Dough too soft!

[Wayne1]

Hello all! I am trying to make a simple dough that is firm enough that it can be sheeted down to about 1/8" to make filled turnovers. I have tried many times with different recipes but after cutting the dough into discs the dough is just too soft and flimsy. It won't hold up to molding. I want to make this product with shortening. The dough discs you can buy in some of the supermarkets all are very firm and hold up great. Do they add something to the dough to make it firm?
Appreciate any help! Thanks

 

[Becky]

Welcome to the forum! Homemade pastry dough needs to be kept really cold so that the fat remains solid. Have you tried refrigerating the dough before rolling and shaping? If you could share a link to the recipe you are using that would be useful too.

 

[Wayne1]

Welcome to the forum! Homemade pastry dough needs to be kept really cold so that the fat remains solid. Have you tried refrigerating the dough before rolling and shaping? If you could share a link to the recipe you are using that would be useful too.

Hi Becky. Thank you for your reply. Yes, I kept the fat (shortening) frozen and then grated (large size grate) into the flour. I even refrigerated the bowl the flour was in! Quickly put the dough together with ice cold water, vinegar, salt, egg. That is basically the ingredients for various recipes. Sometimes left the dough refrigerated overnight.
Ii did this with butter too.
I am trying to get the pastry rolled thin. I happen to have a dough sheeter. Cut into discs, and filled. Trying to produce a puff style when baked.
The dough comes out unmanageable . Will not hold up or stay together very well when filled and put into a turnover press.

 

[Becky]

Well you are definitely doing everything right in terms of keeping the dough cold! You may be adding too much water, you need to stop when it still looks crumbly but holds when squeezed together. Different flours have different levels of absorbency, plus it also depends on the conditions you are making it in. The amount of liquid given by a recipe is more of a guide, so perhaps try adding less next time.

I don't have a lot of experience with puff pastry though, I always tend to make shortcrust pastry (and I used a food processor). Are you making a rough puff pastry? If you're interested in a full lamination process there is good advice in this post: Puff pastry dough lamination

 

[retired baker]

Hello all! I am trying to make a simple dough that is firm enough that it can be sheeted down to about 1/8" to make filled turnovers. I have tried many times with different recipes but after cutting the dough into discs the dough is just too soft and flimsy. It won't hold up to molding. I want to make this product with shortening. The dough discs you can buy in some of the supermarkets all are very firm and hold up great. Do they add something to the dough to make it firm?
Appreciate any help! Thanks

What type of shortening?
Simply put, I'd make the dough stiffer, just add flour.
I made big batches with butter, never put anything in the freezer or chilled bowls, the ice water is good to use.
Chilling overnite is good.

If you have a cellphone with camera why not throw a quick video on youtube.