# I'm making my own Pastry Flour. I need help.



## ardge (Jan 4, 2003)

I am scouring my recently unboxed notes from school and I am trying to find the correct ratio of flours to blend to make pastry flour. I cannot find it in my notes. I'm wondering if I can get some sort of validation. Working from memory, does this sound right to anyone?.......

*Pastry Flour = 2 parts Cake Flour to 1 part Bread Flour (ROUGHLY)*

I'm making 4, 11x9 deep dish Apple Pies for a Pre-Thanksgiving meal that my friends and I celebrate before the actual holiday with our families. I'm in a jam because I can't get ahold of any Pastry Flour and I thought I had the formula written down.

Can you help me out? Am I on the right track?

RJ


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## panini (Jul 28, 2001)

The blend varies.
Some use 50-50 but less protien is liked by most for softer crust.
You're on the right track.


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## ardge (Jan 4, 2003)

Thanks Panini...
Hey, wouldn't a 50/50 blend of CF and BF give you AP Flour? 

Hmmmmm?.....

RJ


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## kokopuffs (Aug 4, 2000)

AP flour clocks in at around 9.5 - 10.8% protein. READ THE LABEL.
You need to consult these two sources for further information:

1. ARTISAN BAKING ACROSS AMERICA by Glezer

2. http://www.theartisan.net/

As I harped to my Health Science class: READ THE LABEL ON THE PACKAGE to get nutritional information and protein content.


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## ardge (Jan 4, 2003)

SORRY KOKOPUFFS FOR MAKING YOU HARP AT ME.

I was just looking for someone who has a quick remedy / formula I can use instead of the real deal. 

RJ


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## thebighat (Feb 21, 2001)

I would buy a bag of all purpose flour and not sweat the small stuff. A deft hand with the dough, or batter, and you should be allright. The chemical smell of cake flour makes me gag anyway.


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## m brown (May 29, 1999)

Lessen protien with corn starch?
is that only for cake flour from ap?
Don't see why you can't do the same for pastry flour from higher protien flours. 

I never even use pastry flour. Cake, AP,WW and Bread. These work for me, For Pie I go with AP and Cake flour. 

Do you add acid to the dough? That tends to relax the gluten and give a nifty snap to the flavor. 

:bounce:
I am looking at a pile of pies this week. 
weeeeee!


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## ardge (Jan 4, 2003)

Cake and AP huh? What ratio?

Thanks!!

RJ


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## kokopuffs (Aug 4, 2000)

RJ:

I'll give you a simple mathematical formula for figuring the final percentage of protein in your mixed flour:

(V1 x P1) + (V2 X P2)
---------------------------- = Final Protein content
(V1 + V2)

V1 = volume AP flour
V2 = volume of cake flour
P1 = % protein in AP flour
P2 = % protein in cake flour

(V1 + V2) = final (or total) volume

Hope this helps as I shout!


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## thebighat (Feb 21, 2001)

You're never going to wind up with the same thing, no matter what you mix. Flours of different types are milled from different types of wheat. Hard red spring, soft winter, whatever. AP flour is a blend anyway. Choke down the 6 bucks the two cost, and just get the ap. I would never use pastry flour for pie dough anyway, because I think it's too soft.


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## momoreg (Mar 4, 2000)

I don't remember the last time I used pastry flour. For pie dough, AP is fine. As TBH mentioned, don't overwork the dough, and protein content won't be an issue. This way, you'll have a strong but tender dough.


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## tea4tee (Jun 2, 2013)

[h2]I hope this will help. I've been doing some research on line on the same subject.[/h2][h2]Substitutions[/h2]
Each type of flour can be substituted for another with a few modifications.

Instead of 1 C cake flour, use ¾ C all-purpose flour plus 2 T cornstarch.

In place of 1 C pastry flour, combine ¾ C all-purpose flour and ¼ C cake flour.

To substitute cake flour for C all-purpose flour, try 1 C plus 2 T of cake flour.

http://www.ehow.com/

*TEA4TEE*


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