The process of making puff pastry is quite simple : make the dough, enclose the cold butter, then roll, fold, and chill repeatedly to create flaky layers. Once in the oven, these layers will rise due to the action of butter and water vapor from the dough. To achieve this delicious recipe, you’ll need to follow a couple a tips and techniques, delivered by the best French chefs !
1) How to create the layers for puff pastry ?
2) Why is the temperature key for puff pastry ?
4) Why must the puff pastry dough rest in the frigde ?
5) Which butter should you chose for puff pastry ?
6) Which flour should you use for puff pastry ?
7) What kind of sugar type for puff pastry ?
8) What recipe for puff pastry dough ?
9) How to make puff pastry at home ?
10) What is the best recipe to make with puff pastry ?
Making your own puff pastry is totally worth it. The result? Incredibly crispy layers, a rich buttery flavor, and a dough that holds up perfectly—whether you’re baking something sweet or savory. It’s nothing like the store-bought versions.
The idea that puff pastry takes a month to make, 15 years of experience, and a family of pastry chefs is just plain wrong.
It’s not that hard, and it doesn’t take forever. You just need to understand a few key rules. Here are 8 simple guidelines to help you nail homemade puff pastry.
How to produce the layers ?
To produce the perfect layers with puff pastry, it is important to firstly understand what are the layers. Puff pastry is made up of multiple layers of butter, enclosed in what French call a “détrempe” (a dough produced with flour and water), which allows the pastry to rise in the oven. Each layer of butter traps the steam released during baking, causing the dough to lift and puff up. When you make puff pastry, your goal is therefore to create and preserve these successive butter layers. At SAIN bakery, they use two double folds to create a crisp pastry with 16 layers. You can find a video explanation of the double folds on Tchac.
Why is the temperature key for puff pastry ?
It’s very important that the butter layers are firm and cold when the puff pastry goes into the oven. Professionals use refrigerated rooms to work with puff pastry and prevent the butter from melting. At home, try to create a cool environment as much as possible.
- In summer, close your kitchen windows and blinds to keep the heat out.
- In winter, feel free to open a window briefly to cool the room down.
If it’s possible, work on a cold surface: marble, stone, or even a large board that you’ve chilled in the freezer for 30 minutes.
How to cook puff pastry ?
If the oven isn’t hot enough, the butter layers will melt and mix into the dough before it has time to rise. Never put puff pastry in the oven until it has fully preheated—ideally to 200°C to 210°C (fan-assisted). Once the pastry is in the oven, do not open the door: a drop in temperature could cause the butter to melt too early, preventing the pastry from puffing properly.
Wondering how long to bake puff pastry? It depends on the use you’re doing of puff pastry. Here are a few tips to help you estimate the right baking time:
- For blind baking (baking the pastry without filling, like for mille-feuille layers or cheese twists), bake for 20 to 30 minutes, depending on your oven’s power.
- For vegetable-filled puff pastry (like a tomato tart), also allow 20 to 30 minutes.
- For puff pastry with a liquid filling (such as flan or quiche), count on about 40 minutes to ensure a crispy crust.
To check if it’s done, look at the color: puff pastry is fully baked when it’s golden brown. A well-baked pastry will be crispy when eaten. If it still looks pale or undercooked, extend baking time in 5-minute intervals, keeping an eye on it to avoid burning.
Why must the puff pastry dough rest in the frigde ?
Between each fold (or “turn”), don’t skip the resting time in the fridge. This chilling period allows the butter to firm up (so it doesn’t melt) and gives the dough time to relax (making it easier to roll out).
Let it rest for at least 30 minutes—but the longer, the better. At SAIN bakery, the bakers even wait 24 hours between each turn for their puff pastry.
Which butter should you chose for puff pastry ?
To prevent the butter from melting and blending into the dough, choose a high-quality, dry butter for making puff pastry. Dry butter has a lower water content than regular butter. Its higher melting point makes it easier to work with. Poitou-Charentes AOP butter is a great choice!
Always use unsalted butter for puff pastry and add salt separately according to your recipe. Finally, make sure your butter is at the right temperature: it should be neither too soft (or it might melt) nor too hard (or it could break through the dough). You want a pliable, clay-like texture. Take it out of the fridge about an hour before starting your puff pastry.
Which flour should you chose ?
Choosing the right flour is key when making puff pastry.
T45 or T55 flours will give you a soft, elastic dough that’s easy to roll out and won’t tear.
If you prefer a less refined flour, you can do like SAIN bakery and use T65 flour—but don’t go higher than that, or it will make the folding and rolling process (called “tourage”) much harder.
What kind of sugar for puff pastry ?
Sugar plays a key role in pastry texture: during baking, it caramelizes and becomes crispy as it cools.
If you want a crunchy puff pastry, go for less refined sugars like muscovado or rapadura. Since they’re more intensely sweet, you can use less. They’ll also add rich, caramelized, amber flavors to your pastry.
What is the recipe for puff pastry dough ?
The détrempe (base dough) for puff pastry is traditionally made by mixing water and flour, sometimes with a bit of sugar.
At SAIN bakery, the chef also adds a touch of softened butter for extra tenderness, and a bit of milk powder to prevent the dough from drying out.
The result? A perfectly balanced puff pastry—crispy on the outside, soft on the inside. You can find the full pâte feuilletée recipe on Tchac!
How to make puff pastry at home ?
If this article has inspired you to try making puff pastry at home, check out Chef Anthony Courteille’s video course on Tchac. Step by step, the master baker walks you through the process of making beautiful homemade puff pastry—no professional equipment needed.
As for ingredients, it’s nothing complicated: flour, butter, a bit of sugar—and that’s it! To watch his puff pastry course, you can start your free, no-commitment trial on Tchac.
What is the best recipe to make with puff pastry ?
If you’re wondering what the best recipe is to make the most of your homemade puff pastry—crafted with love and patience—we’ve got the answer: Galette des Rois, also known as King cake!
Chef Anthony Courteille uses his puff pastry recipe to make the Galette des Rois he serves at his bakery, SAIN (Saveurs d’Antan, Ingrédients Naturels). He shares his full recipe on Tchac, along with all his baker’s secrets!
