A Pastry Day
Cooking Skills: Pastry 1
Chapter 8 · A Pastry Day
Skill goal
Plan a pastry day, freeze pastry safely and use what you have made in one relaxed meal.
Shopping list for this chapter
The basics
Pastry is the best food to batch-cook. It freezes well raw, saves hours on a busy day and lets you make a pie from the freezer in the time the oven takes. Make more than you need, wrap it well, label it with the date and what it is, and defrost it slowly in the fridge. The work is the same for one batch or four, so doing several together is much more efficient.
A pastry day also teaches planning: chill times are your friend, so the plan is built around them. While one batch chills, another can be rolled. By the end of the day you have a lunch on the table and a freezer with pastry ready for next time. Fillings are in Cooking Skills: Pastry 1, chapters 3 and 4, and sauces for pie fillings in Cooking Skills: Sauces 1, chapters 2 to 4.
The method
- Write the plan first: list each task with the chilling it needs, and start the longest one first.
- Make dough in batches, not one big mass, so each stays cold and is easy to roll.
- Wrap and label: cling film, then a freezer bag, with the date and contents written on it.
- Freeze flat in discs or lined foil tins, which stack and defrost evenly.
- Defrost in the fridge overnight, never on the worktop, and use within 24 hours of defrosting.
| Item | Freezes raw? | Freezer life (approximate) | From frozen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shortcrust dough | Yes, as a disc | About 3 months | Defrost overnight in fridge |
| Lined foil tin | Yes, wrapped | About 3 months | Bake from frozen, add 5 minutes |
| Baked tart case | Yes, boxed | About 2 months | Crisp in oven from frozen |
| Cooked pie | Yes, wrapped | About 2 to 3 months | Reheat until steaming hot |
Freezing, defrosting and reheating
Keeping and freezing: raw pastry keeps in the fridge for about 2 days wrapped tightly, and freezes for about 3 months (general guidance). Cooked pies and tarts keep for about 2 days chilled; reheat pies until steaming hot all the way through, and freeze cooked pies for no more than about 2 to 3 months.Raw dough and raw flour: raw flour and raw egg can carry germs, so don't taste raw pastry or filling that contains raw egg or raw meat. Wash hands, bowls and the worktop afterwards, and keep tasting for the cooked result.
Hot oven and hot trays: ovens, trays and tins are hot enough to burn badly. Use dry oven gloves (a damp cloth conducts heat), pull the shelf out a little before lifting a tray, put hot things on a heatproof surface and keep children away from the oven door.
Try it
Level 1 · Start here
A batch of pastry for the freezer
Make four batches, one at a time, in the same bowl. Shape each into a flat disc, because a disc defrosts faster than a ball and rolls out easily. Use the first batch tomorrow, and the rest over the next three months.
Ingredients (4 batches)
- 800 g plain flour
- 4 pinch fine salt
- 400 g cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 12 tbsp ice-cold water
- Make each batch separately: 200 g flour, a pinch of salt and 100 g butter, rubbed in to breadcrumbs, then 3 tablespoons of cold water.
- Shape each into a flat disc, wrap in cling film and put it in a freezer bag. Write the date and "shortcrust" on the bag.
- Chill one disc in the fridge for 30 minutes for today's use and freeze the other three, flat.
Raw dough, freezing and allergens
Raw dough and raw flour: raw flour and raw egg can carry germs, so don't taste raw pastry or filling that contains raw egg or raw meat. Wash hands, bowls and the worktop afterwards, and keep tasting for the cooked result.Keeping and freezing: raw pastry keeps in the fridge for about 2 days wrapped tightly, and freezes for about 3 months (general guidance). Cooked pies and tarts keep for about 2 days chilled; reheat pies until steaming hot all the way through, and freeze cooked pies for no more than about 2 to 3 months.
Allergens: pastry contains gluten (flour) and milk (butter); egg washes contain egg. Use a plant block fat for a dairy-free version, and note that gluten-free flour needs a different method.
Level 2 · Ready to bake
Freezer-ready pie and tart cases
Line foil tins and freeze them raw. They are ready to fill and bake straight from the freezer. This is a good way to use up offcuts. Foil tins stack easily and can go in the oven.
Ingredients (4 cases)
- 2 batches of plain shortcrust, defrosted (above)
- 4 foil tart tins, 20 cm
- 1 tbsp plain flour, for rolling
- 1 egg, beaten
- Roll each batch to 3 mm and cut rounds about 5 cm wider than the tins. Line each tin, pressing into the corners.
- Trim the edges, prick the bases with a fork and freeze on a tray for 1 hour until solid.
- Wrap each tin in cling film, stack in a freezer bag and label. To bake from frozen, line with foil and beans and bake at 200°C (180°C fan, gas 6) for 20 minutes, then fill.
Raw dough and hot oven
Raw dough and raw flour: raw flour and raw egg can carry germs, so don't taste raw pastry or filling that contains raw egg or raw meat. Wash hands, bowls and the worktop afterwards, and keep tasting for the cooked result.Hot oven and hot trays: ovens, trays and tins are hot enough to burn badly. Use dry oven gloves (a damp cloth conducts heat), pull the shelf out a little before lifting a tray, put hot things on a heatproof surface and keep children away from the oven door.
Level 2 · Lunch
A lunch of two tarts and a salad
A relaxed lunch for six from the day's work: a tomato and mustard tart, an onion and cheese tart and a green salad with a vinaigrette. Bake the cases while the onions cook, and fill and bake both tarts together. See Cooking Skills: Pastry 1, chapter 3 for the tarts and Cooking Skills: Sauces 1, chapter 7 for the dressing.
Ingredients (6 portions)
- 2 blind-baked cases (chapter 2)
- 4 ripe tomatoes, sliced
- 3 onions, thinly sliced
- 100 g Gruyère or Cheddar, grated
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 150 g salad leaves
- 6 tbsp vinaigrette (Sauces 1)
- Bake the cases from the freezer. While they bake, brown the onions slowly for 25 minutes and salt and drain the tomato slices.
- Spread mustard in each case, fill one with tomato and half the cheese, and the other with onions and the rest of the cheese. Add thyme.
- Bake both at 200°C (180°C fan, gas 6) for 20 minutes. Rest for 10 minutes and serve with the leaves dressed in the vinaigrette.
Hot oven and allergens
Hot oven and hot trays: ovens, trays and tins are hot enough to burn badly. Use dry oven gloves (a damp cloth conducts heat), pull the shelf out a little before lifting a tray, put hot things on a heatproof surface and keep children away from the oven door.Allergens: pastry contains gluten (flour) and milk (butter); egg washes contain egg. Use a plant block fat for a dairy-free version, and note that gluten-free flour needs a different method.
Allergens: contains milk, mustard and gluten.
Level 3 · Signature
Your signature pie
Use the template to design a pie of your own. Choose a cooked main (meat, fish or vegetables), a thick sauce (white sauce, velouté or gravy from Cooking Skills: Sauces 1) and a pastry (shortcrust from the freezer). Write what you made, because a signature pie is one you can repeat.
Ingredients (4 to 6 portions)
- 1 batch of plain shortcrust, defrosted
- 400 g cooked main (chicken, ham, vegetables or fish), in chunks
- 300 ml thick sauce (white sauce, velouté or gravy)
- 1 onion or leek, softened
- 2 tbsp chopped herbs
- 1 egg, beaten, to glaze
- Mix the main, sauce, onion and herbs; taste, season and cool completely.
- Fill a dish, add a lid as in Cooking Skills: Pastry 1, chapter 4, and vent and glaze.
- Bake at 200°C (180°C fan, gas 6) for 30 to 35 minutes until golden. Rest for 10 minutes and note your recipe.
Hot oven, steam and leftovers
Hot oven and hot trays: ovens, trays and tins are hot enough to burn badly. Use dry oven gloves (a damp cloth conducts heat), pull the shelf out a little before lifting a tray, put hot things on a heatproof surface and keep children away from the oven door.Steam from a hot pie: a pie keeps hot steam and boiling filling inside the crust. Rest it for 10 minutes before cutting, cut from the side with the pie held steady, and keep your face back when you break the lid.
Keeping and freezing: raw pastry keeps in the fridge for about 2 days wrapped tightly, and freezes for about 3 months (general guidance). Cooked pies and tarts keep for about 2 days chilled; reheat pies until steaming hot all the way through, and freeze cooked pies for no more than about 2 to 3 months.
Experiments
Experiment
A timed pastry session
Planning.
- Make two batches of pastry, line two tins, bake one case and write down how long each task took.
Look for: You will see how much time is spent chilling, not working. Plan other tasks into the chill time.
Experiment
Swapping fillings
Flexibility.
- Bake the same case with three fillings from earlier chapters, one savoury, one sweet and one cheese.
Look for: A good case works with anything. Note which fillings your family liked.
Experiment
A signature pie
Making it yours.
- Design a pie on the template, write the recipe and make it twice, adjusting once.
Look for: The second version is always better. A signature pie is repeated and refined.
Experiment
Defrosting pastry
Fridge or worktop.
- Defrost one frozen disc in the fridge overnight and another on the worktop for 2 hours, then roll both.
Look for: The fridge disc rolls evenly; the worktop one is sticky outside and hard inside. Always defrost in the fridge.
Tasting notes
| What I tried | Method or amount | What I saw | What I thought | Will I do it again? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freezer pastry batch | ||||
| Freezer-ready cases | ||||
| Two-tart lunch | ||||
| Signature pie | ||||
| A timed pastry session | ||||
| Swapping fillings | ||||
| A signature pie | ||||
| Defrosting pastry |
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Frozen pastry cracks | Rolled while too cold | Let it stand for 10 to 15 minutes until pliable |
| Freezer-burned pastry | Poor wrapping | Wrap in cling film and a bag; use within 3 months |
| Defrosted pastry sticky | Defrosted too warm | Chill again before rolling |
| Frozen case shrinks | Not chilled or pre-baked | Line with foil and beans and bake from frozen |
| Pies soggy after reheating | Microwaved | Reheat in the oven until steaming hot and crisp |
| Lunch not ready together | Poor timing | Write the plan backwards from the time you want to eat |
Freezing, reheating and leftovers
Keeping and freezing: raw pastry keeps in the fridge for about 2 days wrapped tightly, and freezes for about 3 months (general guidance). Cooked pies and tarts keep for about 2 days chilled; reheat pies until steaming hot all the way through, and freeze cooked pies for no more than about 2 to 3 months.Steam from a hot pie: a pie keeps hot steam and boiling filling inside the crust. Rest it for 10 minutes before cutting, cut from the side with the pie held steady, and keep your face back when you break the lid.
Hot oven and hot trays: ovens, trays and tins are hot enough to burn badly. Use dry oven gloves (a damp cloth conducts heat), pull the shelf out a little before lifting a tray, put hot things on a heatproof surface and keep children away from the oven door.
Checkpoint: can you do this now?
- I can make several batches of pastry in one session.
- I can wrap and freeze pastry safely.
- I can bake a case from frozen.
- I can plan a meal around chilling times.
- I have a signature pie I can repeat.
Next chapter
Congratulations: you have finished Cooking Skills: Pastry 1. Pastry 2 is planned for choux, filo, rough puff and laminated doughs, and hot-water crust.