New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Rolling Pins

post #1 of 5
11/27/10 at 12:00pm
Thread Starter 

Does the type of rolling pin you use make a difference?  I have been using a tapered dowel for my pie crust dough and I've been having problems with cracks developing on the edges. I began to wonder if it might be because of the tapered dowel. It exerts pressure on the dough over a relatively small area.  A traditional rolling pin exerts pressure ove a wider area.  I had better luck (not perfect) when I used the traditional rolling pin. What do you think?

Reply

Featured Stories on ChefTalk.com

When Cooks Cook for Themselves
The Making of a Chef Innovator, without the Pomp
Follow ChefTalk on Pinterest!
post #2 of 5
11/28/10 at 4:41am

I have 2 types of rolling pins. One for rolling out dough as in bread or Danish, and one just for pie dough.

The large pin is wood with ball bearings so the rolling is done more by the pin than by me.

The pie dough pin is strictly my own technique and does not rely on the pin to do the work.

Practice makes perfect.....and patience too.

Reply
post #3 of 5
11/28/10 at 9:57am
Thread Starter 

to clarify, do you use the traditional pin with the handles and bearings for the pie crust dough?

Reply
post #4 of 5
11/28/10 at 11:24am

You can get the "monster" pins with bearings and handles, being as large as 18" and wieghing in at close to 5 lbs.  These are designed for commerical kitchens and for large amounts of dough.

 

I see a common problem with many students and new-comers when it comes to rolling out dough--they work too hard! 

 

Say you have a hunk of pie dough, maybe 4- 5 " thick and you want to roll it out.  The first question I ask is why is the dough so thick?  When you make the dough fresh, it is very soft and mallable--this is where you press it into a thin, flat package or discs, wrap up, refrigerate, and then roll out.  A lot of the "grunt work"--reducing the thickness from 4" to 1" has been taken away.  You can also slice off 1" thick slices off the dough and start to roll these out instead of whaling on the dough to flatten it out.

 

In the end, whatever works for you, works.  I find the tapered pin works like a Ferrari, and the bearing handled pin a Mack Truck.

Reply
post #5 of 5
11/28/10 at 11:55am
Quote:
Originally Posted by equinox View Post

to clarify, do you use the traditional pin with the handles and bearings for the pie crust dough?



I use the wood tapered dowel type of pie crust

Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Pastries & Baking

Featured Stories on ChefTalk.com

When Cooks Cook for Themselves
The Making of a Chef Innovator, without the Pomp
Follow ChefTalk on Pinterest!