Pastry scares some home cooks.  When it is bad, it can be soggy or dry and tough. That's why most of us buy the frozen stuff from the supermakret.  Some of that is pretty bad, too, and made with things like margarine and canola oil.

 

Two years ago, South Australian foodies William and Claire Wood saw an opportunity to make upper-crust pastry for the food service and retail markets.  The Tanunda couple tested French, Australian, New Zealand and Belgain butter for their Careme Traditional Pastry business.  The Belgians won the bake-off and Claire says the finished puff pastry had the best lift, flake, texture and flavour. It also had a clean finish with none of the greasy aftertaste you get from the cheap brands.

 

In fact, it lifts so much that Wood says you shouldn't use it for pie bases.  She recommends Careme's sour cream flaky pastry for the bottom layer. 

 

The other porduct is a vanilla bean sweet shortcrust.

 

The company takes its title from French master baker Antonin Careme, a celebrated chef in the early 1800's.

 

The butter might be an offshore brand but Careme uses some famous South Australian brands too, including Laucke's flour and Rosie's free range eggs from the Barossa.

 

The Woods frun a patisserie at the Barossa Farmers Market at Angaston, selling goodies such as poached quince frangipane tart. You will have to hop on a plane to try that one.  For the retail pastry products, try your local deli.