Need Advice On Puff Pastry Recipe

[Maltiriel]

I was hoping to get opinions on this Open Original Shared Link. Specifically I want to know if it'll work for the recipe I have in mind, which is (warning, images are kinda icky as it's a Halloween scary food recipe) Open Original Shared Link. I've never worked with even regular store-bought puff pastry, so making it from scratch will be rather interesting. It seems like the pastry would need to be extra-pliable for this, so I would really like to get some opinions before I order the rather pricey flour.

I do intend to do a practice run before making it for a party, but I need to do that soon since it will be October 14; every year for the Walking Dead season premiere I get together with friends for a creepy food potluck and to watch the show. Anyway if anybody has thoughts on this I would really really appreciate it!

[love2travel]

Hmmmm...I've done a lot of baking, including puff pastry, and am very curious about the outcome because the photos do not look like puff pastry actually should (sort of like flat gluten-free biscuits). They almost look like flat discs to me. I wonder whether it would be worth it or not. I can tell by looking at the dough it is gluten-free dough which acts differently. I would still try it if I were you (you just never know!) but I would not count on it behaving like its gluten counterpart.

[pricklypear1971]

These are the two puff pastry recipes I have. Haven't attempted either one.

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

[Maltiriel]

Hmmmm...I've done a lot of baking, including puff pastry, and am very curious about the outcome because the photos do not look like puff pastry actually should (sort of like flat gluten-free biscuits). They almost look like flat discs to me. I wonder whether it would be worth it or not. I can tell by looking at the dough it is gluten-free dough which acts differently. I would still try it if I were you (you just never know!) but I would not count on it behaving like its gluten counterpart.

Is the main thing about the looks that it's not as puffy as puff pastry should be? I don't really know what puff pastry is vs. regular pastry or anything... Ordinarily I'm really not much into baking or baked goods, but for this potluck I go the extra mile. Do you think this would at least stretch and seal around a filling? I think that would really be the main thing I'd need. Should I look into a different type of recipe, like for plain pastry dough? Or something else entirely?

[beachbirdie]

I am so glad to see this thread! Thanks for starting it, and thanks to those who posted links to the puff pastry recipes. I never thought I'd enjoy the light, flaky goodness of puff pastry ever again! I have hope!

And, I think those pastry intestines look really fun! Something we might add to our repertoire this year. My oldest daughter is deeply into Halloween, does our house up inside and out for the month of October, and if she finds the right guy to marry is going to do a Halloween themed wedding. Her birthday is October 29, and she LOVES being close to Halloween! Lucky girl, she went to university at a school with official colors of orange and black.

[love2travel]

Is the main thing about the looks that it's not as puffy as puff pastry should be? I don't really know what puff pastry is vs. regular pastry or anything... Ordinarily I'm really not much into baking or baked goods, but for this potluck I go the extra mile. Do you think this would at least stretch and seal around a filling? I think that would really be the main thing I'd need. Should I look into a different type of recipe, like for plain pastry dough? Or something else entirely?

In puff pastry you should be able to see hundreds of delicate layers - that is what the butter and folding are for. I think in puff pastry there are nearly 1,000 layers! Puff pastry is far different from pie pastry or Danish pastries. It is light, puffy and filled with wonderful layers.

What type of filling are you using? Is is savoury or sweet? There are excellent pizza/calzone dough recipes that are fantastic for fillings. There are regular pastry recipes (i.e. pie crust) that are also good for fillings. So, if all you want to do is fill soomething, puff pastry likely isn't it. You normally place things on top of puff pastry or you use puff pastry for things such as Beef Wellington or on top of Steak and Ale Pie.

[Maltiriel]

I want to do cherry pie filling. The recipe I want to make uses puff pastry, that's the only reason I was going to use that... The recipe uses frozen puff pastry sheets, cut into strips which are then laid out in a long line, pressed together at the seams so it's one long piece, then the filling is put onto it and the dough is pinched shut around it. Looking at the photos it doesn't seem like the layers are really even visible... It may have been just the easiest thing to do since the recipe's creator was using store bought dough.

Do you think gluten-free pie crust dough would work? I might be able to get that pre-made frozen which would make life so much easier! Thanks for all the advice, I really appreciate the information and help.