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Question
QUESTION: Why does pastry weigh less than the sum total weight of the ingredients once it is mixed together?
ANSWER: Sam:
I thought I had answered your question a couple of days ago. It seems that this site "loses" questions from time to time, this is the second time that has happened.
Anyway, I'm not sure if I have an answer for you. Are you talking about the finished product or raw dough? If you are weighing the baked pastry then the weight difference is water loss. If you are weighing raw dough then I would have to ask how you are weighing the different ingredients.
Elyse
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: We were weighing raw dough just on normal scales. The recipe says "to make 8 ounces of pastry" yet there are 12 ounces of ingredients. We weighed it just after mixing...
Sam:
My guess is, and assuming that you weighed the raw ingredients separately first, that the recipe must be referring to the weight of the finished pastry (baked). Are you coming out with too much dough, or is it just curiosity that has you wondering about the weights?
Elyse
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Elyse Grau
Expertise
I can answer any questions about baking. The only thing I'm not too good at is baking pies, nor do I know much about high altitude baking.
Experience
I have been baking for over 30 years. One of my hobbies is creating recipes, most of those for baked goods. I made my own wedding cake. Currently I prefer to bake healthier things. I use a lot of whole wheat and other whole grain flours, and prefer to use less sugar or sugar substitutes in my baking. I do a lot with fruit.
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