Week 43 -- Puff Pastry

Puff pastry variants open up many opportunities for creative savory and sweet expressions, including main dishes, hors d'oeuvres (sweet or savory), appetizers, and desserts, with a delightful golden brown pastry crunch on the outside.

Pate a Choux

  • A very light French pastry dough responsible for cream puffs and eclairs
  • Versatile dough/puffs, for desserts, hors d'oeuvres, appetizers (sweet or savory)
  • Ingredients (by weight)
    • 8 oz milk
    • 4 oz butter
    • 6 oz bread flour or AP flour
    • 10 oz whole eggs
  • Procedure
    • Put 8 oz milk and 4 oz butter in large pot
    • Bring to rolling boil, till milk froth reaches up sides of pot
    • Remove from heat, add 6 oz AP flour, stir in, look for gelatinization of starches, thickening
    • Looks like roux with milk in it, but it's really a dough (same ingredients as making a bechamel sauce, but it's really a dough (much thicker than bechamel sauce)
    • Turn heat back on, and cook the dough until it comes together in a ball, cooking protein out of the flour (just as with a roux), stirring constantly
    • When smooth and more like a ball remove from heat
    • Place in mixer with paddle, and begin to stir to reduce heat, cool to 110F, use ice bath underneath if desired to speed up the cooling
    • Slowly add 10 oz of whole eggs, add in many increments to assure good emulsification as you go along
    • The proteins within the eggs will provide a web that will expand as steam is created in the baking, acting like a balloon, causing the dough to "puff" up, leavened mechanically
    • When all the eggs are blended in, fill a pastry bag with a plain tip for piping (large opening preferred)
    • Prepare baking sheet with parchment paper
    • With pastry bag, pipe out equal-sized amounts of dough, 90 deg angle, squeeze then down/up motion at end of squeeze (1 inch globules), or for eclairs lay down a 3-6 inch line
    • Bake in 400F oven for 25-35 minutes (golden brown)
  • Eat as is instead of rolls, or fill with jam, custard, pudding, or crab, shrimp, ham, chicken salad, cheese, spinach, mushrooms, etc as appetizers

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Mini-Wellingtons, (beef, chicken, shrimp)

  • Slice about 12 medium-sized mushrooms and saute in butter, about 3-4 minutes, deglaze the pan with 1/3 cup of sherry, continue to cook to au sec, transfer to small bowl, put small bowl into larger bowl with ice water to cool the mushrooms (alternatively, prepare duxelles with sauteed mushroom and shallots finely chopped)
  • Prepare protein product by par cooking (saute, steam, poach), then cutting into 1 to 1.25 inch cubes/pieces, little hamburgers are great, (we'll be baking the pastry, not the protein, avoid bloody mess)
  • Layout puff pastry sheet, roll out to 12 inch square, and cut into 9 - 4 inch squares with pizza cutter (flour the surface ahead of time)
  • Fill the pastry with 2-3 mushroom pieces in each square, then a piece of protein, optionally, include a layer of cheese of choice, cream cheese (opt. garlic and herbs), goat cheese (opt. garlic and herbs), gruyere, cheddar, etc, and optionally foie gras or chicken liver pate
  • Don't over stuff the pastry, might break open, besides supposed to be about 2-3 bites max
  • Fold the corners of the pastry in, seal with egg wash, pinch lightly
  • Lay the packets on a baking sheet with parchment paper, not touching each other, seam side down, coat with egg wash
  • Preheat oven 400F, bake until golden brown, 20-25 minutes, let cool 10 minutes on rack before serving
  • Note: To upsize from appetizer-bites to personal-sized Wellingtons, simply scale up the protein product and other fillings, and increase the puff pastry packet size accordingly

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Personal Wellingtons, (beef, chicken, shrimp)

  • Using chicken as the example, but 3-inch hamburgers, or 4 large shrimp/packet will work
  • Ingredients for 4 servings
    • 1 large chicken breast
    • 1/2 onion, finely chopped (shallots are great)
    • 4 oz mushrooms, finely chopped
    • 2 strips bacon, divided into 4 pieces each
    • 4 oz cream cheese or goat cheese, softened at room temperature (if using hamburger consider using cheddar or American cheese) or consider Swiss or blue cheese, whatever you like
    • 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
    • 1/4 tsp each of dried rosemary, thyme, sage
    • 1 puff pastry sheet, begin thawing after most of the prep work is done, about 20 minutes thaw time at room temperature
    • 1 egg and 1 tsp water
  • Procedure
    • Slice chicken breast horizontally, then bisect, yielding 4 pieces about 3 x 3 inches, saute or grill or poach, set aside, dry with paper towel
    • Saute the mushrooms and onions, creating duxelles, deglaze with 1/4 cup sherry, reduce to au sec, set aside and dry with paper towel
    • Fry bacon, set aside
    • In small bowl combine cream or goat cheese with garlic and herbs, use fork to press and combine, set aside
    • Mix egg and water for egg wash
    • Preheat oven to 400F
    • Put thawed puff pastry sheet on lightly flowered work surface, roll out to 14 x 14 inches, then cut 4 - 6.5 inch squares
    • Divide the cheese into 4 portions, placing one portion into the center of each square
    • Divide the duxelles into 4 portions, placing one portion atop the cheese
    • Lay 2 bacon pieces atop the duxelles, and finally top with the chicken pieces
    • Brush the edges of the pastry squares with the egg wash, then fold the corners of the pastry squares to the center over the chicken and press to seal
    • Transfer the filled pastry squares to a parchment lined baking sheet, seam-side down
    • Brush the pastries with egg wash
    • Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until pastries are golden
    • Cool 10 minutes on rack before serving

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Palmiers with Cinnamon Sugar

  • Ingredients for 40-48 cookies, for fewer, cut recipe in half
    • 2 puff pastry sheets (6 oz each)
    • 2 cups sugar
    • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
    • 1/8 tsp salt
    • 1/8 tsp cardamom
  • Procedure
    • Mix sugar, cinnamon, salt, and cardamom
    • Evenly spread 1 cup sugar mix on countertop
    • Unfold 1 sheet pastry on top of sugar mix
    • Put 1/2 cup sugar mix on topside
    • Use rolling pin to gently press sugar mix into the pastry, then remove most excess sugar from pastry onto countertop
    • Fold one shorter edge of pastry to 1/4 of the way into the longer side, then do the same with the other short edge
    • Fold the folds to the center of the long side, then close like a book, yielding 6 layers
    • Repeat the same process with the other pastry sheet
    • Put both folded up pastries on sheet pan and refrigerate for 1/2 hour to firm up
    • When ready to bake, preheat oven to 425F, then slice one of the pastry logs into 3/8 inch slices, placing them cut-side down on parchment lined baking sheet, about 2 inches apart to allow for expansion (probably will take 2 baking sheets per pastry roll)
    • Bake in oven until golden brown, 6-8 minutes first side, then flip for another 4-6 minutes, but watch often looking for desired color
    • Cool on rack

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Palmiers with Mushrooms and Parmesan

  • Ingredients for 20-24 light, crispy crackers, for more, double recipe
    • 1 puff pastry sheet (6 oz)
    • 4 tbs olive oil
    • 1/2 lb mushrooms, thinly sliced
    • 1 shallot, thinly sliced
    • 3 garlic cloves, chopped
    • 1 bay leaf, 1/4 tsp rosemary, 1/2 tsp thyme, 1/2 tsp tarragon
    • 1/3 cup chicken broth
    • 2 tbs Marsala wine
    • 3 tbs butter
    • 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
    • 1/4 cup grated parmesan
    • 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • Procedure
    • Saute mushrooms, shallot, and garlic with 4 tbs olive oil, until softened
    • Add herbs, then chicken broth, marsala, and 3 tbs water, cook till au sec
    • Remove bay leaf, and stir in panko, parmesan, salt and pepper, then puree in processor until smooth, set aside to cool to room temperature
    • On floured surface, roll out puff pastry to 9 x 15 inch rectangle, place on parchment paper lined baking sheet and freeze for 5 minutes to firm it up
    • Spread mushroom puree evenly on puff pastry
    • Carefully roll up (tightly) the longest edges from both sides to meet in middle
    • Brush center with egg wash and press to join
    • Gently stretch the log to 18 inches, then freeze for 1 hour
    • Cut the log into 3/8 inch slices
    • Arrange on baking sheet with parchment paper about 2 inches apart
    • Bake in oven 425F until golden brown, 6-8 minutes first side, then flip for another 4-6 minutes, but watch often for desired color
    • Cool on rack

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Puff Pastry Cheese Twists

  • Ingredients for 12-15 light, crispy cheese twists (sticks)
    • 1 puff pastry sheet (6 oz)
    • 1 tbs olive oil
    • 1/4 tsp smoked or sweet paprika
    • 1/4 cup finely shredded cheddar
    • 1/4 cup grated parmesan
    • 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • Procedure
    • Line baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside
    • Set puff pastry on light floured countertop, roll out from 12 to 15 inches
    • Brush top of pastry with olive oil
    • Season pastry with salt, pepper, and paprika
    • Sprinkle top of pastry with blend of cheddar and parmesan cheeses, gently press down on cheeses to adhere to pastry
    • Using pizza cutter, cut the pastry into 12 to 15 strips, about 1 inch wide
    • Pick up a strip of pastry and twist it about 8 times from both ends (may want to leave one end on countertop, give 4 twists, put other end on countertop, give 4 more twists
    • Transfer each twisted strip to the parchment lined baking sheet
    • Arrange on baking sheet with parchment paper about 1 inch apart to allow for expansion
    • Bake in oven 425F until golden brown, 6-8 minutes first side, then flip for another 4-6 minutes, but watch often for desired color
    • Cool on rack
    • Good for any meal, soups, nightime movie snack, game day, etc
    • Options, try with goat cheese, blue cheese, pepper jack, etc, and try dipping in marinara, ranch or buffalo sauce, etc

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Puff Pastry Cherry Danish (blueberry, raspberry, peach, apple, etc)

  • Ingredients for 9, fruit and cream cheese Danish pastries
    • 1 puff pastry sheet (6 oz)
    • 23 fresh cherries, pitted and halved (about 8 ounces)
    • 6 oz cream cheese, room temperature
    • 2.25 oz powdered sugar
    • 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
    • 1 egg for egg wash
  • Procedure
    • Rinse cherries, pat dry, pit and halve them with paring knife
    • Combine cheese, sugar, and vanilla, by hand or in stand mixer (if cherries are very tart, add more sugar to cream cheese to taste)
    • Set puff pastry on light floured countertop, roll out to 12 inch square, cut 9 4-inch squares (pizza cutter works well)
    • Place even dollops of cream cheese in the center of each square (about 1 tablespoon), draw out the cheese on the diagonal to about 1/2 inch of pastry edge
    • Top the cheese with 5 cherry halves on each
    • Fold one edge of the pastry without cheese over the cheese in the center, moisten the opposite corner, then fold over and seal
    • Place the pastries a couple inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet, and chill in the freezer for 30 minutes, until quite firm
    • Preheat oven to 400F
    • Mix up egg wash and paint all of the exposed pastry dough, sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired
    • Bake for about 25 minutes until golden brown
    • Allow to cool, then sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve

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Salmon Coulibiac

  • Ingredients
    • 1.25 lbs salmon, skinless fillet
    • 1 puff pastry sheet (6 oz)
    • 4 tbs olive oil
    • 8 oz mushrooms, thinly sliced
    • 1 onion, diced
    • 3 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1 tsp dried dill, 1 tsp dried tarragon, 1/2 tsp dried thyme
    • 1/2 cup uncooked rice or quinoa
    • 2 hard boiled eggs, sliced thin
    • 1 beaten egg for egg wash
    • 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
    • 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • Procedure
    • Cook rice or quinoa, set aside
    • Hard boil 2 eggs, cool, peel, slice thin, set aside
    • Saute salmon lightly, for a bit of color, cooking about 1/2 through, set aside
    • Saute mushrooms, onions, and garlic with 2 tbs olive oil, until softened
    • Add the rice or quinoa to the mushroom mixture, add S&P to taste, stir in dill, tarragon, thyme, then remove from heat
    • Roll out the puff pastry large enough to wrap the salmon and filling, about 3x the width of the salmon, and about 3 extra inches on each end
    • Apply half the mushroom mixture down the center of the pastry, the width of the salmon, then apply 1/2 the egg slices
    • Place salmon over the mushroom and egg filling, do another layer of mushrooms and eggs on top of salmon
    • Apply egg wash on pastry around the salmon
    • Fold up one long side of the pastry, then the other, ensuring that they meet and seal, then fold up the ends, cutting off excess pastry or not as desired
    • Place seam side down on baking sheet with parchment paper
    • Coat entire packet with egg wash
    • Bake in oven 400F until golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes

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Personal Salmon En Croute

  • Ingredients (4 to 6 servings)
    • 4 - 3.5 inch salmon burgers
    • 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper
    • 1 puff pastry sheet (6 oz)
    • 2 tbs olive oil
    • 1 onion, diced, or 2 shallots
    • 1 celery stalk, diced
    • 3 garlic cloves, minced
    • 4 oz mushrooms, sliced
    • 1/4 cup white wine
    • 1 tsp dried dill, 1/2 tsp dried tarragon, 1/2 tsp dried thyme
    • 4 oz cream cheese (softened to room temperature)
    • 8 oz fresh baby spinach
    • 1 beaten egg for egg wash
    • 2 tbs panko bread crumbs
    • 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
  • Procedure
    • Thaw salmon burgers if frozen, then season with salt and pepper
    • Saute salmon burgers rare (128F internal temperature, they will cook more later), set aside
    • Saute onions, celery, mushrooms, and garlic, in that order, adding each consecutively, then remove mushrooms and set aside
    • Deglaze with white wine, reduce 50 percent
    • Add cream cheese and melt down, then add spinach and wilt down, add parmesan cheese, add herbs and bread crumbs, ensure all is moistened, remove from heat and set aside
    • Roll out the puff pastry to 15 x 15, and cut into 4 - 7.5 inch squares
    • Apply 1/4 of the cheese, spinach, onion, garlic mixture to each puff pastry square, then top with mushroom slices
    • Place salmon over the mushrooms
    • Apply egg wash on pastry around the salmon
    • Fold up the pastry over the salmon, ensuring that it seals
    • Place seam side down on baking sheet with parchment paper
    • Score top side of puff pastry with sharp knife in cross hatch pattern
    • Coat entire packet with egg wash
    • Bake in oven 400F until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes

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Vol Au Vent (Puff Pastry Shells)

  • The French term means "fly in the wind" because they are light and airy, they are meant to be filled with savory, creamy fillings
  • Ingredients for 6 shells
    • 1 puff pastry sheet (6 oz)
    • 1 egg for egg wash
  • Procedure
    • Layout puff pastry sheet, determine how many circles can be made with a 3 inch biscuit cutter (9 inch by 12 inch sheet can make 3 rows by 4 or 12 circles)
    • Put 6 of these solid circles on parchment paper lined baking sheet
    • Use a 2 inch biscuit cutter to cut the centers out of the other 6 circles
    • Apply egg wash to the original 6 solid circles, and place the cut out rings from the other 6 circles on top, dock the centers of the bottom circles to prevent excess rising
    • Put the 2 inch circles on the baking sheet
    • Cut nice shapes from the puff pastry leftover from the cutting of the 3 inch circles and place on baking sheet as special crispy treats
    • Apply egg wash to all the puff pastry pieces
    • Refrigerate for 1/2 hour before baking
    • Bake in 400F oven for 20 minutes or so, check for golden brown
    • Turn off oven, crack door and allow the shells to cool slowly, making them just a bit drier and lighter
    • Fill the shells with anything you like, especially savory, creamy fillings, eg., onions and mushrooms with gravy, shrimp or lobster newburg, chicken with gravy (like pot pie), etc
    • The 2 inch circles can be used like lids for the shells before serving, and the odd pieces can be served on the side

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