How To Make A Rough Puff Pastry At Home For Desserts

Making rough puff pastry at home is perfect for any dessert lover. That magical layer of flaky, buttery goodness that elevates any sweet treat. Whether you are making a classic fruit tart, a savory pastry or a rich mille-feuille, the secret to making it perfect starts with the dough. You do not need professional skills or special equipment, just some simple ingredients and a little patience.

What is great about rough puff pastry is it’s versatility. It does not require the precision of traditional puff pastry but it still gives you that same lovely flakiness and buttery-ness. By folding in butter and rolling out multiple times you create thin layers that rise beautifully when baked.

And the best bit? You can make it ahead and freeze for whenever you want a quick dessert. Whether it is a spontaneous family gathering or a planned party this rough puff pastry will never let you down.

How To Bake A Rough Puff Pastry For Desserts

Rough puff pastry is a delicious and versatile base that will take your desserts to the next level. You don’t need to be a seasoned baker to make it at home.

Ingredients

• 120g flour
• ¼ tsp salt
• 60g cold butter
• 60g cold water
• 2 tsp unsalted butter

Method

1. In a large bowl, sift the flour and salt together. Add the cold butter to the flour mixture.
2. Use your fingers or a pastry blender to work the butter into the flour until it looks like coarse crumbs.
3. Add the cold water, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough starts to come together.
4. The dough should not be too sticky. If needed add a little more water to bring it together.
5. Gather the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes to relax the gluten.
6. Roll out the dough on a floured surface into a rectangle about 1/2 inch thick. Take the softened butter and spread it evenly over the dough.
7. Fold the dough in thirds like a letter and roll it out again.
8. Repeat this folding and rolling 3 to 4 times until the butter is well incorporated and the dough is in thin layers.
9. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for another 30 minutes to firm up.
10. Once chilled you can use the rough puff pastry for your favorite desserts.
11. Roll it out and cut it into shapes for tarts, pies or turnovers or use it as a base for other desserts.

Types of Desserts You Can Make with Rough Puff Pastry at Home

1. Fruit Tarts

Fruit tarts are a classic dessert that goes with the roughness of puff pastry. The crispy pastry base holds a smooth layer of custard or cream cheese filling, topped with fresh, juicy fruits like berries, kiwi and oranges. It is elegant and sweet and the contrast between the creamy filling and crispy pastry base is lovely. You can also glaze the fruits with a bit of apricot jam for a shiny finish.

2. Apple Turnovers

Apple turnovers are a comfort dessert and when made with rough puff pastry, they are impossible to resist. The light, buttery layers of the dough go with the sweet, cinnamon-spiced apple filling perfectly. You can make your filling by cooking down apples with sugar, cinnamon and a squeeze of lemon juice then wrapping the mixture in squares of puff pastry. Once baked they come out golden and crispy with a warm apple filling inside.

3. Palmiers (Elephant Ears)

Palmiers or "elephant ears" are an elegant and easy dessert made by rolling rough puff pastry into thin layers of sugar. The sugar caramelizes as it bakes and you get a crunchy, sweet exterior and a delicate, flaky interior. Palmiers are perfect for serving with coffee or tea and can be flavored with vanilla, cinnamon or even a bit of cocoa powder.

4. Napoleons (Mille-feuille)

The classic Napoleon or mille-feuille is a French pastry made of layers of flaky puff pastry filled with smooth pastry cream or whipped cream. The beauty of this dessert is in its simplicity and texture. Rough puff pastry is baked until golden then layered with rich cream in between. You can drizzle the top with icing or dust with powdered sugar for extra glamor.

5. Eclairs

Eclairs are an indulgent dessert made from choux pastry filled with custard or whipped cream and topped with chocolate. But using rough puff pastry instead of choux pastry gives you a buttery, crunchy version of this classic treat. The pastry is baked into long shapes, filled with

vanilla or chocolate custard and topped with a shiny chocolate glaze. Eclairs made with rough puff pastry are crunchy and creamy, extra nice.