Pastry brush, varnished wood, 18cm Pastry brush with natural bristles and a rounded varnished wood handle. Ideal for brushing pastry, bread and scones with egg washes or milk to give it a shine and a good golden colour when baked. Also for blind baking pastry before filling as it seals the pastry base, ensuring it doesn't absorb moisture. Natural bristle brushes are ideal for this purpose as they hold the most liquid and are more pliable than silicone or nylon brushes. Measures 3/4" (2cm) wide and 7" (18cm) long. Hand washing is recommended for all your wood-handled and natural-bristle pastry brushes. Let them soak in hot soapy water, then massage the bristles clean with your fingers, and rinse thoroughly until all the soap is gone. Shake dry, then wrap in a clean cloth to dry. Occasionally dip the bristles in a solution of bleach water (half capful of bleach to a pint of water) for 30 seconds and rinse.