Ever the Scientist

Dave Oney

Sep 27

You would think having been out of the chemistry laboratory since 1978 (please don't do the math) I would lose some of my scientific method mentality, but I haven't.

I made rough puff pastry for the first time this week. Also for the first time, I bought an exorbitantly expensive commercial puff pastry (Dufour's.) For price comparison, the Dufour was $11.99 for two sheets about 8"x9". Trader Joe's at $4.99 are only available in October and November. (Buy a bunch and stock up… I do!) Pepperidge Farms is $6.25 for 2 sheets, and my rough puff pastry is $1.65 for an equivalent size and number of sheets. Yes, not a typo, $1.65. It does take a little elbow grease to roll the cold dough out, but aside from the sore wrist, it is nearly free.

As for performance: Trader Joe's puffs the least, which for a number of applications is an advantage. Dufour's puffs more than Trader Joe's but not as much as Dede's Rough Puff, which in turn was less than Pepperidge Farms. All four tasted excellent, but as humble as I am capable of being, my rough puff was outstanding. It was as flavorful, puffed as much and was as easy to roll as any of the other three.

(I have made so many pastries with both Trader Joe's and Pepperidge Farms I didn't include them in today's head to head analysis.)

Blackberry Hand Pies and Pain Au Chocolate.
(Dafour's in the back, Dede's in the front.)

Pain au Chocolate

INGREDIENTS

Puff pastry
Chocolate
Confectioner's sugar
1 egg

METHOD

Roll out puff pastry
Dust with confectioner's sugar
Cut into 2" wide (cut 5 long strips, then cut each in half)
Lay chocolate at one end, roll one time, press down gently and roll again, press gently again
Add second row of chocolate and roll one last time, press gently
Chill overnight or at least 2 hours.
Make egg wash with 1 egg and 1 Tbl water. Beat well with a fork.
Brush with egg wash
Paint the inner end of the roll to seal the end. Press firmly.
Bake 360 deg 20-25 min on parchment lined baking sheet

Berry Hand Pie

INGREDIENTS

1 egg
1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed but cool.
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons granulated sugar or decorating sugar
½ cup white chocolate chips
6 ounces berries
3 tablespoons coarse white sugar or decorating sugar

METHOD

Heat the oven to 400°F. Beat the egg and water in a small bowl with a fork.
Stir the cream cheese and granulated sugar in a medium bowl until the mixture is smooth. Stir in the white chocolate chips.
Cut large berries in half.
Sprinkle the flour on the work surface. Unfold the pastry sheet on the work surface. Roll the pastry sheet into a 12-inch square. Using a round cutter, cut into 24 (2½ -inch) circles.
Brush the edges of 12 pastry circles with the egg mixture. Place about ½ tablespoon cream cheese mixture in the center of each. Top each with about one small or two halves of a large berry. Place the remaining pastry circles over the filling. Press the edges firmly to seal. Crimp the edges with a fork. If you don't seal them adequately the filling will leak out of the sides of the finished pastry.
Brush the pastries with the egg mixture and sprinkle with the coarse sugar. Using a sharp knife cut small slits in the tops of the filled pastries. Place the pastries onto a silicone or parchment paper lined baking sheet.
Bake for 20 minutes or until the pastries are golden brown. Remove the pastries from the baking sheets and let cool on wire racks for 10 minutes.
Eat. They are small. Eat again.