The naturally cool temperature of granite is not the only reason why it is perfect for preparing pastry. When rolling out pastry you tend to use a lot of flour; a smooth granite surface makes it quick and easy to wipe the excess flour away.
Flat surfaces like granite, steel, and other counters won't get damaged. Another way you can roll out your dough is by putting it between two sheets of wax paper or brown parchment paper. Again, use flour or powdered sugar to minimize sticking.
Although dough can be rolled out on a floured work surface, we prefer to sandwich it between two large sheets of plastic wrap or parchment paper. Starting at the center of the disk, roll away from you, then spin the dough a quarter turn and again, starting at the center, roll away from you.
Marble makes the perfect countertop for baking because it can stay cool while you are working on it with dough. It doesn't compromise the texture or consistency of the foundation of your creation, whether that be a pie, a pizza dough, or pastry due to a rise in temperature during folding, kneading, or rolling.
Silicone pastry mats are excellent nonstick work surfaces. Dough that would normally require a lot of flour to prevent sticking, suddenly does not. The dough will slide and turn and roll easily. It works for literally everything—cookies, pie dough, babka dough, Danishes.
Here's our method: Place well-chilled dough on floured counter and sprinkle lightly with flour. Place tapered rolling pin in center of dough with ends at 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock and roll dough outward from center to edge, applying even, gentle pressure.
Indeed, you can! Quartz is an ideal countertop for those looking to bake often. Quality quartz, like a natural stone countertop, keeps a cool-to-the-touch feel that will allow you to work with butter in your dough without it beginning to melt. Another advantage is that it is non-porous.
Granite can be chosen to fit any decor or design scheme. Granite is also very durable and resists heat. This makes it great for kneading dough, making roll-out cookies, and other tasks that need a cool countertop for best results.
While polished countertops are great for rolling out a chilled dough, you may want to consider transferring your dough to a wooden cutting board or sliding a silicone mat underneath before you start using those cookie cutters. Natural stones are very durable, they are not 100% scratchproof!
In addition to pizza and pie dough, marble is great for rolling out cookie dough; making pasta, candy and biscuits; and tempering chocolate. Even if you have marble countertops, a marble pastry board is great to have for serving purposes.
Linen is durable, flexible and light, and is the best material to proof bread. Placing the dough between the folds maintains its shape, absorbs the excess moisture and prevents them from sticking to each other as they increase in size. Only a 100% linen cloth can do all these and release the dough without sticking.
Yep, if you're installing new granite countertops, your granite fabricator can repurpose the granite remnants into useful kitchen tools for preparing, cooking, baking, and grilling food. Because granite is so durable, it can be heated as high as 1,200 degrees F, and it can be chilled to freezing temperatures.
It requires very little maintenance and is quite durable. However, when looking to maintain its stain resistance, some maintenance is required from time to time to reseal the material. In its natural state, granite is porous and absorbs liquids easily, therefore it needs to be sealed to make it stain-resistant.
If you're planning an outdoor kitchen or bar area, you may be searching for a countertop material that can withstand the elements such as hot, direct sunlight or freezing temperatures. Granite countertops are resistant to warping and cracking.
If you have stone or granite countertops you may not want to knead or proof your bread directly on a cold surface. While wood is generally considered best for baking, some of us can only wish for nice wooden bench tops in our kitchen. Cold granite can pull heat out of your dough and slow proofing activity.
While you can cut directly on some stone countertops, it is not recommended. Granite is one of the most durable countertop materials you can buy, and it can certainly withstand cuts from a knife blade. However, if your granite has a sealer on it, cutting can eventually wear down the sealant.
That can be marble, but it can also be butcher block countertops, or even just a wooden cutting board placed down so the dough can be rolled out. Of course, we don't think there's anything wrong with rolling out your dough on stainless steel.
Candy-making Station: For hard-core candy makers, a cool granite slab is just what you need to temper chocolate. If you don't want to use your kitchen counters, an island or table with a granite slab can be the ideal compromise.
If I want to knead without flour I use oil instead. The best surface for bread is one that is smooth and that could be stone, metal, or synthetic. A smooth wood can do just as well. I use a silpat sheet (silicone with some sort of fiber reinforcement in it).
Quartz ticks all the boxes for a chef-proof kitchen countertop. It's durable, non-porous, heat, scratch, and stain-resistant, low-maintenance, easy to keep clean, and maintains a low temperature year-round.