10/21/2009

Rachel M from MA

I use this flour to make wonderfully tender scones/biscuits, and I took another reviewer's advice and used it for crepes (which came out wonderfully even though my batter required vigorous mixing to get out all the lumps). When I use it for scones, the dough can sometimes be a little sticky (it absorbs less water), but I form it into circles with wet fingers right on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and stick it in the freezer until the dough firms up enough to cut cleanly and slightly separate. Then into the oven still partially frozen (with a few minutes added to bake time), and out come super-moist, tender scones. I had never used a low-protein flour before, and I doubted whether it would be much different than all-purpose, but I was really pleasantly surprised. Great addition to my pantry, and I'm very glad I tried it.
Rachel - It is great to know how happy you are with this flour. You provided some very helpful tips for us at KAF and our readers. Thank you! Elisabeth @ KAF

10/21/2009

J. Lucas from Hillsboro, OR

I love this pastry flour, it made my pie crusts that were good, outstanding, so flaky and tasty!

12/07/2008

Joseph Polizzotto from Florida

This is an excellent flour. My pie crusts come out very flaky and tender and I use unsalted butter in my recipe. I use it for muffins too and they come out lighter than when I used regular all-purpose flour. My shortbread cookes were so light and tender, I had to handle them carefully removing them from the cookie sheet onto a cookie rack. They were not hard and brittle after cooling. The real benefit is that you don't have to worry about over working the dough because the protein content is low. You will get tender products all the time. Recently I used this pastry flour in my crepe recipe and came out with great success. I mixed all the ingredients in a blender until smooth and didn't not have to worry about developing the gluten because pastry flour is a low gluten flour. The crepe batter was smooth and like cream. No more rubber crepes! The crepes were delicate and light and delicous. I recommend using King Arthur unbleached pastry flour when you want a tender product and the develpment of too much gluten is not your aim in your recipe.

11/20/2008

Elaine Humphreys-Allen from Charlotte, NC

More akin to English/European pastry flour. It gives a lighter, crispier crust, it is less doughy or bread like in consistency. Essential for making the more delicate pastries we are used to from across the "pond".