Puffpastysurprise Food

HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE PUFF PASTRY

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• To form the détrempe by hand, sift the flour and salt together in a large bowl.
• Cut the cold butter into small pieces and then cut the pieces into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.
• Make a well in the center of the mixture and add all the water at once.
• Using a rubber spatula or your fingers, gradually draw the flour into the water.
• Mix until all the flour is incorporated. Do not knead. The détrempe should be sticky and shaggy-looking.
• The détrempe can be made in a food processor . To do so, combine the flour, salt, and pieces of cold butter in a food processor bowl fitted with the metal blade.
• Process until a coarse meal is formed.
• With the processor running, slowly add the water.
• Turn the machine off as soon as the dough comes together to form a ball. Proceed with the remainder of the recipe.
• Turn the détrempe out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough a few times by hand, rounding it into a ball.
• Wrap the dough tightly in plastic and chill overnight.
• To roll in the butter, first prepare the softened butter by placing it between two sheets of plastic wrap.
• Use a rolling pin to roll the softened butter into a rectangle, approximately 5 x 8 inches. It is important that the détrempe and butter be of almost equal consistency. If necessary, allow the détrempe to sit at room temperature to soften or chill the butter briefly to harden.
• On a lightly floured board, roll the détrempe into a rectangle approximately 12 x 15 inches. Lift and rotate the dough as necessary to prevent sticking.
• Use a dry pastry brush to brush away any flour from the dough's surface. Loose flour can cause gray streaks and can prevent the puff pastry from rising properly when baked.
• Peel one piece of plastic wrap from the butter. Position the butter in the center of the rectangle and remove the remaining plastic.
• Fold the four edges of the détrempe over the butter enclosing it completely. Stretch the dough if necessary; it is important that none of the butter be exposed.
• With the folded side facing up, press the dough several times with a rolling pin, using a rocking motion to create ridges in the dough.
• Place the rolling pin in each ridge and slowly roll back and forth to widen the ridge.
• Repeat until all the ridges are doubled in size.
• Using the ridges as a starting point, roll the dough out into a smooth, even rectangle of approximately 8 x 24 inches. Be careful to keep the corners of the dough as right angles.
• Use a dry pastry brush to remove any loose flour from the dough's surface.
• Fold the dough in thirds, like a business letter. If one end is damaged or in worse condition, fold it in first; otherwise, start at the bottom. This completes the first turn.
• Rotate the block of dough 90 degrees so that the folded edge is on your left and the dough faces you like a book.
• Roll out the dough again, repeating the ridging technique. Once again, the dough should be in a smooth, even rectangle of approximately 8 x 24 inches.
• Fold the dough in thirds again, completing the second turn.
• Cover the dough with plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.
• Repeat the rolling and folding technique until the dough has had a total of five turns. Do not perform more than two turns without a resting and chilling period.
• Cover the dough completely and chill overnight before shaping and baking.
• Puff pastry sheets may be frozen.

QUICK AND EASY PUFF PASTRY APPETIZERS

Steps:

• For the Gruyere and Mustard Puff Pastry Sticks: Place the thawed square of puff pastry on a lightly floured cutting board. Spread the Dijon mustard on the lower half of the square, leaving about 1/2 inch uncovered along the edges. Brush the exposed edges with egg wash. Fold the bare top half of the puff pastry over the half with the mustard, lining up the edges. Place in the refrigerator (still on the cutting board) to chill for 15 minutes.
• Remove from fridge. With a sharp knife or pizza cutter, trim the two short sides and un-folded long edge by about 1/4 inch. Cut the block in to nine 1-inch by 5-inch slices. Remove the slices to a parchment lined baking sheet, leaving at least an inch in between each piece. Carefully brush the tops with egg wash, ensuring that egg doesn't drip down the sides. Sprinkle Gruyere and Parmesan evenly over-top, the finish with a sprinkling of coarse salt.
• Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator to chill for 15 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400F. Remove baking sheet from refrigerator and place into preheated oven. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until golden and puffed. Remove to a baking sheet to cool.
• For the Pesto and Sun-Dried Tomato Puff Pastry Twists: Place the thawed square of puff pastry on a lightly floured cutting board. Spread the pesto on the lower half of the square, leaving about 1/2 inch uncovered along the edges. Sprinkle the chopped sundried tomatoes over-top. Brush the exposed edges with egg wash. Fold the bare top half of the puff pastry over the half with the pesto, lining up the edges. Place in the refrigerator (still on the cutting board) to chill for 15 minutes.
• Remove from fridge. With a sharp knife or pizza cutter, trim the two short sides and un-folded long edge by about 1/4 inch. Cut the block in to nine 1-inch by 5-inch slices. Take each slice and holding the ends, gently twist several times. Remove the twisted pieces to a parchment lined baking sheet, leaving at least an inch in between each piece. Carefully brush the tops with egg wash. Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator to chill for 15 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400F. Remove baking sheet from refrigerator and place into preheated oven. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until golden and puffed. Remove to a baking sheet to cool.
• For the Cheddar and Chipotle Puff Pastry Cut-outs: Place the thawed square of puff pastry on a lightly floured cutting board. Brush bottom half of square with egg wash. Fold bare top half over the brushed half, lining up the edges. Place in the refrigerator (still on the cutting board) to chill for 15 minutes.
• Remove from the refrigerator. Using a cookie cutter, cut shapes from the piece of puff pastry. Place on to a parchment-lined baking sheet, allowing at least 1-inch between pieces. Carefully brush tops with egg wash, ensuring that the egg doesn't drip down the sides. Sprinkle tops with grated cheddar, then dust with a bit of chipotle chili powder (to taste). Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator to chill for 15 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400F. Remove baking sheet from refrigerator and place into preheated oven. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden and puffed. Remove to a baking sheet to cool.
• Cooled pastries can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 24 hours. You can re-warm on a baking sheet in a 350 oven for a few minutes.

PUFF PASTY SURPRISE

Steps:

• Mix the cheese and herbs together and set aside.
• On a lightly floured sheet, lay the pasty with the short side closest to you.
• Cut in half crosswise and arrange the long sides closest to you.
• Spread the pepper jelly evenly over both sheets of puff pastry. Don't go all the way to the edges, leave an 1 inch border.
• Arrange the pepperoni, mushrooms and onion in a single layer over the puff pastry.
• Now top with the cheese and herb mixture.
• Brush the farthest edge of each half of pastry with the egg.
• Roll the pastry tightly from the closest edge working towards the egged edge,.
• Lay the puff pastry logs seam side down on sheet and place in the fridge and chill for 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 400.
• Remove the logs from the fridge and cut into 1/4 " thick slices and place cut side down, 1" apart on parchment papered sheets.
• Bake in 400 oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Watch to make sure they don't burn.
• Best when served warm.

PUFF PASTRY

Steps:

• Ok, you get the whole story!
• "Before beginning the adventure with puff paste there is one thing to be explained that will make its compositions comparatively easy.
• (Ha Ha!) The butter used must be washed.
• The purpose of washing it is to make it elastic.
• It should be soft through being kneaded, but in no sense soft through being melted- quite the contrary, it must be soft and cold at the same time.
• In winter turn on the cold water faucet.
• Manipulate the butter with the hands under the stream of cold water until it is creamy and waxy.
• At other seasons, do this in a quart of ice water placed in a bowl of ice.
• The butter may be kneaded with a spoon if preferred.
• The final kneading of the butter is done on a board or it is patted briskly in the hands until no water flies.
• This is the recipe of a professional cook.
• As it calls for egg yolks it differs from the orthodox rule for puff paste.
• However, her results are remarkable and her method is simple, so I am giving it in preference to the usual rather complicated recipes.
• (Ha Ha again, it is complicated!) She stresses 2 points: Keep the hands, the bowl, the board and the rolling pin as cold as possible.
• (Ha Ha, your hands will be frostbitten!) A cold windy day is best for making puff paste.
• "Work with hands,as in the first paragraph, under water, 1 cup of butter.
• Place 1/4 cup butter in a cold bowl.
• Form the remainder into a square and place it where it will keep cold.
• Add to the butter in the bowl, the flour and salt, work these ingredients with a pastry blender, 2 knives or the finger tips.
• Beat and add 1/4 cup ice water and 2 egg yolks, (the yolks may be omitted, in that case use in all, 6 tablespoons of water).
• Work these ingredients well with the hands.
• If necessary add, to loosen the dough from the bowl, a pinch of flour.
• Place the dough were it will be cold but will not freeze, preferably in the open air.
• If it is not possible to do this, fold the dough in a clean cloth and place it in a dripping pan that has been placed between 2 dripping pans filled with ice.
• After 15 minutes, roll the dough into a square on a floured board.
• Roll it one way only, not back and forth.
• A good way is out from the centre.
• Put the square of butter in the centre of the dough and fold the 4 corners to the centre completely covering the butter.
• Permit the dough to stand on a cloth or piece of waxed paper in a cold place for 1/2 hour.
• Turn it once to keep it from becoming dry.
• Roll out the dough again into a square and fold the corners to the centre.
• Permit it to stand again for 1/2 hour.
• Repeat this process.
• The dough must be chilled and rolled at least 4 times in all.
• Chill the dough until you are ready to use it.
• Wrapped in waxed paper it may be kept in the refrigerator for several days.
• Roll it, cut it into shapes.
• Chill it again and bake it.
• One of the secrets of success of puff paste is to have it ice cold when placed in a hot oven.
• The matter of baking puff paste is a moot point.
• In all rules the very cold paste is put into a very hot oven- 500°F.
• In some it is baked at this temperature throughout.
• In this case the pastry is covered with waxed paper after 10 minutes baking.
• In other rules the heat is reduced 50 degrees every 5 minutes until the temperature is 350°F for final baking.
• GOOD LUCK!