Pastry brush

A pastry brush is a small brush used to paint liquid onto food or pans. Bakers use it to brush egg wash on pastry and bread so it bakes shiny and golden, to spread a thin glaze on fruit tarts, and to grease pans. Cooks use it to baste meat and to oil vegetables before grilling.

How to use it

1. Dip just the tips of the bristles into the liquid, then wipe off the extra on the side of the bowl.
2. Brush with light, even strokes in one direction. Do not scrub.
3. Keep the liquid off the cut edges of puff pastry and other laminated dough. Egg wash on the edges glues the layers together and stops them rising.
4. On rising bread, brush very gently so you do not knock out air.

Types:

• Natural bristle holds liquid well and gives the thinnest, most even coat. It is best for egg wash and delicate pastry.
• Silicone is easy to clean, handles heat on a grill and does not shed. It holds less liquid and spreads it less smoothly.
• Flat brushes, about 2.5 to 4 cm (1 to 1.5 in) wide, suit most jobs.

How to store it

Wash it right after use. After egg, rinse it first in cold or lukewarm water, since hot water sets egg in the bristles. Then wash it in hot soapy water and rinse well. Shake it out and dry it standing bristles up, or lying flat. Store it only when fully dry, or it can grow mold.

Common mistakes

• Using a dripping brush. Pools of egg wash bake into dark, scrambled spots.
• Using a cheap paint brush from a hardware store. The paint may not be food-safe, and the bristles shed.
• Pressing hard on soft dough, which drags and deflates it.
• Basting raw meat and then using the same brush on cooked food. Keep a separate brush, or wash it between uses.

In recipes

"Brush with egg wash" or "brush with melted butter" means a thin coat with this tool. If you have none, a folded piece of paper towel or your clean fingertips can do the job, though less evenly.