetable oil) are worse for
me than butter when making pastry.

pacem et bonum,
niccolo difrancesco