The pastry crust is essential to many recipes. It gets little glory even for its vital role. It is usually the filling or glaze or toppings that get the admiration for making the pastry scrumptious. Yet, the crust is what holds the confection together. The entire thing would fall apart without the foundation. The simplicity of a pastry crust creates a blank canvas so other flavors can shine.
Owena woke in the black of night in a dripping sweat. It took her a while to calm her breathing. There was no option to return to sleep. She stood barefooted and started making batches of pastry crust.
The twelves year old growled in frustration at the bowl of sticky dough. Now ruined, she fought back tears as she looked into the bowl.
"If it is ever too hot to make the Pastry Crust, try making it in the cool of the night. Now, Owena, there is no need to cry. It is only dough. Here, come give your Ma a hug."
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～ ✿ ～ Pastry Crust ～ ✿ ～
Whisk together a little under two cups of flour, dried sweetener, and salt together in a medium bowl. A wooden bowl that has been carefully sanded works the best. Cut up butter into twenty cubes, each about the size of a thumb. Toss butter into flour mixture.
With your fingertips smash each cube flat. Stir in cool water, only enough to slightly moisten the blend. Knead the dough against the side of the bowl until it comes together in a shaggy ball. If it does not start to form a ball add more water. Remember, it is easier to add more than to take it away so add slowly.
Let the dough sit in the root cellar or another cool place before rolling and folding. The heat from your hands can cause it to become too sticky. When it is ready to be used make sure to flour the surface it is to be flattened upon. The filling will depend how thick you roll the dough and how long you bake it in the oven.
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OOC: Modern Recipe for Pastry Crust
Ingredients
- 4 cups flour
- 1 and ¾ cup lard
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 2 tsp. sea salt
- 1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar or white vinegar
- 1 egg
- ½ cup cold water
Instructions
Mix flour, sugar, and salt. Cut in lard or butter. Helpful to freeze your butter or lard before cutting it in and then grate butter into flour mixture. Fat is fully cut in when the flour is crumbly pea size pieces. Add in liquids until dough just holds together. You don't want to over mix it. Chill dough in the fridge for 15 minutes. Use to bake pies or separate into four equal balls, wrap, and freeze.
