Making pastry shells

A method for making an annular baking ring for a pastry shell, the method comprising:

• providing an extrusion die having an annular cross-sectional plan form corresponding to a desired annular cross-sectional plan form of the baking ring;
• forming an elongated extrusion with the die;
• cutting an axial section from the extrusion;
• and,
• grinding the section between parallel plates of a centerless grinder until the section has a desired finished axial length and opposite first and second ends that are substantially parallel to each other.

A method for making pastry shells, the method comprising:

• providing an annular baking ring having one or more vertical side walls and opposite upper and lower ends that are open and parallel to each other;
• providing a lower support plate having a horizontal upper surface;
• locating the baking ring at a selected position on the upper surface of the lower support plate such that the baking ring and the lower support plate together define an upward-facing female die having a flat, horizontal floor and vertical interior side wall surfaces that intersect the floor at a right angle;
• disposing a gasket between the lower end of the baking ring and the upper surface of the lower support plate;
• providing an upper support plate having a horizontal lower surface disposed above and parallel to the lower support plate and a male die extending downward from the lower surface, the male die having a lower face and vertical side walls that are respectively complementary to the floor and interior side wall surfaces of the baking ring and being configured to be inserted concentrically downward into the female die with a complementary clearance fit defining a die space between the two dies;
• positioning the upper and lower support plates relative to each other such that, when the two plates are urged toward each other, the male die is inserted concentrically into the female die;
• resiliently supporting an annular sealing collar on the lower surface of the upper support plate and concentrically about the male die such that, when the upper and lower support plates are urged toward each other, the collar simultaneously sealingly engages the upper end of the baking ring and sealingly compresses the gasket between the lower end of the baking ring and the upper surface of the lower support plate;
• loading a selected volume of pastry dough into the upward-facing female die;
• and,
• controllably urging the upper and lower support plates toward each other such that the pastry dough is formed into a pastry shell having a floor and vertical side walls substantially conforming to the die space between the male and female dies.