Rich and flaky, puff pastry is often considered the king of pastries with its highly discernible layers and towering rise. It is made from a laminated dough, which means that layers of dough and fat are sandwiched and rolled together, then overlapped a number of times (usually 6–8) to create layers. When cooked, the trapped air between the layers of fat and dough rise, resulting in a flaky, airy pastry.
Commonly used in Britain to top pies or wrap Wellingtons, puff pastry is often found in a range of traditional French dishes such as mille-feuille (a classic patisserie with layers of sweet cream), pithiviers (round, domed pies with a variety of fillings), beef or salmon en croute (meat or fish wrapped in pastry, similar to a Wellington), or the ultimate French classic, a tarte Tatin.
Puff pastry has a relatively delicate structure, so works best when used as a topping for pies, or as a flat base for dry ingredients, which will not soak into the pastry and ruin the layers. In this way, it can be used as a simple tart base – just throw a few ingredients on top and you will have a tasty meal in under an hour, such as in these puff pastry pizzas which make a great after-work treat.
