Is it just me or is the DPC server super flaky tonight? I keep getting time out errors, and all sorts of stuff while trying to access. No problems with any other pages.
Time-outs and other things for me too. I was hoping it wasn't just my ISP or browser or something, but every other website loads fine, so I figured it was probably a DPC thing. DPL killed it. lol.
Time-outs and other things for me too. I was hoping it wasn't just my ISP or browser or something, but every other website loads fine, so I figured it was probably a DPC thing. DPL killed it. lol.
I get it both at home and work so that's when I figured it was DPC and not me.
We used vegetable shortening on the server to get that lighter texture tonight. It just seems slower as people savor it.
Actually, for the real-deal, light, flaky pie crust, nothing beats good, old-fashioned LARD. And yes, it's crawling for me as well...
R.
I've heard that (rendered) duck fat works pretty well too ...
I am not sure General, duck fat melts at the touch when cold (and has a distinct flavor, may work on savory pies), lard is a lot harder and takes more time to incorporate into the flour. I 'don't think it would give a light fluffy pastry. But then again i have not tried it.
We used vegetable shortening on the server to get that lighter texture tonight. It just seems slower as people savor it.
Actually, for the real-deal, light, flaky pie crust, nothing beats good, old-fashioned LARD. And yes, it's crawling for me as well...
R.
I've heard that (rendered) duck fat works pretty well too ...
I am not sure General, duck fat melts at the touch when cold (and has a distinct flavor, may work on savory pies), lard is a lot harder and takes more time to incorporate into the flour. I 'don't think it would give a light fluffy pastry. But then again i have not tried it.
Explanation Ahead:
It's quite the opposite actually. The fact that it is difficult to incorporate is EXACTLY why it works to make the light pastry. Most pastry chefs actually use frozen butter for this reason.
Frozen butter (or lard) has a much better ability to trap and retain air bubbles. It's these bubbles that create the light fluffy pastry....
Baking sodas or powders cannot create air bubbles, they can only expand the ones that are already there. So, that's why it's crucial to make sure you use something like frozen butter to try to incorporate as much air as possible while creaming the mixture.
So, if you think about it, when you are done making the pastry, you will have thousands of tiny little pieces of frozen butter throughout right? Ok, now bake it....the butter melts, but the "gap" it created in the pastry is still there! Voila!!! Air pockets. Air pockets=light and fluffy pastry.
It's more complex than that, but essentially you get what's going on.....
It's quite the opposite actually. The fact that it is difficult to incorporate is EXACTLY why it works to make the light pastry. Most pastry chefs actually use frozen butter for this reason.
Frozen butter (or lard) has a much better ability to trap and retain air bubbles. It's these bubbles that create the light fluffy pastry....
Lovely explanation. But, for the record, I think that is the point Juliet was making, so this explanation isn't contradicting her, just bringing science into the discussion.
Can't recall the last time I saw lard in our kitchen!
Can't recall the last time I was lacking lard :-) (in the refrigerator, sheesh, in the refrigerator!)
For those who still believe the myth that it's somehow really, really bad for you, that's been disproved. Like any fat, it would be if consumed in excess, but there are many benefits to using lard in certain kinds of cooking. I use it when I make refried beans, in particular. Nothing else works anywhere near as well.
But then, I also keep, and use, all my rendered fats; each has a distinct flavor profile. And GeneralE, duck fat is a fantastic substance for cooking with, but it can't replace lard in baking.
lard is a lot harder and takes more time to incorporate into the flour. I 'don't think it would give a light fluffy pastry. But then again i have not tried it.
which indicated to me that she was questioning the lard situation....
In any event, no contradiction was intended. Just a word on how this all works!
Let's talk about photos! I cook too much to want to talk about it here!
lard is a lot harder and takes more time to incorporate into the flour. I 'don't think it would give a light fluffy pastry. But then again i have not tried it.
which indicated to me that she was questioning the lard situation....
In any event, no contradiction was intended. Just a word on how this all works!
Let's talk about photos! I cook too much to want to talk about it here!
;)
I can never get enough of cooking talk. But here's Juliet's full quote:
Originally posted by JulietNN:
I am not sure General, duck fat melts at the touch when cold (and has a distinct flavor, may work on savory pies), lard is a lot harder and takes more time to incorporate into the flour. I 'don't think it would give a light fluffy pastry. But then again i have not tried it.
She's responding to GeneralE, who proposed duck fat as a substitute for lard, and thus the "it" that she doesn't think would work is duck fat. Juliet is a Cordon Bleu graduate and a killer cook: she is certainly aware of using lard in pie crusts :-)
