The Crumbing Method

Appears in

Patisserie: A Masterclass in Classic and Contemporary Patisserie

Published 2014

About

All the dry ingredients (flour, salt and sugar) and butter are placed into a bowl and rubbed together until there are no lumps of butter-you should stop rubbing before the mixture becomes a paste. When the butter has no more lumps, the liquids (eggs and sometimes water) are added and mixed to a paste.

Put the dry ingredients directly on the work surface, make a well in the centre and add the cubed butter. (1)
Use your fingers to rub the flour and butter together until no lumps of butter remain. (2-4)
Make a well in the centre again and add the wet ingredients. (5-6)
Use your fingers to mix the wet and dry ingredients together to form a smooth, homogenous dough. (7-9)
Shape the dough into a block, wrap it in cling film (plastic wrap) and put it in the fridge to rest for 2-3 hours. (10-11)