Apple Tarts
View the video at the end to see an episode of Julia Child making puff pastry.
Laminated Doughs: Puff Pastry
Laminated dough can be yeasted or non-yeasted, but the basic preparation methods are the same for both. Examples of the yeasted doughs are croissant and Danish. Puff pastry is the most familiar form of non-yeasted.
Laminated doughs are not hard to make. Ideal flakiness is created when thin layers of fat separate many layers of dough. The fat keeps the layers from sticking together and, during baking, the water in the fat creates steam, separating or lifting the layers. The amount of folds given to croissant and Danish are generally three single folds or two double folds. For puff pastry 4-6 single folds are often used.
More is not necessarily better when it comes to folding the dough. Each time the dough is sheeted the layers of fat get thinner and thinner. If the dough is folded too many times the layers of fat will eventually get so thin that they are practically absorbed into the dough. This will result in a more bread like interior instead of a flaky honeycomb texture.
Puff pastry
Steps
· Mix the dough package
· Mix the butter package
· Enclose the butter
· Lamination: rolling and folding (turns) 4-6 single folds
· Final rolling and shaping
· Baking
DOUGH PACKAGE (This dough is called the “détrempe.”)
1. Combine flour and salt
2. Add water and mix till “shaggy mess”
3. Add softened butter
4. Mix just to combine and create a smooth dough
5. Chill for at least half an hour
6. Roll out the dough in a rectangle 1/2”-1” thick. Thickness will vary with the size of the piece. The dough can then be covered and chilled while the fat is prepared.
BUTTER PACKAGE
When butter with a high water content is used, its plasticity will be improved by blending it with approximately 8% of bread flour based on the butter weight.
Lamination
After the final folds have been given to the laminated dough, a final resting period is necessary to allow the gluten to relax before the final shaping is done. During the final shaping process the dough will be rolled or sheeted thinner than during any other stage. If the dough is not sufficiently relaxed, it will be very elastic and tend to shrink after the dough is cut. It is also helpful to have the dough chilled so it doesn’t warm up during the shaping stage. Dough may be rolled to ½ inch and stored in freezer until it is needed. It should then be thawed in refrigerator before final shaping.
Baking
Most laminated dough will benefit from a simple wash of egg before baking to aid in the coloration of the crust. Egg washing the pastry before and after proofing will add additional color and encourage a more even coat of egg wash.
Notes
CHAUSSONS AUX POMMES (Apple Turnovers)
1/2 recipe puff pastry
Filling
View the video at the end to see an episode of Julia Child making puff pastry.
Laminated Doughs: Puff Pastry
Laminated dough can be yeasted or non-yeasted, but the basic preparation methods are the same for both. Examples of the yeasted doughs are croissant and Danish. Puff pastry is the most familiar form of non-yeasted.
Laminated doughs are not hard to make. Ideal flakiness is created when thin layers of fat separate many layers of dough. The fat keeps the layers from sticking together and, during baking, the water in the fat creates steam, separating or lifting the layers. The amount of folds given to croissant and Danish are generally three single folds or two double folds. For puff pastry 4-6 single folds are often used.
More is not necessarily better when it comes to folding the dough. Each time the dough is sheeted the layers of fat get thinner and thinner. If the dough is folded too many times the layers of fat will eventually get so thin that they are practically absorbed into the dough. This will result in a more bread like interior instead of a flaky honeycomb texture.
Puff pastry
Steps
· Mix the dough package
· Mix the butter package
· Enclose the butter
· Lamination: rolling and folding (turns) 4-6 single folds
· Final rolling and shaping
· Baking
DOUGH PACKAGE (This dough is called the “détrempe.”)
- 10 oz bread flour
- 1 oz soft butter
- ½ tsp. Salt
- 6 oz ice cold water
1. Combine flour and salt
2. Add water and mix till “shaggy mess”
3. Add softened butter
4. Mix just to combine and create a smooth dough
5. Chill for at least half an hour
6. Roll out the dough in a rectangle 1/2”-1” thick. Thickness will vary with the size of the piece. The dough can then be covered and chilled while the fat is prepared.
BUTTER PACKAGE
- 8 oz cold butter
- 1/2 oz bread flour
When butter with a high water content is used, its plasticity will be improved by blending it with approximately 8% of bread flour based on the butter weight.
- Mix ingredients until homogeneous (well mixed and smooth)
- Lightly flour butter and pat into disc between waxed paper. Chill for at least half an hour, flipping it over after 15 minutes for even temperature distribution.
- The key point is to pull it out and let it reach room temperature before locking it in the dough. Ideal temperature is 65 to 70F., pliable and not sticky-- the butter should be the same consistency as the détrempe. It can be formed and made pliable by flattening it out between two pieces of parchment or heavy plastic with a rolling pin. The idea is to soften the fat just to the point that it is pliable and very plastic, but not melting. Butter starts to soften at about 80° F. When processing small quantities of dough it is best to work with the butter directly out of the refrigerator.
- Pat or spread butter into a square approximately 1/2” thick. The butter should be exactly half the size of the dough rectangle.
Lamination
- Place the butter package directly into the center of the dough rectangle and bring the outside edges of the dough around the fat so they meet in the middle.
- Next, using a heavy wooden rolling pin, gently press on the dough starting 1” in from the ends, and then finishing with the entire middle section. This will encourage the butter and fat to move together once the dough is rolled or sheeted. It also aids in keeping the edge of the fat and dough lined up together. It is not necessary to enclose the fat in the dough by sealing the end of the dough together.
- From this point on the dough and fat should be the same texture.
- When using butter it is best to keep the dough and fat as cold as possible. During the lamination process, this makes it easier to work with the dough. It also prevents softening or melting of the butter, which can affect the lightness and flakiness of the final product.
- After the fat has been enclosed into the dough piece begin giving the dough its folds. This is the idea of rolling the dough thinner and folding it onto itself to create multiple layers of fat in between multiple layers of dough, creating a light and flaky pastry. Always roll the dough in the same direction as the fold. The dough is folded like a letter, in thirds, turned 90 degrees, and then rolled out and folded again. Once two turns have been completed, the dough is returned to the fridge to rest and chill for at least 30 minutes. This process is repeated one to two more times, for a total of six turns and folds and three 30 minute rests. Only after all that can the dough be rolled out and used to make palmiers, turnovers, Wellington, or any one of the dozens of French pastries that use puff pastry as a base.
- For the single fold (or three-fold) the dough is first rolled or sheeted approximately three times as long as it is wide. One third of the dough is folded into the center of the piece and the remaining third is folded on top of that. This completes one single fold.
- Rotate the dough 90 degrees. Two folds can be done immediately after one another if the dough is well chilled and extensible.
- If the environment is warm the dough should be chilled in between every fold to allow for the fat to stay cold. If more than two folds are going to be done, the dough should be allowed to relax after the first fold to allow the fat to stay cold and the gluten to relax. Chill the dough for 15 minutes. Leave room temperature 15 more minutes. Let relax for one hour at least before final roll out.
After the final folds have been given to the laminated dough, a final resting period is necessary to allow the gluten to relax before the final shaping is done. During the final shaping process the dough will be rolled or sheeted thinner than during any other stage. If the dough is not sufficiently relaxed, it will be very elastic and tend to shrink after the dough is cut. It is also helpful to have the dough chilled so it doesn’t warm up during the shaping stage. Dough may be rolled to ½ inch and stored in freezer until it is needed. It should then be thawed in refrigerator before final shaping.
Baking
Most laminated dough will benefit from a simple wash of egg before baking to aid in the coloration of the crust. Egg washing the pastry before and after proofing will add additional color and encourage a more even coat of egg wash.
Notes
- Always relax dough after sheeting or rolling out.
- Always have puff pastry very cold to semi-frozen.
- Never handle puff when it is soft. The layer of butter and dough may break.
- Do not touch the dough too much. Your hands are warm and will soften the puff pastry quickly.
- If baking in a deck oven, always start with a single sheet pan for a proper oven spring. When baked halfway, add a second sheet pan to avoid burning the base of the puff pastry.
- Always bake when the dough is cold, not when it is soft.
- Always bake at 380F to 420F (ideally 400F).
- Never bake different items on the same sheet pan. Different thickness requires different baking times.
- Item is baked throughout when the color is a dark golden brown.
- Puff pastry can increase 8 times in size during baking, often having over 1,000 layers of dough.
- Blitz puff pastry is put together like pie dough and then rolled and folded. It is easier to make than regular puff pastry but will not rise as much.
- Scraps from puff pastry, called rognures, can be gathered together and folded but also will not rise as much as the original dough.
- If shapes are cut from puff pastry, bake them upside down. The action of the cutter on the dough can work against the flaky rising action by melding the dough together where it is cut.
- If egg wash is being applied to puff pastry products be sure it does not dribble down the sides because this can glue the layers together preventing maximum rising.
- Puff pastry is best baked in a hot 400 - 425 degree oven. If larger sheets of puff pastry are being baked, start them out in the hot oven and then turn the oven down part way through baking to help the inside cook. Depending on the product, they can also be turned over during the baking process.
- Puff pastry dough freezes well.
CHAUSSONS AUX POMMES (Apple Turnovers)
1/2 recipe puff pastry
Filling
- 1 Tbs. cornstarch
- 6 Tbl granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- thin slice of lemon peel
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 large apples (about 1 lb. total)
- 2 Tbs. unsalted butter
- 4 Tbl water
- Granulated sugar, for sprinkling
- Peel and core apples, and cut them into 1/2-inch cubes or thin slices. Toss in a 2-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan with sugar, butter, lemon peel and cinnamon. Heat over medium heat until butter is melted, then add 2 tablespoons water. Cover and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until apples are starting to soften.
- Whisk cornstarch with remaining 2 tablespoons water and add to softened apple mixture. Cover and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more, until liquid thickens and jells slightly. Remove from heat.
- Make the puff pastry and chill.
- Preheat the oven to 400°.
- Roll out the pastry to 1/8-inch thickness and divide the dough into 4 1/2" squares - you should get about 8.
- Make an egg wash with an egg and about a tablespoon of water whisked together.
- Brush the four sides of a pastry square with the egg wash.
- Place a spoonful of apple filling in the center of the square. Be careful not to overfill or you won't be able to close the turnover.
- Fold one corner of the pastry over to meet with opposite corner. Press the edges together, using a fork to make a seal.
- Pastries may be frozen at this point.
- Put the pastries on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush the tops with egg wash and make decorative scoring with the back of a knife (do not cut all the way through). Sprinkle with sugar or cinnamon-sugar.
- Chill for 10-15 minutes.
- Bake the turnovers in the heated oven until puffed and browned, about 20-25 minutes. Turn the oven down to 375° after about 15 minutes if the chaussons are browning too quickly. Also, double the baking sheet if they risk getting too brown on the bottom. Remove from the oven, cool, and sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.
|
Click to set custom HTML
|