5 Types of Pastry and Their Uses

From soft and flaky croissants to crisp and crunchy shortbreads, pastries are a key component of both sweet and savoury recipes. Depending on what pastry you want to make, the base of your recipe will likely be crafted from one of five different types of pastry dough. With the right tools, like KitchenAid® stand mixers or food processors, you will have the freedom to explore new recipes using each of these types of dough. Read on to learn about the five different types of pastry and new recipes you can try at home

List of 5 Types of Pastry Doughs

There are five main types of pastry dough for creating pastries: flaky, shortcrust, puff, choux and filo. All of them are made primarily from flour, water and fat. However, these five types of pastry dough each have slightly different core ingredients, different ratios of ingredients and, ultimately, different uses.

1. Flaky

Delicate and simple to make, flaky pastry is used for sweet or savoury dishes that bake quickly, such as the common pie crust. With large pieces of butter mixed into the dough, flaky pastries are more easily made with a food processor or a specialised pastry blender. Requiring a delicate touch, this flaky pastry is easy to overwork, so make sure to pay close attention to the recipe directions.

Recipe: Herbed Zucchini Quiche

Made from a flaky pastry dough, this tasty zucchini quiche is a delight in every bite. To ensure your dough has an even consistency, use a KitchenAid® food processor to mix together the flaky pastry dough.

2. Shortcrust

Perfect for cooks who love to bake, shortcrust pastry is a stout dough used to make thicker pastries like tarts and biscuits. This pastry won't be as easily overworked as others as it takes about half of the fat to flour in its recipe, which binds the pastry together. For each of the four types of shortcrust, crumbles are a plus.

Recipe: Fig Tart

Simple yet elegant, this delicious fig tart uses a simple shortcrust base with show stopping results. With golden-brown edges and a perfect crust thanks to a KitchenAid® food processor, every slice of this tart will feel decadent.

3. Puff

Although similar in texture to a flaky pastry, puff pastry differs significantly in how much time it takes to make. It is traditionally formed by rolling dough over a rectangular shape of cold butter in the lamination process. Perfect for making pie crusts or meat pies, flaky puff pastry is the mark of a detailed baker. An easier version of puff pastry, called rough puff, can also be made with a stand mixer for a more hands-off and quicker approach. Discover sweet and savoury puff pastry recipe ideas.

Recipe: Vanilla Slice

Light, fluffy and mouth-watering, homemade vanilla slice is something your whole family will love. Use your KitchenAid® stand mixer and whisk accessory to whip up a sweet cream filling for this classic pastry dish

4. Choux

Choux pastry, also sometimes called cream-filled pastry, has a crispy outer shell and a hollow interior to hold delicious sweet and savoury fillings. Perhaps surprisingly, this light pastry dough begins with the addition of eggs. The thick, damp mixture then rises by steam which is what creates choux pastry's outer shell.

Recipe: Profiteroles

Eclairs in circular form, what's not to love! The flavours in this recipe are failsafe and a KitchenAid® stand mixer and whisk attachment keeps creating the creamy, sweet filling easy.

5. Filo

Relative of the puff pastry, filo is made by layering a series of thin sheets of the pastry on top of its filling, such as in baklava or spring rolls. The unleavened dough is stretched into a paper-thin sheet, brushed with oil, then layered with more dough sheets and oil, so that when baked it crisps as opposed to puffing up.

Recipe: Spinach & Feta Filo Pie

This cheesy, flaky Spanakopita is a comforting savory Greek pie made of golden crispy layers of filo pastry and a delicious filling of spinach and feta cheese.

What is a Pastry Beater And How is it Used to Make Pastry?

Pastry beaters or blenders are kitchen tools that are used for cutting butter into flour when creating pastry dough. If using a handheld version, you will need to press it into your butter and flour mixture over and over to create small pieces of butter coated in flour.

The pastry beater from KitchenAid brand attaches to your stand mixer to make handmade quality pastry dough, with less effort.

What is the Most Popular Pastry?

The answer to the most popular pastry will depend not only on where you live but also whether you are looking for a sweet or savoury pastry. For example, if you are looking to eat a sweet-filled pastry with your morning coffee, chocolate croissants (puff pastry) are a popular choice, especially in France. In Australia, the flaky pastry that forms the base of sweet fruit pies like a classic apple pie, or savoury meat pies might be the most popular.