Only a food lover knows the happiness of seeing a pastry coming towards them. A pastry is something you can eat before or after your meal; the satisfaction it gives will remain the same. Well, some food lovers not only love eating pastry, but they also like making it with their hands.
Let’s take a situation; you have gathered all the ingredients required to make a pastry. Uh-oh, you don’t have a pastry cutter near you, and you don’t have time to buy it from the market. So, what will you do in this situation? You’ll try to find its substitutes, right? Well, you can end your search here as we have found some great pastry cutter substitutes to save your day and mood!
First of all, let’s clarify the meaning of a pastry cutter. A pastry cutter, also by the name dough blender or pastry blender, is a baking tool made to integrate fat into the flour to make a dough. Pastry cutters are basically half-circle-shaped with a flat handle and a chain of curved blades or metal wires opposite the handle. You must have seen a pastry recipe say “cut in butter” that’s what a pastry cutter does.
Forks are important kitchen appliances found in every household around the world. Well, apart from eating noodles, you can also use forks while making pastries! First, just put all the dry ingredients in the bowl. Remember that the fork you are using is clean and dry. Then, mix all the ingredients with the fork.
Now cut small pieces of butter and add them in small quantities in the bowl, mixing them with the sharp ends of the fork. Keep doing that until you get a fine consistency per your pastry recipe.
Quick fun fact: It was the Italian nuns and monks who introduced pastries to Italy.2. Knife
A chef is recognized by the different types of knives they keep in their kitchen. Knives are not for cutting purposes only; you can also use them while making pastry. How?
You’ll need two knives for maximum benefit. First of all, cut small cold butter pieces in the bowl. After that, add the remaining ingredients. Now, use these two knives to mix all the ingredients until they are properly mixed and make a nice dough.
Quick fun fact: Croissant was influenced by an Austrian Pastry
Don’t just use your beautiful hands to eat delicious pastries; it’s time to use them to make pastries. Use both of your hands to mix all the ingredients in the bowl but make sure you maintain hygiene. Wash your hands with clean water and liquid soap before conducting the process.
Do not use wet hands to mix the ingredients. Instead, dry them with a towel or tissue, then start the process. Put the flour inside the bowl, take the butter, and start using your hands to mix it. Keep a check if the butter is getting evenly mixed with the flour.
If you feel like your hands are getting hot, stop right there, wait until your hands feel cool, and start again. As the fat or butter can get ruined by the heat generated and the overall taste will be sad, it’s better to cool down your hands.
Quick fun fact: On average, an American eats 300 cookies per year.
Welcome the cheese grater in your kitchen waiting for you to use for things other than grating cheese. You can use it to make pastry dough. But for this, you need to cool the butter in your refrigerator first.
First of all, fill the bowl with all the ingredients, and using the cheese grater, grate the cheese. Do not grate the whole butter; stop in half. Then, store the butter in the refrigerator again. The best part about using a cheese grater is that you can easily mix the ingredients with your hands or knives because the butter is now in very small amounts.
After you’re done half mixing the ingredients, take out the freezing butter and grate it. Follow this process until you get a smooth consistency.
Quick fun fact: The hole in donuts is made by particular machinery.
An egg mixer can also be used as a substitute for a pastry cutter. After putting all the ingredients inside the bowl, cut the cold butter using whatever you want. Now set the low speed of the egg mixer after you put it inside the bowl.
Keep in mind that the butter pieces are small to get mixed evenly with all the dry ingredients. But, in some time, you’ll see a fine consistency in your pastry dough.
Using the egg mixer slowly is the key to a good dough. But, by mistake, if you use it at high speed, you can expect your place to become a mess real soon.
Quick fun fact: A pastry war between the French and Mexicans over an unpaid debt to a French pastry chef.
Now, whenever you decide to make a cookie at home, you can always try these pastry cutter substitutes. We are sure you must have at least two of these substitutes in your kitchen. There is no complicated technique to use them. Just follow our instructions, and we are sure you will get a smooth consistency dough by the end.
Make delicious pastries without worrying about pastry cutters. Also, did you read the quick fun facts? Hope we successfully entertained you while you were gaining some knowledge about pastry cutters. Cooking is an art, and art requires patience and consistent efforts. While making pastry make sure you’re maintaining hygiene as a hygienic kitchen makes tasty pastries. Also, you’ll have to waste less time cleaning your kitchen area.