Food processor doughs and technique

When it comes to things like pie doughs, biscuit doughs, and other similar doughs, I am a mix of traditional and modern.  When I was growing up, and for a while into my grown-up years as well, every time I made certain kinds of doughs, it was always by hand -- taking cold butter already cut into chunks and mixing it into a flour mixture, pressing the butter  into the flour between my fingertips and working it all until everything was the right consistency.  There's a lot to be said for traditional approaches that have been in practice for generations. 

Then the time came when I learned how to make a good pie dough using a food processor.  After much trial and error as well as much research on many different ideas people had about how to use a food processor for this sort of task, I finally determined how I would make my pie crusts with this handy little gadget.  The method involves cutting the butter into very small chunks, and cutting the vegetable shortening the same way.  (Yes, I use a blend of both.)  Then freezing the chunks.  Then the flour mixture is placed into the food processor.  This is followed by adding the frozen butter chunks and pulsing the food processor a precise number of times (6) for a precise number of seconds for each pulse (5).  Then the frozen vegetable shortening is added and the processor is pulsed 5 times for 1 second each time.

After that, the mixture is emptied into a larger bowl and ice cold water is added, the dough is mixed and then shaped, and then wrapped and chilled overnight before using.

I have found with this method (and in a future post, I can go into more precise detail than I have above if anyone is interested) I get a consistent pie crust every time, one that has a texture and flavor with which I am happy.  I use it for pies, slab pies (see the photo above), and quiche.  For me this method has completely replaced the old traditional by-hand method.  

I have tried making biscuit dough the same way, but it doesn't yield a result that I like yet.  I have a feeling that I just need to keep tweaking the numbers to get a satisfactory result.  However, in the meantime, I still make my biscuit doughs by hand or by using a pastry cutter.  I have to admit, though, that I really don't care for using a pastry cutter as often as some other are prone to do.  I find that I have to stop and clean out the chunks of butter and dough from between the blades far more frequently than is ideal for me.  

This issue with using different methods for producing doughs brings up a good point.  Technique does indeed matter.  There are many who think that it's all about simply using the right ingredients and cooking something for the right amount of time at the right temperature.  But many things affect the outcome when working with a good recipe:  the order in which ingredients are combined, whether ingredients are at room temperature or cold, how they are physically mixed or beaten or whisked, whether one is using a machine or doing hand-work, the ambient temperature of the room (for pastry work and bread rising), and so many other things.  Technique does matter.

The good thing, though, is that once you get the technique solidified in your head for a specific recipe, it's very easy to keep doing it over and over again, as long you pay attention to the details.  And that means you can have a very satisfying result virtually every time.  Only virtually every time?  Yes.  Because sometimes no matter how much care you take in measuring ingredients, applying your production technique, and baking, something can always go wrong.  Making food is a science and an art, both at once.  And that means sometimes something unexpected happens.  Sooner or later it happens.  To everyone, no matter how many years they have been making food.

I'm about to pull some challah out of the oven.  So far it looks to be baking up as expected.  In a while, I'll taste it and see.  

Have a great week!  Eat some great food!  And enjoy life!