I received this method from the first wily old baker that I employed in my own first bakery. As he gave it to me all he said was – here’s a good method that lets you work in all the off-cuts.
SWEET PASTRY for 40 small mince pies
This recipe is a professional baker’s method. It is capable of being worked and mixed again and again, so that the off-cuts from each session of cutting bases and lids from a sheet of pastry can be returned to the mass, and the whole batch mixed again to incorporate these off-cuts. Surprisingly, this endless remixing can be achieved without the pastry toughening and shrinking.
Take the butter cold from the refrigerator.
Mix together:
500 gm flour – not very strong 600 gm cold butter 350 gm sugar
Add, and mix in thoroughly 100 ml water + vanilla
Add, and mix thoroughly 500 gm flour
It is now ready to use. Off-cuts can be mixed back into the batch by hand or machine.
Christmas MINCE PIE filling
150 gm suet or 125 ml veg oil
300 gm diced apple
150 gm brown sugar
150 gm sultanas
150 gm currants
100 gm raisins
50 gm diced peel
brandy
spice
zest and juice of a lemon
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