On a Related Note…
Reader Brendan writes:
For…tart dough, is it possible to overcream the butter and sugar mix before you add the flour in? And if it is possible, what would the ramifications be?
Hey Brendan! Over-creaming isn’t generally a concern. I once saw a butter and sugar mixture creamed for so long that it eventually turned a slight grey. That tint wasn’t a result of anything that happened to the mixture, rather it was caused by metal dust (sugar granules can actually sand down the inside of your bowl after a while). Otherwise the only risk of extended creaming is that friction will lead to heat buildup and melting.
Thanks for featuring me on the home page and the reply Joe. I feel so honored!
That there isn’t much ramifications for over creaming surprises me as my pastry teachers state that I shouldn’t over cream pastry dough. Hmm…thinking about it, is too much rising and puffing a byproduct of too much creaming?
Hey Brendan!
You ask great questions, so that makes you a great feature! I’m honored that you bother to read my blather!
Tell me, how much creaming is “over” creaming based on what you’ve heard? I ask because ten minutes of creaming isn’t too much, even though 3-4 minutes is normal. It could be that the particular recipe you’re dealing with just can’t handle that much, that it creates too many bubbles and a rise that’s too aggressive.
Just a thought!
– Joe
Well to be honest, they were never clear about how much is too much and so I thought I would do a bit of research to see if they were right or wrong. Chances are that this is how they we’re taught originally and they just continue on the tradition I guess. The recipe is use for sucree works fairly well but then again I heeded their warning and creamed for like barely a minute by hand. I’ll have to go crazy one day and cream like mad and see the result.
Anyways, thanks again for the response. It has been illuminating as usual.