Comments on: Brane dump

By: flerdle

flerdle — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 23:28:20 +0000

If you use your fingers, use only the ends, not your whole hands, because if you heat up the butter too much it will start to melt, which is not what you want. Rub like you’re making the “money” sign. You can leave large lumps this way (good for flakier pastry), or end up with fine breadcrumb-like results (good for scones), depending on how much you do it. I’ve never tried knives, I’d probably stab myself. Good luck.

By: Trish

Trish — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 13:52:14 +0000

My family will not eat cake.

By: mig

mig — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 13:23:04 +0000

But Trish, what will your family do without pastry in the apocalypse?

By: Trish

Trish — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 12:49:21 +0000

Judging from the pastry blender situation we are already entering a vague apocalyptica of scarcity. As a revolutionary, I will send you mine.

By: Horst

Horst — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 15:55:19 +0000

I use an electric mixer, Kochlöffel or Schneebesen, depending on what kind of dough it is.

By: Jann

Jann — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 15:51:46 +0000

I have never used a pastry blender; I use either my fingers or two knives, like dinner knives – they don’t have to be really sharp. I think it would be difficult with a fork.

By: mig

mig — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 15:00:18 +0000

Printing out a picture is good advice, judging from my success with verbal descriptions.
If this tool is not in common use, how is butter worked into pastry dough normally? With a fork like I do it now? With the fingers? I have been told it is done with two knives, which strikes me as dangerous.

By: Horst

Horst — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 14:39:47 +0000

I have no idea what this is called in German, basically because I don’t think an instrument that looks like this is used here in this country at all; or at least I’ve never seen it anywhere, and I am a frequent visitor to shops that sell kitchen tools. Places where you can ask: Slama on Mariahilfer Strasse, Grandia on Josefstädter Strasse, and Menning on (outer) Mariahilfer Strasse. Print out a picture and bring it along.

By: Jann

Jann — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 16:27:39 +0000

A pastry blender is a hard thing to describe; If it were I in this situation, I would print out that page with the pictures and take it with me to show to the store clerks.

By: flerdle

flerdle — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 13:51:19 +0000

I’ve never even heard of a pastry blender before; all my recipes call for fingertips and keeping it very cool. Good luck!