We test pectin versus starch in a pastry filling
How to put a fruit filling in a soft pastry and keep it stable is a challenge known to every one of us who bakes long shelf-life products.
Solving the issue means choosing a stabiliser with just the right ability to stop fillings from migrating into the pastry or drawing moisture out of it – essential to preserving the fresh feel and look of soft pastries for several weeks after baking.
On top of that, you need a stabiliser that gives your filling a good taste and texture and makes for easy pumping through bakery processing systems.
So what opportunities are available?
For bakery fillings injected into soft pastries after baking, the choice is often between starch or pectin, which both produce a pumpable gel. While starch is the cheaper, more conventional alternative, pectin has a number of advantages – particularly an improved ability to regain its texture after pumping and injection. Pectin also returns an enhanced flavour release and mouthfeel, permitting a lower addition of flavourings and colour.
But neither pectin nor starch are the key to preventing migration. Instead, this is about choosing a stable pastry filling with the same water activity as the dough – typically around 0.8.
Our 30-day trial
To evaluate the performance of the two stabilisers, we decided to run our own trial – testing a filling stabilised with pectin against a filling stabilised with starch. Both fillings match the dough with regards to water activity.
Day 0 (left: Starch, right: Pectin)
Day 30 (left: Starch, right: Pectin)
The pectin we are using is GRINDSTED® Pectin PRIME 139 from the DuPont™ Danisco® range.
I am recently working on the fruit pie. Our fruit pie crust is the pie dough with low water inside. And fruit filling contains more water. If I add more water in the pie dough, it may turn like bread dough. In this case, how do I avoid the filling migration? Any suggestions? Thank you. Ling
Hi Ling Lee Regarding the pie crust. Is your pie crust baked in one stage, and then after cooling the fruit is added ? The problem with water migration from a fruit with higher water activity (aW) to a baked crust with a low water activity is a classic problem. Depending on how long the shelf-life have to be on your product, we may have a product called Barrier system 1000, that could help. Kind regards Jan Charels Hansen
Hi Ling Lee, I need to know a bit more about the recipe Brix SS pH fruit type fruit % Would also be nice to have an idea about the water activity in the dough but since it is a pie type it will probably in the area of 0.6 or perhaps lower . I can discuss that with the bakery department. The aim is that we should be as close as possible regards the water activity in fruit and dough , not alwayes possible but we can tailormake to optimal . When i have more info I will return to you. BR Grethe
That was a very informative distinction between starch and pectin. Can you show the same comparison in ice cream? Thank you.
Hi Rosena, We are the experts in bakery. I have forwarded your request to the our frozen desserts team, who will contact you directly. Best regards Anne Host Stenbak The Bakery Performance Team