***Note, I would recommend watching the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVOloNVP2Po&list=UU3YoO0TMNCuwFv6HyzOxnow&index=2&feature=plcp as it explains how to do each part of this process. If using pastry for something other than vol-au-vents, then don't worry about the part onwards from rolling it into a rectangle. Now, I have used the same recipe from this site, but substituted spelt flour for plain flour. I have also used this pastry for a pie, but it would be suitable for any recipe requiring puff-pastry. You may also like to use plain flour as she has, or experiment with a gluten-free flour. If you do happen to try this out, please leave a comment to let us know how it goes.
Easy Thermomix Wheat-free Puff-Pastry
90g ice cubes
180g unsalted butter, frozen (I find it best to chop into small sticks that will fit into the thermomix before freezing)
200g spelt flour
1/2 teaspoon himalayan salt, or similar (can use normal salt if necessary)
2 Tbsp water
- Put ice cubes, butter, flour and salt into Thermomix in the order listed. Chop 7 seconds/speed 7. Mix 5 seconds/REVERSE/speed 5. Knead 3 min/intermittent dough speed while adding the water.
- Compress into a bundle. Wrap in silicone mat or parchment paper and refrigerate for about 30 minutes before proceeding.
- Preheat oven to 200°C and make sure it is at this temperature when you place the pastry into the oven. Then grease your pie dish with extra butter.
- After the 30 minutes, take the mixture out of the refrigerator and begin rolling out on your silicon mat as shown in the video, adding flour when necessary. (I found I had to add flour to my mat, and the top of the pastry after each turn until it became less moist, and more pastry-like. I continued to roll and fold it until it was no longer wet, but all dry-make sure it doesn't get too dry though, as it may crumble. I then rolled it out to a circle to fit my pie dish, with enough left to re-roll for the top of the pie.)
- If you're not making a pie, roll it out to the desired shape.
- I then filled my pie with my savoury mince, wet my fingers to dampen the pastry where I was going to join it and placed the top on, pressing down all around the edges of it to seal it. After this, I brushed some egg wash on the top so it would brown in the oven, cut about 5 slits in the top and placed it in the oven (you could probably use a milk wash or other substitute if you can't have eggs).
- Cook for 20 minutes @ 200°C, then turn the oven down to 180°C and continue cooking until pastry is crunchy and golden brown.
