Why does my pastry shrink?

[~Raven~]

Arrrrrgh!

It's flour, butter, salt, egg yolk and cold water. Blend it up, chill & roll then put it in the tin, trim around the top and blind bake and it damn well shrinks It shrinks away from the edge of the tin and also down the side of it.

My quiche ended up being a fritata because the egg would have spilleth over the pastry and into the tin, thus ending in a messy disaster.



What can I do besides buy frozen stuff, which I don't want to do?

[Rouge]

Maybe freeze/chill in pan before blind baking? Or maybe try a different pastry? Also if you overwork a pastry it will shrink.

[Roryrory]

Definately chill then roll into tin then chill again. The second chilling helps heaps. Also don't over trim the pastry to fil the pan IYKWIM? Rouge is also right - overworking will make it shrink more - since using a food processor I have had less problems in this department....

[~Raven~]

OK will try chilling again once it's been pressed into the pan. So 30mins about right for that bit too then?

I really don't think I overworked it. Once it had come together in the processor, I gave it a quick knead then it was in the fridge for 30 mins.

[Trillian]

If your pastry dough is too 'wet' it will shrink as well. Ideally with pastry you only need just enough water to make it hold together if you pinch some between your fingers. Sometimes this will be more liquid than the recipes states or less, you really have to add a little bit at a time until you get the right consistency.