Basic Pastry Recipes

In pastry making, there are several basic recipes that form the foundations for creating more complex desserts. Here are some of the most classic basic preparations:

1. Shortcrust Pastry

Ingredients

• 300g of 00 flour
• 150g of cold butter, cubed
• 150g of sugar
• 1 whole egg and 1 yolk
• Grated zest of 1 lemon (optional)
• A pinch of salt

Preparation

• Pour the flour into a well on a work surface or in a large bowl.
• Add the cold cubed butter, sugar, egg and yolk, lemon zest, and salt to the center.
• Quickly work all the ingredients with your fingertips until you obtain a homogeneous dough.
• Wrap the shortcrust pastry in plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before using.

2. Pastry Cream

Ingredients

• 500ml of milk
• 4 egg yolks
• 100g of sugar
• 40g of 00 flour
• Grated zest of 1 lemon or 1 vanilla bean

Preparation

• In a saucepan, bring the milk with the lemon zest or vanilla bean to a near boil.
• In a bowl, whisk the yolks with the sugar until you obtain a light and frothy mixture.
• Add the sifted flour and mix well.
• Pour the hot filtered milk in a thin stream over the yolk mixture, stirring.
• Return everything to the heat and cook over low heat until you obtain a thick cream, stirring constantly.
• Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap pressed against the surface.
• Let it cool before using.

3. Choux Pastry (for cream puffs and éclairs)

Ingredients

• 250ml of water
• 100g of butter
• 150g of 00 flour
• 4 medium eggs
• A pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon of sugar (optional)

Preparation

• Preheat the oven to 200 °C.
• In a pot, bring the water with the butter, sugar, and salt to a boil.
• Remove from the heat and pour in all the flour at once, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon.
• Return to the heat and work the dough until it pulls away from the sides of the pot forming a ball.
• Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
• Incorporate the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition until you obtain a smooth and homogeneous mixture.
• Place the dough in a piping bag and pipe the cream puffs onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
• Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden.

These are just some of the basic preparations, but in pastry making there are many other fundamental recipes such as meringues, sponge cake, chocolate ganache, and so on. These preparations can naturally be modified by adding flavors or ingredients according to the tastes and needs of each specific recipe.