**Indulge in the Art of Flaky Pastry: A Culinary Journey Through Layers of Perfection**
In the realm of baking, flaky pastry reigns supreme, captivating taste buds with its delicate layers and airy texture. From the classic croissant to the sumptuous mille-feuille, flaky pastries have a timeless allure that transcends time and cultures. Embark on a culinary adventure as we delve into the art of flaky pastry, exploring a diverse range of recipes that showcase the versatility and mastery of this delectable craft. Discover the secrets to creating perfectly flaky layers, from choosing the right ingredients to mastering the intricate techniques involved.
**Recipes to Tantalize Your Taste Buds:**
1. **Classic Croissant:** Embark on a journey to recreate the iconic French croissant, a symbol of flaky pastry excellence. This step-by-step guide takes you through the entire process, from preparing the yeast dough to laminating and shaping the croissants.
2. **Buttery Puff Pastry:** Master the art of creating golden-brown, flaky puff pastry from scratch. Learn the techniques of folding and chilling the dough to achieve the perfect balance of delicate layers and rich flavor.
3. **Homemade Danish Pastry:** Indulge in the delightful world of Danish pastries, known for their intricate shapes and sweet fillings. This recipe provides detailed instructions for crafting flaky Danish dough and shaping it into a variety of tempting treats.
4. **Flaky Pie Crust:** Elevate your pies and tarts with a flaky pie crust that will impress your guests. Discover the secrets to creating a tender and flaky crust that will hold your fillings perfectly.
5. **Easy Mille-Feuille:** Experience the grandeur of the French mille-feuille, a masterpiece of flaky pastry layers filled with luscious cream. This simplified recipe breaks down the process into manageable steps, allowing you to create this stunning dessert at home.
EXTRA-FLAKY PASTRY DOUGH
Our be-all end-all recipe, this all-butter crust works with nearly any fruit that's in season (or arm's reach).
Provided by Carla Lalli Music
Categories Bon Appétit Dessert Bake Pastry Phyllo/Puff Pastry Dough Tart
Yield Makes enough for 1 galette
Number Of Ingredients 4
Steps:
- Whisk sugar, salt, and 1 1/3 cups flour in a medium bowl. Cut butter into 6 rectangular pieces (if using 1/2-cup sticks, cut them in half crosswise, then in half again lengthwise). Toss butter in dry ingredients to coat, then dump mixture out onto a work surface. Roll butter into flour until it is in long flexible strips, using a bench scraper to scrape butter off rolling pin or surface as needed.
- Use bench scraper to gather mixture into a loose pile, then drizzle 4 Tbsp. ice water over. Using your hands and the bench scraper, toss mixture until water is distributed, then gather into a rectangular pile. Roll out dough to a long rectangle with short ends about 8" wide, then use bench scraper to fold dough into thirds, like folding a letter. It will be very crumbly and loose; don't panic. Using bench scraper to help, turn rectangle 90° and repeat rolling and folding, gathering loose bits of dough from outer edges into the center and flouring surface as needed. Repeat rolling and folding a third time. Dough should be somewhat homogenous and creamy-looking with some dry bits around edges. Squeeze a bit in your palm; it should loosely hold together. If not, repeat rolling and folding. Wrap folded dough in plastic, then press it into a compact disk about 1" thick. Chill 30 minutes.
- Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to a 12"-14" round or oval about 1/8" thick (don't worry about cracks around perimeter). Dust surface and rolling pin with flour as needed and rotate dough often to prevent wider cracks. If dough sticks to surface, lift on one side and scatter flour underneath before continuing. Roll dough onto your pin, then unfurl it on a sheet of parchment paper. Slide onto a rimmed baking sheet and chill while you prep the filling.
- Do Ahead: Dough can be made 3 days ahead. Keep chilled, or transfer to a resealable plastic bag and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before rolling out.
FLAKY PASTRY DOUGH
Steps:
- Blend together flour, salt, and half of butter cubes with your fingertips or a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Blend in remaining butter cubes until pea-size lumps form. Drizzle evenly with 5 tablespoons ice water and stir gently with a fork until incorporated.
- Squeeze a small handful: If it doesn't hold together, add remaining tablespoon ice water, 1/2 tablespoon at a time, until just incorporated. (If you overwork mixture, pastry will be tough.)
- Form dough into a ball, then flatten into a rough 5-inch square. Chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, 30 minutes.
- Roll out dough on a floured surface with a floured rolling pin into a rough 12- by 9-inch rectangle (1/3 inch thick). Arrange rectangle with a short side nearest you. Cut remaining 3 tablespoons butter into very thin slices and arrange evenly over dough.
- Fold dough in thirds like a letter. Turn dough so that a short side is nearest you and roll out into a rough 12- by 9-inch rectangle (1/3 inch thick) again. Fold like a letter, then chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, 3 hours. Let dough soften at room temperature about 30 minutes before rolling out.
VEGAN FLAKY PASTRY DOUGH
Plant-based Earth Balance baking sticks make a wonderful dairy-free substitute when cooking traditionally buttery baked goods.
Provided by Kim Barnouin
Categories HarperCollins HarperCollins Dessert Pastry Pie Vegan Dairy Free
Yield 2 (9-inch) crusts
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- Place the flour, sugar, and salt in the work bowl of a food processor and pulse two or three times to combine. Separate the Earth Balance pieces and drop them into the dry ingredients. Pulse until the Earth Balance is partially combined. Drizzle the water over the mixture. Pulse until the dough comes together into several pieces. Divide the dough in half and form into two balls. Flatten both balls with your hands into 1-inch-thick disks. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
FLAKY PASTRY DOUGH
Use this recipe to make our Coconut Patties.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Dessert & Treats Recipes Pie & Tarts Recipes
Yield Makes enough dough for 30 patties
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- Place flour, butter, cream cheese, and salt in the bowl of a food processor, and pulse until thoroughly combined. Add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until dough just comes together when pinched. Transfer to a piece of plastic wrap, and flatten into a disk. Chill for at least 1 hour before rolling.
Tips:
- Use cold butter: Cold butter is easier to work with and will help create a flakier pastry dough.
- Work the dough quickly: Overworking the dough will make it tough. Work it just until it comes together, then chill it before rolling it out.
- Chill the dough before rolling it out: Chilling the dough will help it relax and make it easier to roll out.
- Use a light touch when rolling out the dough: Don't press down too hard on the dough, or you'll make it tough. Use a light touch and roll it out evenly.
- Fold the dough in thirds: Fold the dough in thirds like a letter, then give it a quarter turn and roll it out again. Repeat this process two more times. This will help create layers in the dough.
- Chill the dough before baking: Chilling the dough before baking will help it hold its shape and prevent it from shrinking.
Conclusion:
With these tips in mind, you can make flaky pastry dough that is perfect for pies, tarts, and other pastries. Just remember to use cold butter, work the dough quickly, chill it before rolling it out, and use a light touch. With a little practice, you'll be able to make perfect pastry dough every time.
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