Ah, puff pastry 🥐✨ —the buttery, flaky superstar of baking!
What it is
- A light, flaky dough made by layering butter and dough, then folding and rolling repeatedly.
- When baked, the water in the butter turns to steam, creating puffy, layered pastry.
- Comes in sheets (frozen or fresh) or sometimes as a pre-rolled disc.
Common Uses
- Savory:
- Sausage rolls, chicken pot pie tops, cheese twists, puff pastry tarts
- Sweet:
- Fruit turnovers, palmiers, cream horns, mille-feuille
- Creative:
- Mini quiches, appetizers, pinwheels
Baking Tips
- Keep it cold: Butter layers must stay cold; warm butter = flat pastry.
- Don’t overwork: Minimal handling preserves flakiness.
- Egg wash: Brushing with beaten egg gives a golden, shiny finish.
- Dock for flat baking: Prick with a fork if you want the pastry to stay flat (like for tart bases).
- Freeze-friendly: Can bake from frozen; just add a few extra minutes.
Quick Ideas
- Savory snack: Ham + cheese rolled in puff pastry and baked
- Sweet treat: Apple slices + cinnamon + sugar wrapped in puff pastry
- Elegant appetizer: Brie + jam in puff pastry baked until golden
If you want, I can give a list of 10 easy, drool-worthy puff pastry recipes that are super beginner-friendly.
Do you want me to do that?
