Handling Puff Pastry - Puff Pastry (2024)

FAQs

What is the best way to handle puff pastry? ›

Puff Pastry works best when cold. Your hands should be cold, too, when handling it. Run them under cold water or squeeze a plastic zipper-top bag full of ice to cool them off. Try to keep Puff Pastry from becoming too warm when working with it by only using your fingertips—the coolest part of your hands.

It is important to handle the pastry as little as possible when mixing and rolling. Overworking it will 'develop' the gluten in the flour, which can make the pastry hard to roll. Overworked pastry is also more likely shrink during cooking and to be tough in texture once cooked.

Roll and handle shortcrust pastry as little as you can, as overworking it or warming it can produce tough pastry. Work quickly, cook, and move away when the dough has just come together. Then wrap your pastry in cling film and cool in the fridge before rolling to ensure show-stopping shortcrust.

When baking Puff Pastry, note that it's done when it's golden and puffy, not wet and doughy. Use the baking time in the recipe as a guideline, and rely on your eyes as well. You can bake Puff Pastry on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Always preheat your oven for a minimum of 15-20 minutes before baking, because Puff Pastry depends on even heat to rise and puff. Place pastries 1 inch apart. If you want a flaky thin and crispy pastry that's not very puffy, prick the unbaked Puff Pastry all over with a fork, which lets steam escape while baking.

If you over work or over handle your pastry, it will be tough. This is because the gluten in the flour has started to develop after you have added the water and/or the egg and you are not working fast enough.

The first golden rule of making pastry; keep the ingredients, the bowl and the hands as cool as possible. Sieve the flour to add extra air and lightness to the pastry.

General rules

Keep everything as cool as possible otherwise the fat may melt which would spoil the finished dish. Introduce as much air as possible during making. Allow to relax after making to allow the fat to harden. Handle the pastry as little as possible.

By working the bread dough… kneading, you make the gluten strands more numerous, as well as longer and stronger. Sometimes, you want a bit more gluten development in your cakes.

What happens if you overwork puff pastry? ›

4. Handling the dough too much. Yes, the pastry usually needs to be rolled out, cut, and shaped, but when handled too much, the cooked pastry can turn out tough instead of light and crisp.

Pastry being soggy in the middle is a result of the pastry being undercooked. Don't place the pastry on too high a shelf in the oven. One way to prevent soggy bottom pastry is to blind bake the pastry – This means partially or completely bake the pastry before adding the filling. Also, avoid over-filling your pastry.

Heat is the enemy of Puff Pastry—it handles best when cold. So avoid working with it on hot, humid days, in a stifling hot kitchen or next to your oven.

To keep the pastry from sticking to your work surface, lightly dust it with flour, cinnamon sugar, or finely grated cheese, depending on whether your recipe is sweet or savory. Use a light touch when you're rolling it out so you don't flatten or thin the dough too much.

How to Store Baked Puff Pastry. Once baked, plain puff pastry can be stashed in an airtight container for up to a week. Filled pastries like these puff pastry danishes are best eaten right away. If you can't finish a batch in one go, store in a sealed container and enjoy the next day.

Wrap the pastry tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil before placing it in an airtight container. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.