How to use frozen puff pastry

Golden, light and flaky puff pastry takes a lot of effort to make from scratch, so thank goodness it’s readily available in packets from the freezer section! Once you know what to do it’s easy to prepare and oh-so-tasty in both sweet and savoury dishes. Learn how to use frozen puff pastry like a pro!

 

Puff pastry is essentially layers of dough and solid fat, usually butter or shortening. This is also called a laminated dough. When it’s baked, the steam from the fat separates the layers and the fat crisps them up, leaving you with crispy, flaky pastry.

 

When working with puff pastry, you want to preserve the layers in the pastry for the best result.

 

Puff pastry needs to be thawed before you can work with it. Remove the number of sheets you need from the packet while still frozen, a long knife or pallet knife can be helpful here. Tightly repackage leftover pastry to avoid freezer burn and return to the freezer. Lay out the frozen puff pastry with the plastic film side down for 10-15 minutes until just pliable enough to work with. It should still be cold to the touch. You can also thaw the pastry overnight in the fridge on trays covered with a tea towel. If the pastry gets too warm and soft to handle easily, place in the fridge for a few minutes to firm up the dough again.

 

Cut with a clean sharp motion. Avoid dragging the knife or twisting with cutters, as this will affect the layers and can stop the pastry from puffing up properly.

 

Use puff pastry for tart crusts, cut into shapes, use to cover pies, fold into turnovers and more. Get heaps of recipe ideas below!

 

The best temperature for puff pastry is between 180-200°C, fan-forced. For the best result, make sure your oven is preheated.

 

Yes, but it may affect the quality. You can refreeze both cooked and uncooked puff pastry, but not more than once.

 

Refrozen raw puff pastry may have less rise, crispness and colour.

 

Not necessarily, puff pastry contains enough fat to produce a golden colour without any extra glazing. However, an egg wash (1 egg whisked with 1 tbsp water or milk) will make it extra golden and shiny. Egg wash is also useful if you need to stick pastry pieces together or seal the pastry.

 

Frozen puff pastry will last 10-12 months in the freezer. It’s best to put your pastry in the freezer as soon as possible and keep it at -18°C.

 

Puff pastry can easily get freezer burn, so store it in airtight packaging.

 

If you're looking for puff pastry ideas and recipes, check out the ideas below or click to see 24 sweet and savoury puff pastry recipes!

 

Crispy puff pastry, creamy cheese sauce and your favourite toppings. These easy little snacks are a people pleaser no matter what the occasion.

 

 

Sheets of puff pastry layered with vanilla custard and tangy passionfruit icing. It's a classic Aussie dessert recipe everyone needs to know!

 

 

These cheesy chicken parcels with Mexican spice are so satisfying. Pack them up for a picnic or enjoy them as an easy dinner.