Liquids

Water (and sometimes lemon juice) is usually the only liquid required for mixing pastry. It must be as cold as possible, and in hot weather a piece of ice should be added to it. The exact amount of water to use is not always given in pastry recipes as so much depends on the consistency of the fat used and also on the consistency of the flour. The finer the flour, the more liquid it will require. For richer pastries, add a beaten egg or the yolk of an egg to the amount of water used.