Lots going wrong here, but the problem at the center of it all is a lack of elasticity in my dough. This stems from the fact that it’s so darn rich. All the fat is lubricating the gluten (protein) molecules in the dough, preventing them from linking up with one another and forming a stretchy network.
READ ONReader Nate asks:
Why do sweet cream butter and cultured butter seem to have different fat content? Aren’t they’re using the same technique or is there some scientific explantion for this?
I like that question, Nate! The answer is that it’s mostly an aesthetic, but there are some functional reason for the difference, at least in the pastry world. In general European butters are about 2% higher in fat that American butters. The funny thing is that here in the states European “style” butters often have 7% or 8% more fat than typical American butters. Evidently they’re cashing in on the fact that most Americans think that Continentals are in love with fat. That’s not an entirely unfounded assumption.
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Pears are too dangerous to be allowed to roam freely, hence this ingenious preparation which safely confines them behind bars of buttery pastry. For goodness’ sake don’t go sticking your fingers in there. What goes in that cage may not come out. Still if you’re the kind of baker who craves adventure and doesn’t mind working around savage fruit, then these might be for you.
READ ONPears in a cage make a stunning closer to an autumn meal. They’re light but full of flavor, especially if you take the extra step of filling the pear with a little bit of almond cream (talk about gilding the lily, it’s a luscious surprise inside an already impressive dessert). You’ll need:
6 poached pear halves
about 10 ounces puff pastry
2-3 ounces almond cream (optional)
egg wash
Boom. There it is, the closest I can get to the classic everyman Australian vanilla slice (a.k.a. New Zealand custard square) using locally available ingredients.
READ ONSo alright, after a lot of fiddling I have a formula for the simple, day-to-day, down n’ dirty, semi-homemade, express version of the vanilla slice. It’s taken me three tries since there’s no American equivalent for Australian custard powder (who knew?). But this is should approximate the real deal as defined by several readers and a recent visiting Kiwi (note to non-experts, they call vanilla slices “custard squares” in New Zealand). Anyway, here’s what you need:
1 package store-bought puff pastry
2 boxes JELL-O vanilla pudding/pie filling (4.6-ounces each)
5 cups milk
1 ounce (1/4 cup) cornstarch
1 recipe simple icing made with passion fruit purée
Is the vanilla slice really the chocolate chip cookie of Australia? If so, those Aussies are more sophisticated than we give them credit for. Granted most home versions are made with powdered custard and either store bought puff pastry or mildly sweet biscuits, then topped with simple powdered sugar icing. Still pretty cool though, no?
Objectively speaking, vanilla slices resemble both Napoleons and galaktoboureko, but in truth they really are their own thing. The commercial versions are, at least from what I understand, so heavily gelatin-thickened that they practically bounce, hence their nickname which I won’t repeat here for fear of getting more irate comments. While I originally thought I’d try to replicate that density, in the end I decided that just getting a custard layer this thick to stand and slice neatly was enough. But feel free to add more gelatin, those of you who prefer yours with a stouter texture.
READ ONI’ve agonized a bit over this I must confess. There’s always pressure when you’re taking on a cultural icon…especially one you’ve never tasted. The filling of a vanilla slice bears an uncanny resemblance to pastry cream, only it’s often thickened to a rubbery degree. Some recipes I’ve seen call for up to a cup of cornstarch (in only three cups of liquid). That, to me, is a starch monstrosity. So my plan is to thicken a relatively thin pastry cream with gelatin in an attempt to achieve the starchy-rubbery consistency the appears to define a “snot block”. So here’s what I propose:
about 16 ounces puff pastry, store bought or home made
1 recipe pastry cream
3 teaspoons powdered gelatin
1 recipe poured fondant
simple syrup
That question from reader Lee, and I’m glad he asked. I’m not normally one to get all choosy with ingredients. As I’ve said many times before — often to my detriment in terms of reader feedback — “good” is almost as always as good as “great” for most home baking needs. However butter is where I start to get a bit fussy. I like cultured “Euro-style” butters, especially when it comes to laminated doughs. On the one hand they perform better as they tend to have a little less moisture and are also generally firmer, with a broader melt point. That means they stay plastic longer when you’re folding your dough. On the other hand I think they have also have a better taste. The acidic tang is not only different, it reduces the “fatty” mouthfeel
READ ONNice question reader Dorrie! Perhaps you are a professional baker or pastry student, yes? Because “dry” butters aren’t products that the rest of us can easily get. As the name implies dry butters have a lower water content than most other butters, around 3-5% versus 12-17% for conventional store-bought butter. Why might they be an advantage in making laminated dough? Because while some water is essential if a laminated dough is going to rise (see the below post on the mechanics of puff pastry) too much water can actually undermine rising by moistening the dough sheets such that they get sticky and limp. In that case the steam in the dough can’t push them apart and/or keep them aloft. Is dry butter essential for
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