Puff Pastry information
Source of Recipe
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Recipe Introduction
This prince of pastries is definitely the most labor intensive. Those dozens
of light, crispy layers are formed by pressing together a layer of dough and
a layer of butter, and then folding the dough over and over. During baking,
the several layers of butter and dough sandwiched together cause the
unleavened dough to rise to as much as twelve times its original height.
List of Ingredients
Puff Pastry information
from post/gazette com
You can't go wrong with packaged puff pastry dough
Sunday, September 08, 2002
By Marlene Parrish
Puff pastry is the queen of all pastries. Without it there would be no
strudels, napoleons, turnovers or lady locks. Tons of other desserts,
appetizers and entrees would be compromised.
This crisp, light pastry consists of hundreds of paper-thin layers of dough,
prevented from sticking together by thin layers of fat -- any fat, but
usually butter. While the pastry is baking, steam caught between the layers
forces them apart. As the baking continues, the steam evaporates and the fat
is absorbed, leaving a high, crisp, flaky pastry.
Bakers will tell you that puff paste is made by a simple mechanical process
of rolling, folding and turning dough. Mechanical, yes. Simple, no. If you
think about making puff paste from scratch, go lie down on the couch until
the notion passes.
Yoy! What a production. Consider the time commitment for dozens of
repetitions of the rolling, folding and turning, all the while keeping the
dough at just the right temperature. And no rushing is permitted.
When the suits at Pepperidge Farm decided to make puff pastry for use in the
home kitchen, they ensured a place for themselves in heaven. Their light,
tender pastry that "puffs" into dozens of flaky, golden layers is pre-rolled
and ready to use. It is inexpensive and readily available in supermarket
freezers.
Purists bemoan the fact that Pepperidge Farm puff pastry contains partially
hydrogenated vegetable shortening instead of butter. True, but the taste and
texture of the product are surprisingly satisfactory, and the savings of
time and energy are priceless.
The butterless commercial pastry is much appreciated by kosher, vegan and
lactose-intolerant folks who often must forego dessert because of dairy
products.
In the kitchen
Tips for working with readymade puff pastry.
Thaw frozen pastry sheets at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before
gently unfolding. Wrap unused sheets in plastic wrap or foil and return to
the freezer.
Always preheat the oven prior to baking as directed in the recipe.
Roll and shape the dough on a lightly floured (or sometimes sugared)
surface. If cracks develop along the fold lines, rub with a little water on
your finger and press pastry together to seal.
Choose the right baking pan. Know that dark baking sheets may bake pastry
faster. Best advice: Keep an eye on the pastry. When it's golden and puffy,
it's done.
Don't even think about baking puff pastry in the microwave or toaster oven.
It just doesn't work.
Baking temperatures vary. Most pastry chefs agree with the instructions on
the box -- bake puff pastry at a high temperature for a short time, usually
at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes. When the pastry is high and golden
brown, it is done. But other chefs bake the pastry at 350 degrees for almost
an hour to ensure that every layer is dried and crisp. Height and color are
also measures of doneness.
Recipe
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