Here you can find the three pastry recipes that I use the most. I hope that you have success because gluten-free pastry is notoriously difficult to get right. Play around with the amount of liquid you add to your pastry whilst making it. This is because some gluten-free flours are more absorbent than others.
Shortcrust Pastry for 225g of pastry
Ingredients
225g gluten-free flour
pinch salt
¼ teaspoon xanthan gum
50g lard or vegetable shortening
50g dairy-free margarine
2 tablespoons cold water to mix (about 30 ml)
25g caster sugar for sweet pastry
What to do
In a bowl sift together the gluten-free flour, salt and xanthan gum, then rub in the fat.
Using a cold metal knife to cut and stir, mix the cold water in to the flour until you have 'brought together' a soft and pliable dough.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead lightly.
Roll out according to your recipe and use as required.
TIP Self-raising gluten-free flour can also be used to make shortcrust pastry but will give a more cake-like texture
Ingredients:
225g gluten-free flour
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon salt
100 ml water
75g lard or vegetable shortening
egg yolk
What to do:
Sift the gluten-free flour with the xanthan gum into a bowl and make a well in the centre.
In a saucepan, boil the lard with the water and then carefully pour into your flour well, and mix with a wooden spoon very quickly until well blended.
Knead the dough with your hands very well until it becomes quite soft and pliable.
Note: Use quickly before it cools and remember that hot water crust pastry, particularly gluten-free pastry, can be quite crumbly until you perfect your recipe with practice. If you experience problems when rolling it out, then consider moulding the pastry with your fingers to the baking tin. The results are equally good.
Tip: If the pastry becomes too cool to mould try putting it in the microwave for a few seconds to soften.
Gluten-free rough puff pastry is a challenge to make! I've not perfected it yet, but this recipe from my grandmother that I have used as a guide, goes back to the basics of pastry-making. It produces a short pastry, crumbly enough to satisfy my family!
Ingredients:
200g gluten-free flour
pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
75g dairy-free margarine
75g lard or vegetable shortening
Cold water to mix
What to do
In a medium bowl, sift the gluten-free flour with the xanthan gum, then stir in the salt.
Cut the fat into small pieces and add to the bowl, then stir in well with a metal knife (do NOT rub in).
Add a little water at a time to the pastry, mixing to a stiff but pliable dough (how much water you use will depend on what ingredients your gluten-free flour blend is made from. Some flour absorbs more water than others).
On a floured surface roll out the dough to a rectangle or narrow strip. (If your dough is sticky, then roll out your pastry on a layer of clingfilm to help you move it).
Fold into thirds by bringing the top end nearly to the middle, then fold the nearest end to you, over to the top edge. This gives you a neat parcel. Turn the pastry 90 degrees, so that an open end is nearest to you.
Repeat 3-5 times more.
Cover the pastry with cling-film and place in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to chill a little, before using in your recipe.
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