Puff Pastry

About

A flaky and light pastry used in layered pastries (different from phyllo pastry which is crispier). Usually made with butter but can be made with vegetable shortening or lard. Method for making is to spread the solid fat on top of the dough, and then to repeatedly fold and roll out the dough, whilst keeping it at a cool temperature.

Information

Translations: Kārtainās mīklas, Sluoksniuotos tešlos, Foetaj, Lisnato tijesto, Bladerdeeg, छिछोरा आदमी, Folhado, Слоеное тесто, Σφολιάτα, عجين الفطير, 퍼프 페이스 트리, Z listového těsta, Pintog ng matamis, 黄桥烧饼, Pasta fullada, Puff Pecivo, Z lístkového cesta, Sfoglia, בצק עלים, Smördeg, Лиснато тесто, パフペストリー, Pâte feuilletée, Blätterteig, Butterdej, Tertedeig, Hojaldre, Листкове тісто, Lehtitaikina, Парено тесто за еклери

Physical Description

In baking, a puff pastry is a light, flaky, unleavened pastry containing several layers of fat which is in solid state at 20°C (68°F). In raw form, puff pastry is a dough which is spread with solid fat and repeatedly folded and rolled out, and used to produce the aforementioned pastries. It is sometimes called a "water dough" or détrempe.

Colors: Light Brown

Tasting Notes

Flavors: Butter, Salt

Mouthfeel: Flaky, Slightly oily

Food complements: Stone fruit, Apples, Pears, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Nuts

Substitutes: Crescents, Rolls

Selecting and Buying

Seasonality: january, february, march, april, may, june, july, august, september, opctober, november, december

Buying: You can purchase at your local bakery!

Preparation and Use

Puff pastry can be used as a basis for small tarts or pastries, both sweet (apple) and savory (basil and goat cheese).
It can also be used as a basis for traditional pizza and large tarts with tomato, asparagus, zucchini or other vegetables.

Cleaning: No Cleaning Necessary.

Social/Political

History: Puff pastry seems to be a relative of the Middle Eastern phyllo, and is used in a similar manner to create layered pastries. While traditionally ascribed to the French painter and cook Claude Gelée who lived in the 1600s (the story goes that Gelée was making a type of very buttery bread for his sick father, and the process of rolling the butter into the bread dough created a croissant-like finished product), references appear before the 1600s, indicating a history that came originally through Muslim Spain and was converted from thin sheets of dough spread with olive oil to laminated dough with layers of butter, perhaps in Italy or Germany.