Pastry is the activity that consists of making cakes, sweets, pastries, cookies, desserts and other products.
Pastry is the activity carried out by a pastry chef . This person, for his part, is dedicated to making pastries, cakes , tarts , sweets, puddings, cookies or desserts .
For example: «My aunt Etelvina has been dedicated to baking for five decades» , «Next week I start a baking course» , «If you are lucky, you can earn good money with baking: people always want to eat something delicious » .
What is pastry
Generally the concept is used with reference to the production of sweet food products . Among the most used ingredients in baking are sugar, chocolate, vanilla , cream or milk, flour and eggs.
There are various techniques to make the preparations spongy and airy: one thing to keep in mind is that you should not knead the mixtures with wheat flour too much so as not to enhance the elastic property of gluten . If bread is made, however, the opposite is done.
An important aspect of baking is decoration . Because cakes and cakes are often served at banquets and celebrations, their appearance is intended to be distinctive. That is why great care is taken in the presentation of the products.
Pastry products can be sold in confectioneries, pastry shops or bakeries.
Marketing of products
Pastry creations are sold in shops known as confectioneries or pastry shops .
When the establishment in question also sells savory foods, it is usually called a bakery , even if it sells more than bread.
Types of pastries
A distinction can be made between artisanal baking and industrial baking . While artisanal baking is done by hand and natural ingredients are used, industrial baking usually uses flavorings and preservatives.
Within confectionery we also find the so-called homemade confectionery which, as its name indicates, is what is carried out in homes and which, as a general rule, is developed using recipes of great tradition that have been passed down from generation to generation. generation sweetening the whole family.
In Spain , for example, among the most typical sweets that fall within this category are torrijas, flakes, tocino de cielo, flores, pestiños, marzipan, nougat, porridge, Cordoban cake...
Main references
Due to the boom that cooking has experienced around the world, there are currently numerous awards and prizes awarded to the best professionals in the world of pastry.
In recent decades, among the pastry chefs who have been recognized are:
- Albert Adriá . In 2015 he was recognized as the best pastry chef. He is the brother of the famous chef Ferrán Adriá , with whom he has worked in his restaurant El Bulli , and has trained in the most recognized pastry shops such as Escribá in Barcelona or Totel , in Valencia , which belongs to the also very important Francisco Torreblanca .
- Jordi Roca . On several occasions he has achieved number 1 in the world ranking. He works alongside his brothers at the prestigious Celler de Can Roca restaurant, in Gerona , and has become a benchmark within his culinary field.