Hey there! So, you want to whip up some homemade puff pastry and turn it into a whole bunch of delicious treats? You got it! Making your own puff pastry might sound a bit fancy, but trust me, it’s super easy and you’ll have it ready in just 10 minutes. Plus, you’ll impress the heck out of your friends and family when you tell them it’s all from scratch!
Once you’ve got your pastry done, we can turn it into some awesome goodies: savory ham and cheese roll-ups, sweet pear and chocolate chip crescents, cheesy twists that are just perfect for snacking, and of course, classic apple cinnamon pastries that scream comfort food. So, let’s get rolling (pun intended)!
10-Minute Homemade Puff Pastry
Ingredients:
- 1 1/4 cup very cold salted butter (cut into cubes)
- 1/2 cup very cold water
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (use 3/4 teaspoon if your butter is unsalted)
- 2 cups flour
Instructions:
- Chuck your flour and salt in the food processor. Throw in 3/4 cup of your cold butter cut into cubes and pulse it a bit (around 10-12 times should do the trick) until the butter mixes in.
- Add the rest of the cold butter cubes and give it a quick pulse, just 2 or 3 times. You're not going for a smoothie here, chunky is good.
- Pour in the cold water and pulse a few more times (like 4 or 5) until the dough just starts to look like it's sticking together to form a ball. Don’t make the machine work too hard - keep it short and sweet.
- Flour up a surface and give the dough a light knead, just about 10 times. No need to treat it like a stress ball.
- Roll it out into a 12 x 18-inch rectangle, fold it up like a letter, wrap it tight in some plastic wrap, and toss it in the fridge. Give it about 1-2 hours to chill.
Ham & Cheese Roll-Ups
Ingredients:
- 6-8 slices cooked ham
- 1 1/4 cups shredded Gruyere or your choice of cheese
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Grab your cold puff pastry from the fridge, and roll it into a 10 x 14-inch rectangle.
- Lay down those ham slices and sprinkle the shredded cheese on top.
- Roll it up tight lengthwise, and give the edges a brush with egg wash to make it all stick together.
- Chill it again, wrapped up, for another 20-30 minutes.
- Slice it into 1/4 inch pieces, slap them on a baking sheet, brush with more egg wash, add a bit more cheese on top, and bake until golden (about 15-20 minutes). Serve those bad boys hot!
(For the egg wash: Just beat an egg with a tablespoon of water.)
Keep the same process going for the other treats—roll out your pastry, add your fillings (chopped pear, walnuts, and mini chocolate chips for the crescents; shredded and grated cheese with parsley for the twists; apples, brown sugar, and cinnamon for the apple pastries), and bake to golden perfection. Remember to use the egg wash to help seal the edges and give them a nice shiny finish.
Now go on and enjoy creating (and eating) these puff pastry delights! 👩🍳🍽️💫