Basics and Techniques

Having the ability to make your own pastry has got to be one of the most satisfying achievements in the kitchen. You can produce a much better quality product than you can buy in any supermarket and after a few attempts you should find you can master most of the tasks fairly quickly.

Many things can go wrong when making and baking pastry so it is important to keep notes and be aware of each step so you can improve upon your efforts if things do go awry — persevering will lead to success. Don’t be too worried about the look; short of burning the pastry or having the shell completely break, you can push ahead, as the result is bound to be tasty.