[IC - EXTREMELY BACKDATED]

[cardoperatedboy]

[...see I'd planned to do this BEFORE CHRISTMAS, only you know what the weeks before AND after Christmas are like.]




[OFF IN THE KITCHEN]

I'm ready to kick this dough's ass.

Comments

[cloakanddaikon.livejournal.com]

Camp. It appears that the aprons here are. Unique.

Here, let me see.

[cardoperatedboy]

Guess so.

[holds out the bowl proudly]

[cloakanddaikon.livejournal.com]

It would probably be better if the shortening was more... uniform, but...

Gently mix in about a quarter cup more flour, I'll go retrieve the water from the freezer.

[cardoperatedboy]

What, do I need to fix it?!

Quarter cup, quarter cup... [looks around for the dry measure]

[cloakanddaikon.livejournal.com]

As it is, the shortening is somewhat overwhelming; more flour will help the dough to bind.

[vanishes, reappearing a few moments later with a small, frost-edged bowl of water]

[cardoperatedboy]

Tch. [starts working that in]

[cloakanddaikon.livejournal.com]

You'll want to add only half the required liquid at first. Use a fork to mix it in, and after that add only enough water to cause the mixture to stick together.

Go slowly; your goal is to mix the dough just enough so that it binds together, while still preserving the distinction between shortening and flour.

[cardoperatedboy]

[picks up the bowl and the fork.]

[...shifts the bowl uh this is awkward.]

[cloakanddaikon.livejournal.com]

... would you mind if I demonstrated?

[cardoperatedboy]

...feel free. [HOLDS OUT BOWL]

[cloakanddaikon.livejournal.com]

[Zexion makes a small well in the centre of the mixture, and pours in some of the water]

Scrape the sides and lift, like this, letting the liquid mix in gradually. Don't press down. See how the centre binds together? You've added enough liquid when all but a few particles are part of the central ball. It shouldn't take more than a quarter cup -- four tablespoons.

[cardoperatedboy]

Oh, okay. That doesn't look so hard!

[cloakanddaikon.livejournal.com]

[hands the bowl back]

Keep your strokes light, and go slowly. And don't add more liquid than necessary.

[cardoperatedboy]

[goes to it, biting the tip of his tongue as he concentrates]

[cloakanddaikon.livejournal.com]

[he watches for a moment, then nods, turning and walking back to his own work]

When you're done with that step, let me know.

[cardoperatedboy]

[mutters "Okay", distractedly. Is very slow going through it! But eventually gets it done.] Like this, right?

[cloakanddaikon.livejournal.com]

[looks up from whisking together eggs and flour]

[looks at the dough]

That is the technique, yes.

[... retrieves another mixing bowl]

[cardoperatedboy]

......What's that supposed to mean?

[cloakanddaikon.livejournal.com]

You can use that dough to practice rolling techniques, but if you try to make something as large as a pie crust, it will fall apart.

Start over.

[cardoperatedboy]

Tch! Why's that?!

[cloakanddaikon.livejournal.com]

Look at it. See how some clumps are firmly together, but are separated by those cracks? Parts of the shortening were cut too small, and melted into the flour as you mixed it together. Other parts are still too large, and don't have enough flour cut through them to bind.

[cardoperatedboy]

.....

[cardoperatedboy]

All right. I'll get it right on the next one.

[cloakanddaikon.livejournal.com]

Measure out your ingredients, and show me how you were cutting in the shortening.

[cardoperatedboy]

[nods grimly and sets everything out on the counter. Pre-prepares! When the flour isn't just right in the cup he totally levels it with a knife without prompting!]

I think I was... nnn. Squeezing too much and not crumbling enough? [makes demonstrative hand movements without actually putting anything in the bowl yet.]

[cloakanddaikon.livejournal.com]

Squeezing would account for it, yes -- it's best to keep the mixture light and dry until the water is added.

Try working it in more of a uniform pattern, circling the bowl like you did when mixing the water in. Keep the pieces of shortening as uniform as possible, working at the larger ones as you go.

[cardoperatedboy]

Okay. [punches the air with doughygloves] This time I'll do it right.

[and STARTING IN...]

[cloakanddaikon.livejournal.com]

And keep from touching it as much as possible. The heat from your body is enough to soften and melt the shortening once the pieces are small.

[cardoperatedboy]

[nods. His tongue's sticking out again.]

[cloakanddaikon.livejournal.com]

See the separation there between the flour that's mixed and that which is not? Circle a bit more to draw the flour in from the edges of the bowl, and use the edge of the cutter to scrape the outside toward the centre.

[cardoperatedboy]

[SEVERE FOCUSSING POWERS.]

[cloakanddaikon.livejournal.com]

... stop.

Take a look at it now, and tell me what you think of it.

[cardoperatedboy]

Uh. [squints at it] The pieces should be closer to the same size--?

[cloakanddaikon.livejournal.com]

Some, yes. You're very close to done now; too much more and the smaller pieces will be cut too fine to be useful. Using no more than a dozen more strokes, cut down the largest of the remaining areas, and then move on.