A SWEET QUARTET of Puff Pastries
Source of Recipe
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Recipe Introduction
by Fran Gage
List of Ingredients
Puff Pastry Recipe
Many people approach the task
of making puff pastry with
great trepidation.
How can I allay their fears?
When I watched a young French
chef make this pastry in the
courtyard outside his cramped
kitchen in 90 degrees F heat,
the butter didn't melt, and
in the oven, the pastry rose
beyond expectation.
In a cool kitchen, anyone can succeed.
Puff pastry rises in the oven because
of its unique construction -- thin
sheets of dough separated by thin
sheets of butter. This is accomplished
by rolling the dough into a rectangle,
then folding it onto itself, not once,
but six times. (Each rolling and
folding is called a turn.)
With each turn, the layers become thinner
and more numerous, resulting in 729 layers
of butter sandwiched between 730 layers
of dough when the pastry is ready for
its final shaping. In the oven, air
trapped between the layers, and steam
formed from the moisture in the dough,
push the layers apart and make the dough
rise dramatically.
Although the dough needs some rest
periods, the actual time spent manipulating
it is only about 30 minutes from start to
finish.
Then it will rest in the refrigerator or
freezer until its creator wants a dessert
that only its multitudinous layers can provide.
Use a butter whose taste you like, provided
it contains at least 82 percent butterfat.
Makes about 2 1/2 Pounds of Dough -
Enough for 1 Galette Des Rois or
2 Tartes Tatin, Plus Leftover Dough
for Palmiers
3 1/4 cups (1 pound) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1 pound unsalted butter, refrigerator
temperature, divided into 4 ounces and 12 ounces
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup (8 ounces) cold water
Mix the flour and salt together in
a medium bowl.
Cut 1/4 pound of the butter into 1/2-inch
pieces.
Put them in the bowl, and, using your
fingertips or a pastry cutter, rub the
butter and flour together.
The butter will break into smaller pieces,
each coated with flour. Continue until
the mixture looks like a coarse meal.
Put the lemon juice in the water.
Pour the water into the bowl, a little at
a time, mixing with your other hand.
Turn the resulting dough onto a lightly
floured work surface, and knead it a few
times, until all the dough is gathered
into a ball. It will still look rough.
Flatten it into a disk about 1/2 inch thick,
enclose it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate
it for 30 to 60 minutes.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and put
it on a lightly floured work surface.
Poll it into a 13-inch disk, leaving a center
area about 6 inches in diameter thicker and
thinning the periphery, so that it has a shape
like a hat lying on a table.
Take the remaining 3/4 pound of butter from the
refrigerator and, on a lightly floured work
surface, beat it with a rolling pin into a disk
about the same diameter and thickness as the
fat center of the dough. Put the butter in the
middle of the dough, and fold the edges over it.
Now you have a piece of butter completely enclosed
in dough.
Turn it over so that the folded side is on the
work surface. Pound the package (not too hard)
a few times with a rolling pin to flatten it
somewhat.
Roll the dough into a rectangle 20 by 11 inches,
with one of the narrower sides facing you.
Dust off any excess flour. Fold the bottom part
of the dough up about a third of the way, then
fold the top down, like a letter.
Turn the dough so that the outer fold is on your
left, like a book. Roll and fold the dough one
more time.
Make 2 finger indentations in the top of the dough
to remind you that you have made 2 turns.
Wrap the dough in plastic, and refrigerate
30 to 60 minutes.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and repeat
the process, rolling and folding the dough 2 more
times.
Make 4 finger indentations in the top of the dough,
wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate 30 to 60 minutes.
If at any time the dough resists your efforts to
roll it, let it rest a few minutes and try again.
And if butter breaks through the dough, lightly
flour that portion and continue.
Remove the dough, and roll it and fold it 2 more
times.
Now the dough has 6 turns (and 729 layers) and,
after a rest of 60 minutes, is ready to be rolled
and shaped to make the pastry of your choice.
Either refrigerate it up to 3 days, or wrap it in
2 layers of plastic wrap and freeze it up to 1 month.
If the dough has been refrigerated more than 1 or 2
hours, gently beat it with a rolling pin before
rolling it into its final shape.
If it is frozen, defrost in the refrigerator for
about 3 hours.
Recipe
SHAPING AND MAKING CRISP CREATIONS:
To attach one piece of Puff pastry
together, use an egg wash made from
one large egg yolk lightly beaten
with on teaspoon water (can also
be used as a glaze before baking).
This acts as glue so be careful
not to let it drip because it may
seal the edges. Never pinch the
edges together unless specified;
only press from the top. A second
coat can be applied after a minute.
Always apply pieces laid on top of
one another in the same direction
as the original sheet. They will
distort less when baked.
Crescents (Fleurons):
Gather the dough on both long sides
up to meet in the middle, completely
enclosing the filling such as chocolate.
Pinch the seam very thoroughly to seal
tightly throughout the entire seam
length (this is important!). You'll
have a roughly half-moon shaped piece
of dough at this point, with the chocolate
enclosed in the center.
Flatten slightly, then curve around to form
a crescent so that the pinched-shut seam is
on the inside of the crescent shape.
Place each finished crescent on a prepared
baking sheet (you must allow room between
the crescents, as they spread during baking).
Drape a tea towel over each sheet of crescents,
so they don't dry out while you're making the
others. After finishing every 3 or 4 crescents,
go back to those on the baking sheet.
If they are starting to lose their crescent
shape, re-shape them; if any seams need
re-sealing, now's the time to do that.
I like the look of tapered ends, so if necessary
I'll do that now, too. Just be sure to keep them
covered after fixing their shapes.
Croissants: Croissants can be made with buttered
layers of yeast dough or puff pastry. They're
sometimes stuffed (such as with a stick of
chocolate or cheese) before being rolled into
a crescent shape and baked. Croissants are
generally thought of as breakfast pastries but
can also be used for sandwiches and meal
accompaniments.
Boxes: Use puff pastry to make a "box" shape
only to be filled with savory or sweet fillings.
Cheese straws: Slender, crisp wands of pastry,
cheese straws make the perfect companion to a
martini or a glass of wine. But think of classic
cheddar – albeit tasty – only for starters.
These sticks take well to many flavors, from
savory to sweet.
Napoleons: Cut homemade pastry or break the
sheet of frozen puff pastry into 3 strips as
directed in the recipe. Quarter each strip
crosswise and bake the rectangles in a single
layer on a baking sheet in a preheated
400 degree F oven for 6 to 8 minutes.
To serve, place a pastry rectangle on each of
6 plates; divide half the filling (Pastry Cream
Recipe) among the rectangles.
Top the filling on each puff pastry piece with
another rectangle and divide the remaining
filling on top of the rectangles. Top with
the remaining puff pastry rectangles, and
a dusting of confectioners' sugar, if desired.
Don't forget the glaze.
Shells, Crusts or Cups:
Turnovers: On a lightly floured surface, roll
a rectangle slightly to make a 5-inch squares.
Spoon the canned filling into a strainer set
over a measuring cup. Stir with a spoon to
strain as much of the sauce as possible into
the cup; reserve. Divide the cherries among
the pastry squares; top the cherries with
some of the chopped almonds. Brush the edges
of each pastry square with beaten egg.
Fold half of the pastry over the filling to
make a triangle. Place the triangles on an
ungreased baking sheet and press the edges
together with the tines of a fork to seal.
Brush the tops of the turnovers with the
remaining beaten egg and cut a 1/2-inch slit
in the top of each.
SCRAPS: will be amazingly flaky but will not
puff as high as the original.
To prevent distortion during baking, lay
them on top of each other in the same direction
as the original.
Dust lightly with flour or use plastic wrap
and roll over them so the sheets adhere to
one another. Do a "turn" before wrapping
in plastic and refrigerating or freezing.
This allows the gluten strands to relax and
firm before reuse.
DOCKING:
To prevent excessive puffing on certain
pastries, the dough may need to be docked.
This is usually done with Puff pastry shells.
It can be done by piercing the dough at 2"
intervals with the tines of a fork or by using
a commercial docker.
When minimum puffing is desired (e.g. Napoleon
layers), pierce the dough at 1/4" intervals.
FILLING & SEALING:
If cooked, filling must be cool before placing
on dough pieces to prevent melting of the dough's
shortening.
To ensure proper sealing, be sure that fillings
or the butter block does not touch edges or seams.
Leave an 1 inch margin at the edges.
Edges should be brushed with water before joining
to retain pastry shape and prevent fillings from
leaking out.
Use firm finger pressure (or fork ) to seal
pieces together.
VENTING: Air vents should be cut into unbaked
pastry items before baking, especially if the
filling is moist. Vents will allow steam to
escape and help prevent leakage.
Cut vents by using a shape knife or scissors.
Always cut vents on the top side of the pastry item.
BAKING: A convection oven works best enabling them
to rise to their fullest.
A heavy, nonstick baking sheet brushed with ice
water, is the perfect surface for baking the pastries
on.
The moistened sheet helps the dough adhere to it,
keeping it from sliding and distorting during baking.
Parchment paper can be used as a baking sheet liner,
but it results in some distortion.
Avoid non-stick and black-bottomed sheets before
baking Puff pastry. During baking, the Puff pastry
cannot hold its shape while rising when baked on
a nonstick pan (this happens especially when baked
in a nonconventional gas oven such as a convection
oven.)
It does not provide the necessary traction.
A black-bottomed baking sheet conducts the heat
too fast, burning the bottoms of the pastries.
Glaze with a little milk before baking so it
gets a golden brown color.
Unbaked pastries may be baked from the frozen
or thawed state.
To defrost, it can be removed from the freezer
and placed in a refrigerator to thaw, where it
will keep in a useable state for up to 2 days.
When it is brought back to room temperature, it
should be used as soon as possible.
Puff pastry dough should always be baked in a
preheated oven and can be baked in both a
conventional or convection oven. (Reduce baking
temperature by 50°F for a convection oven.)
The pastry is initially put in a really hot oven
to give it an initial puff and then after time,
the temperature is reduced. Most smaller items
(2 - 3oz) bake for 20-25 minutes in a 380° - 400°F oven;
larger items (strudels ) at a lower temperature
of 360° -370°F for 45 - 55 minutes to reduce the
possibility of collapsing after cooling.
All puff pastries should be baked until golden brown.
The pastry should have distinct layers inside and
crumble easily when touched. With high moisture
fillings, the dough may remain slightly unbaked
next to the filling. This is normal.
When baked, the Puff pastry should be dry and crisp.
What went wrong during baking:
Lack of lift: Usually due to insufficient expansion
of the dough layers during baking. Make sure the fat
and dough are of similar consistency. Roll evenly
without forcing. Check your oven temperature.
Hotter temperatures will generally produce a higher
puff.
Irregular and uneven lift: Too few folds.
Layers merge: a result of the breakdown of lamination
and a shortening of structure caused by too many folds.
Shrinkage during baking: Caused by contraction of the
dough layers. Gluten develops elasticity and toughness.
To prevent this, ensure that the pastry is adequately
rested (4 hours, preferably overnight) before baking.
Commercially prepared pastry purchased from local
supermarket may also shrink due to incorrect handling.
Be sure to handle according to the package's instructions.
Cracking in pastry is due to the dough drying out.
If the top layer loses moisture, it shrinks and then
cracks. To prevent cracking, keep it covered with a
piece of clean plastic film before baking or when storing.
Spots on the surface of the baked pastry: too much water.
STORAGE:
Unbaked Puff Pastry: Dough can be frozen twice
without losing its significant rising ability.
This is great when making hors d'oeuvres.
Frozen dough can be rolled, stuffed, shaped and
refrozen before baking and serving. Frozen pastry
dough works best when baked while frozen.
The shock of the hot oven on the cold pastry when
initially bakes, gives it added boost, shrinking
less and baking more evenly.
If the raw pastry is kept above refrigeration
temperature, production of acids formed by bacteria
will cause sourness and make the pastry unsuitable
for use.
Pastry dough may be made in advance and placed in
the refrigerator for up to 2 days before baking.
Water wash to prevent excessive crusting during storage.
Do not top with sugar since sugar toppings will dissolve
completely and then burn during baking.
Instead, add sugar just prior to baking.
It can also be kept indefinitely in the freezer.
When storing puff pastry, it should be covered with
plastic wrap to prevent skin formation due to exposure
to the air as plastic wrap is impervious.
To defrost, the Puff pastry can be removed from the
freezer and left at room temperature for up to 6 hours.
It may also be placed in a refrigerator overnight where
it will also defrost.
When preparing puff pastry such as Napoleons or patty
shells, cut sheets or shells and freeze on cookie sheets
or jelly roll pans.
When frozen, transfer them to a self-sealing plastic
bag and return to the freezer.
To use, arrange frozen pastry on a baking sheet and
set in a preheated 425° F. oven, reduce heat to
400° F and bake until golden brown.
Baked Puff Pastry:
Cool before storing.
Can be wrapped in plastic and frozen or kept
at room temperature.
Unfilled baked pastry stores best.
Otherwise you run the risk of it becoming soggy
from the fillings, especially when storing in
the refrigerator or defrosting from the freezer.
Some fillings, such as fresh vegetables and
creams are not well-suited for freezing.
SERVING: Puff pastry cuts best with a serrated knife.
Rough Puff Pastry
QUICK PUFF PASTRY: Also known as rough puff,
blitz and half pastry, is usually called
"quick" because it is a way to abbreviate
the lengthy process of making puff pastry.
It is a cross between classic puff pastry and
basic pie crust and is ideal for crisp, buttery
pastries and crusts. cheese straws, and cream
horns, or use it as a crust for tarts, quiches,
and pot pies.
When making rough puff pastry, the butter is
cut into the flour as if making a pie crust
and then a scant amount of water is added and
combined to make a smooth, workable dough.
To make it, simply roll out the dough and give
it a quick series of turns and folds as you
would for classic puff pastry; the dough need
not rest in between.
Though the Quick Puff Pastry results are not
quite as spectacular in terms of height as
reached with Classic Puff Pastry, it is just
as irresistibly flaky, buttery, and tender.
Some information thanks to Nick Malgieri and Rose Levy Beranbaum.
http://www.baking911.com/pastry_puff.htm
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