Drawing a pattern in pastry


Drawing a pattern in pastry
Often in the kitchen, in pastry-making, or in baking, we need to trace a pattern on a pastry.

It's just a question of aesthetics but it has its effect after baking on a galette, pithiviers, pâté en croute (terrine in a pie crust), etc.
31 K 4.1/5 (26 reviews)
Grade this page:
Keywords for this post:PastryPatternsDrawingAestheticTracingGildingKnife
Last modified on: May 23th 2019
For this post: Comment Follow Send to a friend User-friendly URL
Drawing a pattern in pastry
It is not very complicated in principle, in general the dough is gilded with a brush and dorure, and then with the tip of a knife you trace the chosen pattern, before either putting it in the oven directly (puff pastry, shortcrust pastry or sweetcrust pastry (pâte sablée)), or putting it in a warm place (milk rolls or croissants, ...).

galette



It's simple in principle, but it deserves some precisions and 1 or 2 tricks, because it's easy to get it wrong.

How to do it?

dorure



First of all, we agree, you have to "gild", that is to say to pass some gilding with a brush in a fine and regular layer on the top of the dough. This is important for the colouring when baking of course, but also because by doing this you will create a colour contrast between the dough, golden, and the incisions you will make afterwards, which will show the light, non golden dough. It is this contrast that will give a beautiful pattern when baking.

Then you have to draw the pattern, usually you use a small sharp knife, and that's the trick: you mustn't use the blade of the knife normally (as if you were cutting something), but upside down, that is to say you must use the back of the blade, the one that is thicker and does not cut. And that's because you don't want to split the dough, and in the process risk going through it, but just groove it with the thick side of the knife blade.

incrustation en pâtisserie



And if possible, don't hold the knife by the handle (as on this picture), because you have too much strength and you risk to crush the dough when you should be "airy", but rather hold it by the blade, between thumb and forefinger, handle up, almost like a pen.

Once you have learned this gesture, give free rein to your creativity in terms of decoration and draw the pattern of your choice: grid, spiral, flowers, grid,...

To sum up: To trace a pattern on a pastry before baking, the best way is to use the thick side of the blade of a small knife, holding it upside down, by the blade, pinched between the thumb and the index finger.

Lasts posts
Always secure your cutting board
Always secure your cutting board
When using a cutting board, it's very important that it's stable and doesn't move while you're cutting, for safety's sake. Boards have a natural tendency to slide on the work surface, but here are 2 ways to block them effectively.
July 1st 20254715
Cherry clafoutis, with or without pits?
Cherry clafoutis, with or without pits?
When it comes to cherry clafoutis recipes, there's often a camp of those who argue that you absolutely have to leave the stones in because it tastes better, and the other camp (myself included) who prefer cherries without stones, which makes a much more pleasant clafoutis to eat. But is it true...
June 29th 20256635
Should potatoes be washed twice?
Should potatoes be washed twice?
Let's say you have to make a recipe that includes potatoes, let's say sliced, you'll most likely proceed as follows: Peel the potatoes, wash them, slice them, wash them again, pat them dry and add them to your recipe. But there's a "but": depending on the recipe, the second washing may be a bad...
May 19th 20252,268 15
Grilled bacon is much better in the oven
Grilled bacon is much better in the oven
Some recipes call for thin slices of bacon to be cooked and added to the recipe, or to prepare one of those delicious breakfasts known as "à l'Anglaise".
April 25th 20252,0375
The thermometer is your friend
The thermometer is your friend
There are many recipes or foods that require a (very) precise cooking temperature: foie gras, sugar for caramel, meats and fish, and not forgetting pastries. For these few examples, getting the cooking temperature wrong can spoil the whole recipe or dish: undercooked, it's no good or misses the...
April 10th 20252,3605

Other pages you may also like
For well opened (puffed) cakes
For well opened (puffed) cakes
It's always nice to have a well puffed up cake after baking, not only will it taste good but it looks great too. Let's see how to get this beautiful shape almost every time.
January 23th 201930 K4.2
Fruits which can ruin your jelly
Fruits which can ruin your jelly
There are many ways of making a fruit mousse, but one of the simplest is to prepare a fruit jelly (basically a fresh fruit coulis with gelatine) and then mix this jelly before it sets completely with whipped cream. The result is perfect for filling a charlotte, for example. But do beware;...
March 6th 201374 K4.0
The 3 kinds of meringue
The 3 kinds of meringue
Meringue – what could be simpler? Just beaten egg whites with sugar added. This makes a fairly stiff mixture which can then be cooked in a cool oven to create those lovely, light confections. But in the world of professional patisserie, meringue comes in three different kinds. Even if the...
June 14th 201361 K4.5
What is the difference between bakery and patisserie?
What is the difference between bakery and patisserie?
This is a question that you may well have asked yourself and which I will attempt to answer. In France the two trades of "boulangerie" (bakery) and "pâtisserie" (patisserie and confectionery) have always been quite distinct, but where exactly do the boundaries lie? .
February 7th 2017129 K 14.1
Candied fruits: don't get ripped off
Candied fruits: don't get ripped off
Do you like candied fruit? You might like to nibble a handful or add it to a recipe, like a classic fruit cake or delicious Italian specialities like panettone or sicilian epiphany pie.
June 21th 201762 K 24.2
Post a comment or question
Posted by:
I am not a leaving thing

Follow this page
If you are interested in this page, you can "follow" it, by entering your email address here. You will then receive a notification immediately each time the page is modified or a new comment is added. Please note that you will need to confirm this following.
I am not a leaving thing
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Alternatively: you can subscribe to the mailing list of cooling-ez.com , you will receive a e-mail for each new recipe published on the site.

Back to top of page