marmalady
Executive Chef
This is for GB, and anyone else who feels a little intimadated by using puff pastry. A few simple rules, and you will 'own' it! It's such a great thing to have on hand, for aps, main courses and desserts.
Most of the ready made puff pastry is okay - Pepperidge Farms is probably the most common. DuFours is great, if you can find it.
A few things to remember when working the pastry -
- Keep it as cold as you can - returning it to the fridge after you've assembled whatever it is you're making is a plus.
-When rolling it out or cutting it, don't 'mash' the edges; the pastry needs to be able to puff up on the edges.
-Prebaking it for 10-15 minutes in a hot oven - we used 400 on convection, use 425 on a regular oven - helps with the 'soggy bottom'.
-Also brushing with beaten egg on the bottom helps prevent soggy bottom.
Here's a super easy way to start experimenting with PP -
Preheat oven to 425. Prep a sheet pan with parchment. Take a sheet of PP and lay it out flat on a floured surface. Now take a sharp knife (pizza cutters work great for this!), and cut rectangles about 2 x 3 inches each. Place on the sheet pan about 2 inchs apart. Now take a sharp paring knife, and make a pretty little design on top of the pastry - a geometric, or simple flower. Be sure to only cut through the top of pastry - don't go all the way through. Then take some beaten egg and brush the tops almost out to the edge. Bake for 15-20 minutes til pastry is puffed and golden brown. Remove from oven, cool on a rack.
Now you have the base for -
Napoleons - Use your favorite pastry cream, flavored whipped cream, fruit filling - whatever.
Cut the pastries into 2 or 3 sections lengthwise, place a piece on a plate, and proceed to 'stack' your fillings and pastry layers on top. Dust with confectioner's sugar. Viola!
'Millefleurs' (thousand flowers - or layers!) - Cut the pastry as above, and fill with any savory filling - Chicken pieces in a tarragon veloute; or just plain chicken pot pie filling; salmon in a cream sauce; whatever you like.
I've got some other easy to do ways to work with PP, will post later - have to get to work now!
Most of the ready made puff pastry is okay - Pepperidge Farms is probably the most common. DuFours is great, if you can find it.
A few things to remember when working the pastry -
- Keep it as cold as you can - returning it to the fridge after you've assembled whatever it is you're making is a plus.
-When rolling it out or cutting it, don't 'mash' the edges; the pastry needs to be able to puff up on the edges.
-Prebaking it for 10-15 minutes in a hot oven - we used 400 on convection, use 425 on a regular oven - helps with the 'soggy bottom'.
-Also brushing with beaten egg on the bottom helps prevent soggy bottom.
Here's a super easy way to start experimenting with PP -
Preheat oven to 425. Prep a sheet pan with parchment. Take a sheet of PP and lay it out flat on a floured surface. Now take a sharp knife (pizza cutters work great for this!), and cut rectangles about 2 x 3 inches each. Place on the sheet pan about 2 inchs apart. Now take a sharp paring knife, and make a pretty little design on top of the pastry - a geometric, or simple flower. Be sure to only cut through the top of pastry - don't go all the way through. Then take some beaten egg and brush the tops almost out to the edge. Bake for 15-20 minutes til pastry is puffed and golden brown. Remove from oven, cool on a rack.
Now you have the base for -
Napoleons - Use your favorite pastry cream, flavored whipped cream, fruit filling - whatever.
Cut the pastries into 2 or 3 sections lengthwise, place a piece on a plate, and proceed to 'stack' your fillings and pastry layers on top. Dust with confectioner's sugar. Viola!
'Millefleurs' (thousand flowers - or layers!) - Cut the pastry as above, and fill with any savory filling - Chicken pieces in a tarragon veloute; or just plain chicken pot pie filling; salmon in a cream sauce; whatever you like.
I've got some other easy to do ways to work with PP, will post later - have to get to work now!