BAKING AND PASTRY TECHNIQUES

April 11, 2013

We have moved on from yeast dough to laminated dough (pastry dough that is prepared by layering dough and fat along with a process of rolling and folding). We were back in the kitchen to prepare danish dough, streusel topping, simple sugar, and cinnamon sugar. These are being prepared for class next week. Danish dough is required to retard (the process in which a baker uses refrigeration to slow down yeast activity) for at least 4 hours or overnight.  In this case, it will be until we get into the kitchen next week.

Just like yeast dough, the pastry dough ingredients is required to be put into the mixer in a specific order to protect the yeast.  Because the formula includes a fat (butter), it is added in the reverse order of the yeast dough.  The sugar, vanilla, milk and butter are added first followed by the eggs, flour and then yeast.  Once mixed, this dough is very sticky. The dough is then put onto a cellophane covered sheet pan, then covered with cellophane, pressed flat with your hands into a rectangle shape and placed in the freezer for ten minutes. 

While the dough is in the freezer, we pound out the butter.  We take 1 pound of cold butter and beat it down with a rolling pin.  There was laughing during this process as students are hammering away at the butter throughout the room.  Once it is the size of butter wrapper we cover is with cellophane and roll it into a smooth rectangle.  

By this time we are done with the butter the dough was ready to come out of the freezer. By freezing the dough, it has made it cold (needed so the butter does not melt) and less sticky so we can work with it.  I am chosen from my team to roll out the dough first.  I roll it out so it is 1/3 larger than the rolled butter plus 1/2" edge.  Then the butter is placed on the dough.  

The portion of the dough without the butter (1/3) is folded to the center, then the remaining 1/3 is folded over the previous fold. 




After the dough is folded, the dough is pressed down along the edges to seal in the butter.  This is called "lock-in".  After the lock-in is complete, we roll out the dough and complete the folding process three more times.  This makes for 135 layers in which the butter will melt between the layers during baking.