Using Butter in Baking There is no substitute for butter in baking when looking for quality and taste in your pastry products.
There are many manufactured commercial fat products on the market to make production easier, save time and less chance of failure but the taste is totally different from those made with butter.
Most margarines have a higher melting point than butter so will leave a fatty mouth taste when consumed whereas butter does not do this.
We use only butter in our pastry lessons at the school to ensure the students learn the best possible methods of baking practice.
I use only unsalted butter in my pastry making as most recipes will state a certain amount of salt if it is needed and you could risk having an over salted product if using salted butter.
Choosing the brand of butter is your choice but don t get too carried away with using expensive butters in pastry making as the difference in the end is negligible.
Brands of butter range from approximately 80-85 milk fat, and using an Australian product supports our own dairy industry, so I purchase with those two things in mind.
TYPES OF BUTTER Salted butter the most common on our supermarket shelves and contains approximately 2 salt.
Unsalted butter has no added salt and used widely in baking and confectionery.
Low and reduced salted butter has about 50 of the salt in salted butter.
Cultured butter has a culture added 24 hours prior to churning giving it a more complex flavour and scent and is similar to European butters.
Used more widely for table butter.
Clarified butter Ghee is 99.7 pure milk fat.
It has all of the water and milk solids removed by clarification so has a much higher smoke point than general butter which makes it ideal for pan frying.
Dairy blends remain soft and spreadable even in the refrigerator so ideal for table spread but do not have the rich creamy taste of butter.
They have approximately 50 of vegetable oil added.
Some important tips when using butter in baking Always used chilled butter for pastry and scone making.
If the butter is too soft it will be absorbed into the flour making the mixture heavy and tough when baked.
Rubbing the butter into the flour forms a protective coating around the grains protecting the gluten from absorbing moisture and therefore becoming tough and elastic.
Butter can be rubbed into the flour either by hand or by using a food processor.
For cake making soften the butter before mixing and make sure all ingredients are at room temperature to prevent the mixture from curdling and ensures even distribution of all of the ingredients before baking.
When creaming the butter and caster sugar for cakes soften the butter only to the stage where it is pliable then beat until it is smooth and pale.
Add the caster sugar gradually and beat until the sugar is almost dissolved.
This also aids aeration into the mixture and will give you a lighter end product.
Olive Tree's Pear Frangipane Tart INGREDIENTS Pastry 300gms plain flour 200gms unsalted butter 100gms caster sugar 50gms egg Vanilla essence Frangipane Filling 125gms caster sugar 125gms butter 125gms egg 125gms almond meal 50gms plain flour Poached Pears 4 medium size pears 500mls water or white wine 250gms sugar 1 cinnamon stick 1 star anise 3 cloves Rind of a lemon METHOD - Pastry 1.
Rub the butter into the flour with your hands until they resemble breadcrumbs - or you may use a food processor.
2.
Combine the sugar, vanilla and egg and carefully work into the above.
Do not overwork or the pastry will be tough.
Rest for 30 minutes in a cool place.
3.
Roll out pastry on a floured surface to 5mm thickness.
Cut around your flan tin allowing enough for the sides.
Gently lift the pastry and line the tin, pressing into the edges before cutting off the excess.
4.
Bake blind at 180.C for 15 minutes.
Frangipane Filling 1.
Cream the butter and sugar until pale.
2.
Add the eggs and mix well.
3 Fold in the flour and almonds to a smooth paste.
Poached Pears 1.
Place the sugar, cinnamon, star anise, cloves and lemon zest in the water and bring to the boil.
2.
Peel the pears and cut in half.
3.
Place the pears in a pot and cover with the poaching syrup.
You may need to top up with water so the pears are covered.
Cover with greaseproof paper and a plate to ensure the pears remain submerged.
Poach for 20mins.
4.
Remove from the liquid and cool before removing the core.
Slice thinly either across or lengthways but keeping the halves together.
To assemble 1.
Spread the frangipane evenly over the base of the flan then arrange the pears in a circle, evenly distributed around the circumference pressing each lightly into the mixture.
2.
Bake for 45 minutes or until the centre feels springy and firm.
Sprinkle with extra caster sugar and return to the oven for 12-15 minutes until glazed.
3.
Cool slightly before serving.
For more pear information http www.rediscoverthepear.com.au 94 GoodLife, june - july - august 2012