Seven Steps to Basic Pastry Skills

Before making dough, we must first understand the type of dough. Only in this way can we better remember what dough should be and what hardness it should be, and our dough mixing skills will naturally be steadily improved.

Dough is divided into two categories: raw and wet noodles (including noodles, dumpling wrappers, wontons, etc.) and raw and dry noodles (baked dough). The former dough is slightly harder and the pasta is chewy and not easy to break. The latter is better than the former. If it is softer, the pasta will be crispy in the mouth and much softer than the former. The states of the two types of noodles are different, and the dough-making operations are also different, and there are details that need to be paid attention to. The above is the definition from a professional perspective. In layman's terms, dough is divided into dead dough (dough that will not rise), rising dough (dough that can rise), semi-hot noodles, hot noodles, and water-oil noodles. There are five types of dough, and each type of dough has different features. Let’s introduce their production processes and techniques separately.

and basin

1.Dead face. When making noodles, the method of operation depends on the type of pasta you are making. Let’s introduce it with an example. For example, when making dumpling wrapper dough, if we want to make the dough elastic and not easily broken by cooking, we must use medium-high gluten flour to knead the dough to achieve the desired effect. The usual operation process is: prepare water at about 35 degrees (an appropriate amount of water), add salt to increase the base flavor (it can also increase the elasticity of the dough and the dumpling skin will not break easily), then pour the water in in batches and mix it into a dough. . The most important thing for novices to know when kneading noodles is the amount of water added. It is better to add more water a few times than to add too much at once. Only in this way can you slowly develop good habits and gradually improve the control over the softness and hardness of the dough. .

Kneading noodles

2. Make dough. Novices have always had a misunderstanding about dough making. They have to make a full basin every time. In fact, in my opinion, there is no need to do this. You still need to master the fermentation time when making dough. Once the dough ferments, it will only Increase the production time (the air in the dough will not be easily discharged if it is over fermented, which will only increase the kneading time, which is time-consuming and labor-intensive, and is completely unnecessary). Things to note when making dough: the dough should not be too soft and should be able to stand up, otherwise it will be sticky to your hands after fermentation. Also, be careful not to add too much yeast. Control the amount of flour per kilogram between 5-8 grams. If you add too much, it will be difficult to control the fermentation time, and the shape of the pasta will be poor.

Knead the dough

3. Semi-hot noodles and hot noodles. The only difference between the two kinds of dough is that one is a normal temperature dough, and the other is made with full boiling water. The only difference between them is that they have no gluten and are suitable for making various pancakes, fried cakes and other pasta. The pancakes will be soft. It is not hard and the fried cakes are not easy to break. When working with this kind of dough, pay attention to the temperature of the boiling water. The water temperature for semi-scalded noodles should be controlled at about 80 degrees, and the water temperature for hot noodles should be controlled at 90 degrees. At the same time, attention should also be paid to the fact that it must be blanched thoroughly, so as to ensure the quality of the pasta.

dough

4. Water and oil surface. Water-oil dough is a kind of dough for making puff pastry. It is also the most difficult dough for novices to master. When making it, the dough must be kneaded in strict accordance with the proportions. Every ingredient must be weighed. It includes water, lard, sugar, For all-purpose flour, first sift the flour to make a nest, add lard and sugar and knead it, then add water and form into a ball to lighten, then store it in the refrigerator for half an hour before proceeding with the following operations. When making this kind of dough, you need to pay attention to the room temperature not being too high, because the lard will melt when heated, and the dough will soften and become sticky. In addition, most of the pastry center is lard, which makes it impossible to operate later. No matter how skilled you are, it will be useless. land.

Kneading noodles

Each type of dough mentioned above needs to pay attention to the amount of water. To control the softness and hardness of the dough, novices must learn to add water. The best way to operate is to add water in batches. Especially when the amount is small, try not to use tools to stir the dough. , wash your hands and touch the dough directly, you can feel the softness and hardness of the dough at all times, and you can quickly make adjustments if there are any abnormalities, so you can naturally master the basics of dough better.