Puff pastry recipes sweet and savory: discover how to make them

Do you want to improve your gastronomic knowledge? Then you might want to take advantage of some puff pastry recipes, both sweet and savory. Here's how to do it!

What are the particularities of puff pastry?

Before understanding what puff pastry recipes are, it is important to know that puff pastry is one of the most versatile doughs that exist. There are several types that you should be aware of:

·         Half the amount of fat to the weight of flour. Less amount of fat (butter) is used, and less layering is done in the preparation. It is usually not as crispy as the others. 

• Three-quarter, also known as "French puff pastry". Three-quarter of the weight of the fat to the flour. It is one of the most popular. 
• Full (equal weights of fat and flour). In this case, the layers of dough and butter are superimposed; about six layers are usually made. 
• Inverted puff. It is a less voluminous dough, but extremely delicious. It is the most delicate, and the result is sensational, as it melts when eaten.

How to achieve a good dough?

At this point, you probably want to make a good puff pastry dough. Well, the puff pastry dough can have the following ingredients for the puff pastry recipes:

•          1 cup (250 grams) of sifted wheat flour.

•          1 cup (250 grams) of bread flour, sifted.

•          12 tablespoons (400 grams) of butter, cold.

•          1 teaspoon (15 grams) of salt.

•          1 cup (250 milliliters) of water at room temperature.

•          Flour for dusting.

You must mix the flours, salt, and water and refrigerate the mixture for 30 minutes. Then, spread the dough with butter on greaseproof paper and fold, with flour for dusting. Once you work the dough, you should wait approximately 30 minutes for each fold you give it. Fortunately, it is not necessary to have certain appliances, such as a food processor.

2 puff pastry recipes that you can make

Now you know how to make the dough for puff pastry recipes. Here are two recipes (one sweet and one savory) for you to enjoy:

Puff pastry cinnamon rolls (sweet)

Let's start with one of the beginner pastry recipes. This recipe is one for puff pastry cinnamon rolls, easy and delicious. For 12 units (3 persons) you will need:

• 1 cup, approx. (200 grams) of puff pastry.
• 1 tablespoon, approx. (30 grams) of butter.
• Also 1 tablespoon, approx. (30 grams) of sugar.
• 1 1/2 teaspoons (20 grams) of cinnamon.
• Salt to taste. 

The step-by-step procedure is as follows:

• Leave the butter at room temperature. Then, in a bowl, mix the butter, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. The final texture should be somewhat creamy. Therefore, this step is quite important, as the consistency has to be right. If not, the final result might not be the best.
• After doing this, you must roll out the puff pastry dough and give it a rectangular shape. Then, cover it with the butter mixture and roll it into a compact cylinder. Take a knife and cut the cylinder into pieces 1.18 inches (3 centimeters) wide.
• Then, place the rolls face up. Bake at 356 °F (180 ºC). You can eat them hot or cold! You should try both versions, as each has its own particularities. In either case, you can dip them in a hot chocolate sauce to enhance the flavor.

It is a perfect recipe to enjoy in the afternoon with a cup of coffee!

Puff pastry braid with ham and cheese (salted)

Here is another of the puff pastry recipes. For three or four people, you will need:

• 1 sheet of puff pastry.
• 7 ounces, approx. (200 grams) of ham.
• 1 cup, approx. (150 grams) of mozzarella cheese.
• 1 egg. 

The step-by-step procedure is as follows:

• First, stretch the puff pastry sheet. Then, place the ham and cheese in the center. Try to put as much as you can, to give it more flavor.
• Once this is done, make diagonal cuts on the top and bottom of the dough. It should look like triangles! After making them, bring them to the center of the dough. They will serve to close the dough and provide crunchiness. 
• Once assembled, put in the oven at 356 °F (180 ºC). Paint the dough with beaten egg and leave it for 20 minutes until it is golden brown. Ready! Enjoy one of the best puff pastry recipes. 

It is one of the best preparations to serve as a starter for lunch or dinner. Surprise your guests with this recipe!

Now you know how to prepare delicious puff pastry recipes. Undoubtedly, these are meals that you can easily make at home. We invite you to surprise your loved ones with these delicious preparations!

References

An Italian in my Kitchen. (2021, September 17). Quick & Easy Homemade Puff Pastry. https://anitalianinmykitchen.com/puff-pastry/

Kitchn. (2019, May 1). Puff Pastry. https://www.thekitchn.com/baking-school-day-10-puff-pastry-222488

Masterclass. (2022, January 27). Baking 101: The 5 Key Pastry Doughs. https://www.masterclass.com/articles/a-guide-to-pastries

Sall’s Baking Addiction. (2021, July 1). Handmade Puff Pastry (Rough Puff Method). https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/rough-puff-pastry/

Tastemade. (2020, July 9). Savory Ham and Cheese Braid. https://www.tastemade.com/videos/5-puff-pastry-appetizers/savory-ham-and-cheese-braid

Wellplated (2021, November 1). Puff Pastry Cinnamon Rolls. https://www.wellplated.com/puff-pastry-cinnamon-rolls/