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Shortbread dough is a dense dough kneaded from butter or margarine, flour and sugar without the use of baking powder. On its basis, open fruit pies, snack pies with sweet / salty fillings, cakes, cookies, tartlets are prepared. The more powdered sugar and fat in the dough, the more crumbly it is. Thanks to this, the product seems to melt in your mouth. Shortcrust pastry is high in calories (404 kcal per 100 g). Therefore, it is not suitable for people on a diet.
Advantages and disadvantages
The first advantage of shortcrust pastry is its rich vitamin and mineral composition. It contains: manganese, iron, chlorine, molybdenum, cobalt, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, iodine, chromium, fluorine, zinc, copper, choline, niacin, thiamine, riboflavin, retinol, tocopherol, biotin, cyanocobalamin, pyridoxine, folic acid. True, due to the abundance of fats, this product is not suitable for a diet.
The second obvious advantage of shortcrust pastry is the speed of preparation. However, the stages of the technological process should be observed, it is impossible to combine all the ingredients at the same time, so as not to spoil the crumbly pastries. They are placed sequentially.
The third advantage of the test is the ability to change the taste. It can be made nutty, chocolatey, or flavored by adding additional ingredients.
The fourth advantage of products made from shortcrust pastry is that, after intense physical activity, they contribute to the rapid filling of the body with energy, restoring vitality.
The harm of such baking lies in the high calorie content of the product. Fatty shortcrust pastry products lead to weight gain. In addition, in the case of using low-quality raw materials, one can suffer from chemical additives, preservatives, dyes introduced into butter and margarine.
Shortbread dough products are not recommended to be consumed more than twice a week over 100 g / approach, otherwise the body will gradually increase the level of sugar and cholesterol, which can cause the development of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus.
Secrets of cooking
Properly kneaded shortbread dough is tender and crumbly. A solid product indicates the assumption of errors in the technological process.
Subtleties of preparation:
- Ingredient temperature. The liquid should be cold, the butter should be solid, but not frozen. It is preferable that the kitchen be cool.
- Butter and margarine. The final result depends on the quality of these products. They give the dough a crumbly effect, so you should not save on fats.
- The texture of breadcrumbs. Flour is ground with fat. The resulting mass should have the consistency of bread crumbs. When mixed, butter (margarine) envelops the flour particles, and gluten, when combined with moisture, gives elasticity and elasticity to the dough. As a result, it turns out soft and crumbly.
- Proportions. In the process of preparing the dough, the amount of flour and fat is taken at the rate of 1,5: 1.
- Manual kneading. Shortbread dough does not tolerate technical processing in a combine. It is kneaded by hand, but not for long. The butter must not be allowed to melt, otherwise the product will not be soft and delicate in taste.
- Sweetener. Sugar is recommended to be replaced with powdered sugar, this will improve the friability of the product.
- bonding agent. An egg can add rigidity to shortbread dough, so it is not recommended to lay it. In the case of preparing a large portion for a pie, you can use the yolk to bind all the ingredients.
- Components tab. First of all, flour is combined with sugar, vanillin and soda. After that, pieces of fat are introduced and rubbed. At the end, a binding liquid is added. It can be yolks, water or sour cream.
- Correct stretch. Before working and baking, shortbread dough is pre-cooled for 30 minutes. It is rolled out from the center to the edges, lightly sprinkled with flour. The optimal thickness of the dough for baking is 4-8 mm.
- Heated oven. Sand dough products are baked at 180-200 degrees. Thin layers – at elevated temperatures, thick – at low temperatures.
Do not grease the baking sheet while baking. The dough already contains a sufficient amount of fat, so it does not stick to the form. If the product begins to burn on top, cover it with parchment paper.
To improve the taste of baking, additional ingredients are introduced at the kneading stage: lemon or orange zest, vanilla sugar, crushed nuts, cinnamon, chocolate, cocoa. Part of the flour can be replaced with starch.
Properly cooked dough is smooth and matte, but if it begins to shine, crumble, roll out poorly, then the butter has melted. In this case, it is left to “rest” in the refrigerator for 40-60 minutes. Sprinkle the board and dough with flour before rolling out. Finished sand products have a light brown, golden hue.
Cooking principle
The basis of shortcrust pastry is flour and butter. The key to success depends on the quality of the constituent ingredients, the degree of their cooling and the temperature in the room.
Remember, seasonings in liquid form are always mixed with egg yolk if it is according to the recipe, and dry spices, including grated nuts, are added to the flour.
Ingredients:
- butter – 100 g;
- water – 30 ml;
- flour – 200 g;
- sugar – to taste;
- salt, vanillin, lemon zest – a pinch.
Method of preparation:
- Combine flour with vanilla, lemon zest, salt and sugar.
- Cool the butter, cut into cubes, add to the mixture.
- Grind the base of the dough to the state of bread crumbs.
- Pour in water, gently knead the dough, form a ball.
- Wrap the resulting mass in cling film, place in the refrigerator for half an hour.
- Roll out the layer, lay on a baking sheet, bake at 200 degrees.
Use the finished cake (tartlet) as an edible form for salads, cream, fruit fillings. If the product sticks to the bottom of the baking sheet, you need to wait until it cools down, then lightly hit it on the table. After the tartlet moves from its place, it can be carefully removed from the mold.
Semi-finished products: pros and cons
Currently, ready-made shortcrust pastry can be found in the store. However, when buying a semi-finished product, you must carefully study the composition of the product. It should be free of baking powder and preservatives, and the expiration date of the product should be relevant.
A non-friable, dense, hard semi-finished product indicates a long kneading, an increased content of liquid, sugar, gluten in the flour, a small amount of fat and the use of proteins instead of yolks.
Non-plastic dough, crumbling, which cannot be rolled out indicates the use of melted butter in the process of kneading the dough, warm ingredients, as well as a violation of the temperature regime in the room.
A raw, poorly baked store-bought product indicates uneven rolling of the formation. As well as high baking temperature, insufficient heat treatment. At the same time, a pale semi-finished product, on the contrary, indicates a low temperature regime.
Why does shortbread dough shrink when rolled out?
It’s all about the non-compliance with the proportions of the bookmark ingredients. Most likely there was very little margarine or butter, and too much flour and liquid.
Baking confectionery requires precision. All ingredients are subject to careful weighing, their quantity cannot be changed at will, otherwise you should not be surprised that nothing happened.
Recipe for “Kisha”
Quiche is a French open pie invented by the inhabitants of the province of Lorraine in the XNUMXth century. The basis for the filling is eggs, cheese, heavy cream. Currently, there are many variations of cooking quiche – with mushrooms, fish, smoked brisket, onions, berries and herbs. Consider the traditional recipe.
Classic Quiche Lauren
Ingredients for the dough:
- chilled butter, grated on a coarse grater – 125 g;
- sifted flour – 250 g;
- chilled yolk – 2 pcs;
- ice water – 50 ml;
- Salt – a pinch.
Ingredients for filling:
- fat cream 20% – 200 ml;
- smoked brisket – 250 g;
- grated Gruyere cheese – 150 g;
- eggs – 4 pieces;
- grated nutmeg – a pinch;
- freshly ground black pepper, salt to taste.
Cooking principle
Knead shortbread dough, give it the shape of a ball, wrap with cling film, place in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Cut the brisket, fry in butter. Beat eggs, measure out 2/3 of the cheese, mix with cream. Season the filling with nutmeg, salt and pepper. Add brisket to egg mixture.
Roll out the dough, make sides, pierce with a fork. Lay out the filling, sprinkle with the remaining cheese on top. Preheat the oven to 190 degrees. Put the quiche in the oven, bake for 30-45 minutes until done. The liquid from the eggs should evaporate, the filling will thicken, the top will brown, and the surface will become elastic. Only after that the cake is taken out of the oven, cut into portions.
French quiche Lauren is served with sour cream and herbs. It can be eaten both hot and cold at any time of the day.
Bon appetit!
Conclusion
Shortbread dough – the basis for the preparation of confectionery, snacks. Its main advantages are versatility, ease of preparation. The dough is quickly kneaded, does not require enormous labor costs. Sand cakes, tartlets, nuts, baskets are widely used for filling with candied fruits, condensed milk, chocolate, berries, nuts, fruits, salads. However, such pastries contain a lot of fat, so it is not recommended for people who are overweight. Otherwise, it will stimulate the process of obesity.
In moderation, shortbread-based confectionery does not pose a risk, as well as a benefit, to human health.