| Chinese flaky pastry | |
| Alternate Name: | Chinese puff pastry |
| Country: | China |
| Type: | Pastry |
| Main Ingredient: | Flour, shortening (traditionally lard) |
| Variations: | Huaiyang-style Cantonese-style |
| Similar Dish: | Flaky pastry |
Chinese flaky pastry (Chinese: 中式酥皮; also known as Chinese puff pastry) is a form of unleavened flaky pastry used in traditional Chinese pastries that are invariably called subing (soubeng in Cantonese).[1] There are two primary forms, Huaiyang-style (淮揚酥皮) and Cantonese-style pastry (廣式酥皮).[2] Huaiyang-style pastry is used to make delicacies such as Shanghainese 'crab shell' pastries (蟹殼黃) while Cantonese-style pastry is used to make pastries like sweetheart cakes.
Both forms require creating two doughs: a 'water' dough and an 'oil' dough. The 'water' dough requires mixing of flour, oil or fat, and warm water at a ratio of 10:3:4, while the 'oil' dough requires direct mixing of flour and oil or fat at a ratio of 2:1 or 3:1, which provides for a crumbly mouthfeel and rich flavour.[3] The two types of dough are systematically folded and rolled out to form multiple laminated layers of flaky dough, filled with various fillings, and baked at a temperature between 180and.[4]