Vinegar for Pastry

When adding vinegar to pastries, such as puff or filo pastry, which vinegar you apply can make or break the structure. The acid can be incorporated into the dough, to tenderize and relax the gluten built up. The acid found in vinegar is preferred over stronger or weaker acids found in other products or foods because a small amount will not be detectable by the tongue. Considering the word vinegar derives from the French word for ‘sour wine’, unsurprisingly vinegar is often made from wine.

Both pros and cons, vinegar can uniquely influence the flavor, texture, and color of your recipe. While a limited amount can lighten the texture and flavor, a generous helping will convince the tongue of the acid’s sourness as well as weigh down the puff. The amount of acetic acid in vinegar helps distinguish one from another, with the pH scale applied for everyday understanding. However it is more precise to measure the acetic acid. The percent acid is defined as the number of grams of acetic acid per 100 mL of vinegar. ¹

• White (Spirit) Vinegar: more pure (clear). Sugar cane + fermentation. Great for cleaning. 5-20% acid. ²
• Distilled Vinegar: from ethanol; liquid is separated from the base mixture. Can be made from a wide range of foods: rice, wine, apple cider, cane sugar, honey, coconut, kiwifruit, etc. Flavor not muted by other acids. Best for cooking. 5-8% acid.
  • White Wine Vinegar: from white wine + bacteria fermentation. Milder, but more tangy than other vinegar. Use for tenderizing meat, stews, and Hollandaise sauce.
  • Red Wine Vinegar: tartaric acid helps mute the acetic acid flavor. Grape selection can specify the varietal vinegar.
  • White Rice Vinegar: from fermented rice wines, typically found in Asian cuisine (soup and stir fry) and salad dressings. Often flavored because the flavor is weaker, sweeter than other vinegar.
  • Apple Cider Vinegar: the highest acidity, strong green apple flavor (malic acid). Commercially filtered with a clear light brown color while naturally cloudy when unfiltered. Often used to pickle fruits.
• Others: Cane, Malt, Balsamic, Sherry, flavored vinegar

For pastry, apple cider vinegar makes the strongest impact. If the vinegar does not have a sufficient level of acid for the protein in the flour (which builds up the gluten) then the impact will not be noticeable. If you tend to overwork any dough, add a tablespoon or so vinegar to try and counteract that damage. It also reduces the oxidation (discoloring).

This multi-purpose acid is as diverse as it is useful. Use it to bake, make cheese, poach eggs, make meringue, marinate meats, clean your shoes (ammonia-free), heal minor ailments (athlete’s foot), remove stains and smells (especially left from cats), and even to destroy weeds. Use the acid in vinegar to reduce the enzymes that brown cut fruits such as apples. The opportunities seem endless.