PastriesPastriesA girl’s best friend and a A girl’s best friend and a

diet’s worst enemy.diet’s worst enemy.

By: Amanda ThomasBy: Amanda Thomas

The Wonderful World of The Wonderful World of PastriesPastries

• Pastries, you know Pastries, you know them, you love them, you love them, some can’t them, some can’t live without them. live without them. These little sweet These little sweet delights are high in delights are high in sweet and high in sweet and high in calories. So sit back, calories. So sit back, relax and pray that relax and pray that you’ve ate already you’ve ate already as I take you as I take you through the through the wonderful world of wonderful world of pastriespastries

The History of PastriesThe History of Pastries • Although no one knows the exact period of Although no one knows the exact period of

time, pastries are said to have gone all the time, pastries are said to have gone all the way back to the Egyptians and the areas of way back to the Egyptians and the areas of Mesopotamia. They could have created the Mesopotamia. They could have created the pastries with their large supply of honey pastries with their large supply of honey and sweet nuts. But pastries didn’t become and sweet nuts. But pastries didn’t become the sensation they are today until around the sensation they are today until around the 17the 17thth and 18 and 18thth centuries in many centuries in many European countries such as France and European countries such as France and Italy. They introduced seven different types Italy. They introduced seven different types of pastries which we still enjoy today: flaky of pastries which we still enjoy today: flaky and short crust, puff, choux, phyllo, hot-and short crust, puff, choux, phyllo, hot-water crust, suetcrust, and sweet dough.water crust, suetcrust, and sweet dough.

Flaky and Short crustFlaky and Short crust• Batman and Robin. Batman and Robin.

Bonny and Clyde. Dumb Bonny and Clyde. Dumb and Dumber. Like these and Dumber. Like these duos, flaky and short duos, flaky and short crust pastries go hand crust pastries go hand in hand. Short crust in hand. Short crust pastries are usually pastries are usually crumbly rather than crumbly rather than flaky and are used flaky and are used mostly for pie, tarts, mostly for pie, tarts, and turnovers. They and turnovers. They contain mainly sugar contain mainly sugar and eggs. Flaky and eggs. Flaky pastries are of course, pastries are of course, flaky and are used flaky and are used mainly for pie and tart mainly for pie and tart crusts. They contain crusts. They contain sugar and eggs also. sugar and eggs also.

PuffPuff• Puff pastries. A Puff pastries. A

sweet little thing sweet little thing that’s stuffed with that’s stuffed with all kinds of goodies all kinds of goodies and looks like a and looks like a cloud. Puff pastry cloud. Puff pastry gives the most even gives the most even rising, flaky effect rising, flaky effect out of all the other out of all the other types. This is types. This is because its rolled in because its rolled in butter. Its dough is butter. Its dough is similar to that of a similar to that of a Danish.Danish.

ChouxChoux • Originating in Originating in

France, the choux France, the choux pastry is a paste pastry is a paste prepared by prepared by beating eggs into a beating eggs into a thick mixture of thick mixture of flour, fat, and flour, fat, and liquid, and cooking liquid, and cooking it until its smooth. it until its smooth. Its used mainly for Its used mainly for éclairs, cream buns, éclairs, cream buns, rich fancy cakes, rich fancy cakes, and sweet or savory and sweet or savory recipes.recipes.

PhylloPhyllo• Sounds like a Greek god Sounds like a Greek god

doesn’t it? It suits this doesn’t it? It suits this pastry because its fit pastry because its fit for the gods. Phyllo for the gods. Phyllo dough is made by flour dough is made by flour and water only, which is and water only, which is then kneaded so thin it then kneaded so thin it looks like tissue paper. looks like tissue paper. The dough then can The dough then can encase a filling, and encase a filling, and brushed with butter brushed with butter after baking it makes it after baking it makes it resemble a puff pastry. resemble a puff pastry. The most common The most common phyllo pastry is phyllo pastry is strudels.strudels.

Hot Water CrustHot Water Crust• Ouch its sizzling! That’s Ouch its sizzling! That’s

what you might hear what you might hear from a lot of first timers from a lot of first timers making hot water crust making hot water crust pastries. This type of pastries. This type of pastry is made by pastry is made by melting lard in boiling melting lard in boiling water then pouring the water then pouring the mixture onto flour and mixture onto flour and kneading it into dough. kneading it into dough. Hot water crust is used Hot water crust is used for making “raised for making “raised pies” like mincemeat pies” like mincemeat pie.pie.

SuetcrustSuetcrust• Another contribution of Another contribution of

our French brothers, our French brothers, suetcrust is the least suetcrust is the least common of the pastries. common of the pastries. Many of us have never Many of us have never even heard of it before. even heard of it before. In the suetcrust pastry, In the suetcrust pastry, the main ingredient is the main ingredient is chopped suet, which is chopped suet, which is hard fat found around hard fat found around the kidneys and loins of the kidneys and loins of beef and mutton. It is beef and mutton. It is best used with savory best used with savory fillings. For example, fillings. For example, the steak and kidney the steak and kidney pie, shown in the pie, shown in the picture.picture.

Sweet doughSweet dough• The master of cavities, The master of cavities,

sweet dough pastries are sweet dough pastries are another of the most another of the most common pastries today. common pastries today. Sweet dough encompasses Sweet dough encompasses a wide variety of pastries a wide variety of pastries because it is made from all because it is made from all purpose wheat flour with a purpose wheat flour with a high percentage of sugar high percentage of sugar added. Some examples of added. Some examples of sweet dough pastries are: sweet dough pastries are: cinnamon buns, raised cinnamon buns, raised doughnuts, sweet rolls, doughnuts, sweet rolls, hot cross buns, coffee hot cross buns, coffee cakes, pannetones, cakes, pannetones, brioche, Danish pastry, brioche, Danish pastry, croissants, sponge cake, croissants, sponge cake, pound cake, and cake pound cake, and cake doughnuts. doughnuts.

ConclusionConclusion• Well, sadly this is the end of my Well, sadly this is the end of my

tasty- looking presentation. Doing tasty- looking presentation. Doing this topic was fun but I also learned a this topic was fun but I also learned a few things about the different kinds few things about the different kinds of foods I eat almost everyday. I of foods I eat almost everyday. I probably can go into Dunkin probably can go into Dunkin Doughnuts now, and tell one pastry Doughnuts now, and tell one pastry from another, which is cool. But for from another, which is cool. But for those of you who can’t, here’s an those of you who can’t, here’s an easy pastry recipe for you to try out easy pastry recipe for you to try out on your own at home that I’m sure on your own at home that I’m sure you’ll enjoy. you’ll enjoy.

Strawberry Chocolate Strawberry Chocolate Mousse CakeMousse Cake

• IngredientsIngredients::• 1 cup (about 5 ounces) chocolate cookie or 1 cup (about 5 ounces) chocolate cookie or

chocolate graham cracker crumbs.chocolate graham cracker crumbs.• 3 tablespoons melted butter or margarine3 tablespoons melted butter or margarine• 3 pint baskets California strawberries, 3 pint baskets California strawberries,

stemmed and halvedstemmed and halved• 2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate 2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate

chipschips• ½ cup water½ cup water• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup2 tablespoons light corn syrup• 2 ½ cups whipping cream , divided2 ½ cups whipping cream , divided• 1 tablespoon sugar1 tablespoon sugar

InstructionsInstructions• In bowl, mix crumbs and butter to blend In bowl, mix crumbs and butter to blend

thoroughly. Press evenly onto bottom of a thoroughly. Press evenly onto bottom of a cheesecake pan. Stand strawberry halves, cheesecake pan. Stand strawberry halves, touching side-by-side, pointed ends up with touching side-by-side, pointed ends up with cut sides against side of pan. Set aside.cut sides against side of pan. Set aside.

• Place chocolate chips in blender container. Place chocolate chips in blender container. In small saucepan, over medium heat, mix In small saucepan, over medium heat, mix water and corn syrup; bring to boil and water and corn syrup; bring to boil and simmer 1 minute. Immediately pour over simmer 1 minute. Immediately pour over chocolate chips and blend until smooth. chocolate chips and blend until smooth. Cool to room temperature.Cool to room temperature.

Instructions (cont.)Instructions (cont.)• Meanwhile, in a large mixer bowl, beat 1 ½ cups of Meanwhile, in a large mixer bowl, beat 1 ½ cups of

the cream to form stiff peaks. Add sugar; beat to the cream to form stiff peaks. Add sugar; beat to form stiff peaks. With rubber spatula, fold cooled form stiff peaks. With rubber spatula, fold cooled chocolate into whipped cream to blend thoroughly. chocolate into whipped cream to blend thoroughly. Pour into prepared pan; level top. (Points of Pour into prepared pan; level top. (Points of strawberries must extend above chocolate mixture.) strawberries must extend above chocolate mixture.) Cover and refrigerate 4 to 24 hours.Cover and refrigerate 4 to 24 hours.

• Up to two hours before serving, in medium mixer Up to two hours before serving, in medium mixer bowl, beat one remaining cup cream to form soft bowl, beat one remaining cup cream to form soft peaks. Add sugar; beat to form soft peaks. Remove peaks. Add sugar; beat to form soft peaks. Remove side of pan; place cake on serving plate. Using a side of pan; place cake on serving plate. Using a pastry bag with a star tip or dollop whipped cream pastry bag with a star tip or dollop whipped cream onto top of cake. Arrange remaining halved onto top of cake. Arrange remaining halved strawberries on whipped cream. To serve, cut into strawberries on whipped cream. To serve, cut into wedges with knife, wiping blade between cuts. wedges with knife, wiping blade between cuts.

All Done!All Done!• Your finished Your finished

product should product should look something look something like these:like these: