Pastry Dough - Types

Copyright 2000 Sarah Phillips CraftyBaking.com All rights reserved.

There are two main types of pastry, NONLAMINATED and LAMINATED. Both are based on
how fat is introduced into the recipe.

NONLAMINATED - fat is cut or LAMINATED - fat is repeatedly folded into the dough
rubbed into the flour using a technique called lamination.
PIE AND TART CRUST CROISSANT
CHOUX (Pte Choux) DANISH
BRIOCHE PUFF PASTRY Includes Quick-Puff Pastry
PHYLLO, FILLO OR FILO
STRUDEL

There are also alternative style piecrusts, not considered pastry, made with crushed graham
crackers, cookies, cereal flakes and nuts.

Pie and Tart Pastry Crust

Dough
Copyright 2000 Sarah Phillips CraftyBaking.com All rights reserved.

Pies and tarts are pastries that consist of two components: the
first, relatively thin pastry (pie) dough, when baked forms a crust (also called pastry shells) that
holds the second, the filling. Pie crusts were developed in the Middle Ages, but not for fruit
fillings. They were actually first used to contain and preserve meat preparations, resulting in
dishes like the Cornish pasty.

HOW TO ROLL, FLUTE AND BLIND BAKE PIE CRUSTS

Pie dough is made from just a few basic ingredients: flour, fat, salt and liquid, in slightly
different ratios. Some recipes have the inclusion of additional ingredients such as sugar, eggs,
lemon juice or cider vinegar and baking powder and/or baking soda. The flour used is typically
all-purpose, but can be a blend using cake, pastry and/or bread flours. The fat used is solid and
cold, being lard, shortening or butter. (Oil crusts are made using different mixing techniques.)
The liquid used is typically ice-cold water.

Pie dough is classified by the kind, amount and method of the fat's incorporation into the dough.
Success or failure depends on keeping the ingredients cold, how the mixing methods used to
incorporate the fat, and how the gluten in the wheat flour is developed. Their resulting textures
are meant to be flaky and light or compact and crumbly (mealy), and always tender, with a
golden brown color and a flavor good enough to eat by itself.

Flaky and Crisp Pie Dough (flaky) crusts are made from short
dough containing few ingredients, being flour, fat, salt and water. The fat is cut or rubbed into
the flour until their particles resemble the size of peas. The ingredients should be kept cold and
mixed only until combined. Overmixing creates a crust that is hard to work with and that is tough
instead of flaky and tender. The flakiness of the pie crust depends on the flour-to-fat-ratio, too;
the more flour used, the harder the baked crust. Little or no flour should be used when it is rolled
out. Go to our Basic and Flaky Pie and Tart Crust Dough Recipe

Characteristics of Standard Flaky Pie

Crusts:
Rough, blistered surface with no
Appearance
large air bubbles
 Golden brown edges
Center of bottom and top crusts are
light in color
Not shrunken
Attractively shaped edges
Uniform thickness
Layers are evident when pastry is
broken
Texture
Crisp and flaky
Not mealy
Cuts easily with a fork but holds
Tenderness shape when lifted; not so tender
that it falls apart
Pleasing, well blended
Flavor Free of unpleasant or distracting
flavors

Pte Brise (compact and crumbly) sometimes called mealy pie

dough is one of the more useful and popular pie dough and makes a good choice when making
decorated fluted edges. It is another French classic that is made without sugar and is perfect to
use with moist fillings, such as custard, because its fat particles are small and more evenly
distributed throughout the dough. It is made with 1 part liquid (typically water), 2 parts fat, and 3
parts flour, by weight, and can be mixed with a paddle attachment with a mixer more thoroughly
until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. It generally contains 1 egg for every pound of flour
and may include additional flavoring ingredients such as salt, lemon juice or vanilla extract. Try
our Flaky Pie Crust or Pate Brisee Tutorial.

Pte Sucre (compact and crumbly) translates from French to English as "sugar dough" or short
dough. It is made with 1 part liquid (typically water), 2 parts fat, and 3 parts flour, by weight. It
generally contains 1 egg for every pound of flour and may include additional flavoring
ingredients such as salt, lemon juice or vanilla extract. Its texture is more cookie-like and is the
definitive French tart dough for sweet desserts. Blind baking is advised before filling. You'll love
our Flaky Cookie-Like Tart Dough or Pate Sucree Recipe.

Pte Sable (compact and crumbly) is another example of a tart dough used mainly for desserts.
Sable translates as sand which is befitting its crumbly, cookie-like texture. and it can also be
used for cookies or as a component to French style cakes. It is delicate dough that is usually
made by creaming the fat with sugar, then mixing in eggs, with the flour (often cake flour) added
at the end. This dough is usually baked blind and then filled after it has cooled. Some recipes,
though it's not traditional, include egg yolks, and a few recipes actually call for the yolks to be
cooked which makes for a more tender crust.

ALTERNATIVE STYLE CRUST (not a pastry crust), There

are also alternative piecrusts, not considered pastry, made with graham crackers, cookies, cereal
flakes and nuts, or similar. They are turned into crumbs, crushed or finely chopped and then,
mixed with sugar. The mixture is then bound together with some fat, typically melted butter. The
mixture is pressed into the bottom and sides of the pie pan. It is then baked or left unbaked
before using, depending on the recipe. This kind of crust is not flaky.

FLAKY OR MEALY AND TENDER

There are two types of textures to pie dough: flaky and mealy, always being tender,
depending on how the fat is blended in with the flour and its temperature. When you moisten
these crumbs with liquid, typically ice-water, they form a malleable dough. The dough is chilled
in a disk shape to relax the wheat flour gluten, hydrate the flour and firm the fat. Then, it is
formed by rolling with a rolling pin, which allows the gluten to develop, and the pieces of fat and
flour to flatten and create layers. The dough is carefully shaped into the pie pan and filled. When
heated, the pieces of fat melt, and the liquid in the dough steams apart the pockets left by the
melted fat. As the dough bakes, the moisture evaporates, and the dough sets in layered flakes,
varying in texture, to form a crust.
Flaky crusts are well, flakier, and are best used for top crusts, but can be used as a bottom crust
for wet fillings, such as custard, and should be blind baked first to help prevent
sogginess. Flakiness is created by mixing the fat with the flour for less time, leaving it in bigger
chunks, but it also depends on the kind of fat used, and the temperature at which it is
incorporated into the flour. This creates layers of fat when the dough is rolled out, and a flaky
texture in the finished product. Just keep in mind that this type of dough needs a little more
hydration from water.

Mealy crusts are more compact and crisper because the fat in them is fat particles are small and
more evenly distributed throughout the dough. It is preferred for wet fillings, especially if you're
going to fill the pie without partially baking the crust beforehand (blind baking). For mealy
crusts, the fat is mixed in longer so that the mixture looks like a course cornmeal before the
water is added. The crust is very "short" and tender because less gluten can develop. Less water
is needed in the dough because the flour cannot absorb as much. It makes perfect dough for
bottom crusts, especially fruit or custard pies, because it resists sogginess.

Blind baking is a common practice in the baking world. The definition is to partially or fully
bake a pie or tart crust before adding the filling. Since a pie of tart dough has a tendency to warp
during cooking, it must be weighted down so that it can retain its shape.

Blind baking is generally used for pies with wet fillings to give the crust a head start and avoid
undercooked crust. I like to blind bake at home just to shorten the final baking time. If the crust
has a head start, it won't take the pie quite as long to bake once the filling is in it. Also if the pie
is cream or chiffon filled you'd have to bake the pie shell in advance anyway as the filling
shouldn't be cooked any further.

Choux Pastry or Pte

Choux
Copyright 2000 Sarah Phillips CraftyBaking.com All rights reserved.
 Choux pastry, also known as pte choux (paht ah shoo), choux,
or eclair paste, it is not really a dough in the strictest sense, but rather a thick paste made on the
stovetop from a roux with the addition of eggs. It is then formed on a baking sheet, usually piped
through a pastry tip into different shapes, and baked. Choux pastry paste is versatile and used to
make many items, such as cream puffs, clairs, profiteroles, croquembouche, Paris Brest, and
Saint Honor.

Unlike puff pastry that uses fat to puff up in volume, pte choux relies upon the high water
content in eggs as leavening to steam open the paste. When formed into a mound on the baking
sheet, it bakes into the classic Profiterole or cream puff look. In fact, pte choux translates into
"cabbage paste," referring to the baked cream puff's resemblance to a small cabbage head. The
goal in making the perfect cream pastry puff is to have the finest crispy crust, the lightest
interior, and an even and golden browned shape. Its round somewhat hollow center can
be cleaned out and filled with whipped or pastry cream, and sometimes topped with powdered
sugar or a chocolate glaze.

RECIPES
Cream Puff (Profiterole): Choux pastry is baked into small round puffs, which when cooled
become hollow in the middle and are served with whipped cream, pastry cream or custard in the
center. You will commonly see this garnished with a hardened caramel sauce (my favorite).
 Croquenbouche: The Croquembouche, which translates as
"Crunch in the mouth", is a delectable French dessert that is often served at weddings, in place of
a wedding cake.
It is a tower made up of pastry cream-filled cream puffs, made from Pte choux dough, all held
together with crunchy caramel cage. Many times, it is elaborately decorated with candied
flowers, bows and spun sugar. You need a mold to build a very large croquembouche, but a
small one can support itself, and it is not as hard to make as you might think. It is a very
impressive dessert! We have a gorgeous Croquembouche Tutorial.
clair: A variant from the donut type dough used in many American versions of this French
favorite, clairs are a long, thin pastry made from choux pastry and is filled with cream and
topped with icing (usually chocolate). In France, clairs are made by baking the oblong choux
until crisp and hollow and then filling it with coffee or chocolate flavored pastry cream. Other
favorite fillings are custard or freshly whipped cream, rum-flavored custard (my favorite),
almond or chestnut puree or fruit fillings. clairs will vary from patisserie to patisserie, but are
almost always delicious. Check out our Pomegranate Pistachio Chocolate Eclairs recipe.
 Paris Brest: This classic French showstopper dessert - a large
ring of airy pte choux pastry topped with almonds - the same pastry used to make clairs and
cream puffs, that is split and traditionally filled with the richest praline pastry cream and
sprinkled with powdered sugar. Resembling a wheel, this French pastry is thought to have been
created by a Parisian pastry chef to celebrate an 1891 famous bicycle race from Paris to Brest
and back again, in Brittany, which was the precursor of the Tour de France. Try our Paris Brest
Tutorial.

HOW CHOUX PASTRY WORKS

The single most critical factor in its successful preparation is the

first precooking stage. To make a choux pastry, water, butter and salt (to prevent eventual
cracking) are heated on the stovetop to a rolling boil, so the fat is dispersed throughout the
liquid. The pot is removed from the heat and the flour, which can be a mixture of cake and bread
flours or all-purpose, is sifted over the hot liquid, and then stirred.

When the pot is returned to the stove, the mixture is stirred constantly and continuously flattened
against the sides of the pan, drying the paste as much as possible. The whole process will take
about 3 - 5 minutes of continuous beating. Immediately remove from heat or the fat will separate
out. Note that the bottom of the pan will be lightly filmed with the paste which you shouldn't
scrap while cooking.

The cooked mixture is transferred to a mixer, and the eggs are then added, and beaten into it until
smooth, called a "panade". It's very important that each egg be fully incorporated before you add
the next so the paste won't separate. It can be a slow process. After all the eggs are incorporated,
the dough should be stiff enough to hold a peak when a spoon is lifted out of. During beating, the
mixture thins and emulsifies into a stable emulsion of fat and water with the help of the yolk
lecithin.

The dough is baked immediately in a well preheated oven to ensure the greatest expansion and
lightness. When baked, the starches in the flour and proteins in the egg coagulate and eventually
brown on the outside. Precooking on the stove also forms a gelatinized mixture, as the wheat
flour absorbs water and begins to set. During baking, the crust traps steam inside, generated from
the moisture in its ingredients and hot air from the oven, plus leavening from the beaten eggs. It
is this principle, which causes them to become inflated, hollow and stay puffy.

A properly baked choux retains its puffy shape, with a hollow interior with an outside that is
crisp and fairly dry, with an all over golden color. When broken apart, it should be somewhat
hollow with a slightly moist crumb on the inside. However, if they are removed from the oven
too soon, the structure of the shell has not solidified, and it will collapse. To check, a wooden
skewer inserted into the center should come out dry. If wet and eggy, return to the oven as
necessary. Remove when done and cool on a wire rack.

Brioche
Copyright 2000 Sarah Phillips CraftyBaking.com All rights reserved.
 Brioche (bree-osh) pastries are made from a nonlaminated yeast
dough rich in eggs and butter. Its like soft bread or a cake, and it has a slightly sweetened,
creamy and tender consistency, without the crispiness we usually think of in a pastry.

TYPES
Brioche comes in many shapes and sizes:

Brioche tte: which translates as brioche with head. It has a

small roll of the dough on top and then baked in muffin-like tins to achieve its small, rounded
shape.

Brioche Loaf: can also be made in a pan without being rolled into balls to make an ordinary loaf
that toasts beautifully.

Brioche Nanterre: is a loaf of brioche made in a standard loaf pan. Instead of shaping two
pieces of dough and baking them together, two rows of small pieces of dough are placed in the
pan. Loaves are then proofed (allowed to rise) in the pan, fusing the pieces together. During the
baking process the balls of dough rise further and form an attractive pattern.

Croissant
Copyright 2000 Sarah Phillips CraftyBaking.com All rights reserved.

Croissants are essentially puff pastry with the addition of yeast,

and typically baked in the shape of a crescent. They can be made plain or wrapped around
almond paste or chocolate before it is baked (in the latter case, it becomes like pain au chocolat,
which has a different, non-crescent, shape). Some are sliced to admit sweet or savory fillings.
Instead of curving them into a crescent shape, they are often left straight to signify they are
filled.

Croissants are made from laminated (layered) croissant dough that results from the use of fat and
the turning of the dough. That is done by encasing butter in the dough, and taking it through a
series of rolls and folds, called turns, to produce many layers of butter in between sheets of
dough. The key to success in this process is maintaining the integrity of each layer. If the
lamination is successful and the layers are maintained the product will be light and flaky. This is
similar to how puff pastry and Danish dough are made.
SARAH SAYS: The average croissant is given a minimum of 4 turns or folds, resulting in
81 layers!

The leavening in laminated dough is derived mainly from the steam generated by the moisture in
the butter and dough during baking. The laminated fat acts as a barrier to trap the water vapor
formed during baking. As the steam expands in the oven it lifts and separates the individual
layers. Croissant and Danish dough do contain a small amount of yeast to aid in leavening,
unlike puff pastry which relies solely on steam.

Factors that affect the success of the lamination: The dough must have a well-developed gluten
structure to be able to support the expansion in the oven. The fat must be rolled evenly in
continuous layers. To accomplish this butter must be in a "plastic" state when laminating. That
is, able to be rolled out easily without breaking into pieces (not too cold) but firm enough that it
won't squeeze out of the edges of the dough layers or allow moisture to seep into the dough (not
too warm). The butter and dough should be at approximately the same temperature, and the
layers of each must remain distinct from each other or the product will resemble brioche more
than delicately layered and flaky laminated dough. However, because croissant contains yeast,
they require warmth, or proofing before baking, so they can be layered as puff pastry.

Allowing the dough to rest between turns allows the gluten structure to relax, making the dough
more extensible and less likely to tear. Puff pastry, lacking yeast and its dough conditioning
benefits, is more susceptible to tears and shrinkage during baking. Since it is also laminated to a
further degree, the rests between turns are even more critical to ensure extensibility. If any of
thedough are overworked without being allowed to rest, the gluten structure will tear, the dough
will become tIf any of the dough are overworked without being allowed to rest, the gluten
structure will tear, the dough will become tough and the finished product won't have the desired
volume or texture.

SARAH SAYS: Make bread crumbs from left-over croissants. If you have a stale one, freeze it
first; it will make it easier to make into crumbs. To make them, hit the side of the bag with a
rolling pin. Top gratins or pasta dishes. The butter in the croissant crumbs makes for a crisp
topping and a nice texture.

HISTORY
The origin of the croissant is one of the great food legends of all time. While the history of pastry
dates back to ancient times, the history of the croissant (as we know it today), seems to be a
relatively new invention. Part of the problem may be how one defines "croissant." Food history
sources confirm that crescent-shaped pastries were baked in Vienna during the 17th century and
that they migrated to France soon thereafter. They recount, but do not confirm/deny the story of
the brave bakers who supposedly created the first croissants. This is what Mr. Davidson has to
say:
"...croissant in its present form does not have a long history...
The earliest French reference to the croissant seems to be in Payen's book "Des substances
alimentaires," published in 1853. He cites, among the "Pains dit de fantasie ou de luxe," not only
English 'muffins' but 'les croissants'. The term appears again, ten years later, in the great Littre
dictionary [1863] where it is defined as 'a little crescent-shaped bread or cake'. Thirteen years
later, Husson in "Les Consommations de Paris" [1875] includes 'croissants for coffee' in a list of
'ordinary' (as opposed to 'fine') pastry goods. Yet no trace of a recipe for croissants can be found
earlier than that given by Favre in his Dictionnaire universel de cuisine [c. 1905], and his recipe
bears no resemblance to the modern puff pastry concoction; it is rather an oriental pastry made of
pounded almonds and sugar. Only in 1906, in Colombie's Nouvelle Encyclopedie culinaire, did a
true croissant, and its development into a national symbol of France, is a 20th-century history."
---Oxford Companion to Food (p. 228)

Chef Jim Chevallier, who has conducted extensive research on the history of the croissant,
concurs the origins recounted in most texts are truly "colorful tales." Chef Chevallier's research
focuses on the connection between the French Croissant and the Viennese Kipfel. In doing so, he
pushes back the date for this particular breadstuff [in Vienna] to 1630. He credits August Zang, a
Viennese baker, for introducing this item to Paris in the late 1830s. If you would like more
details we recommend Chef Chevallier's book: August Zang and the French Croissant: How
Viennoiserie Came to France. Source 1-31-2011

TYPES
In the United States, sweet fillings or toppings are common and warm croissants may be filled
with ham and cheese or feta cheese and spinach. In the Levant, croissants are sold plain or filled
with chocolate, cheese, almonds, or zaatar. In Germany, croissants are sometimes filled with
Nutella or persipan. In Switzerland the croissant is typically called a Gipfeli which typically has
a crisper crust and is less buttery than the French style croissant. In Argentina and other Latin
American countries, croissants are commonly served alongside coffee as a breakfast or merienda.
These croissants are referred to as medialunas ("half moons") and are typically coated with a
sweet glaze ("de manteca", made with butter). Another Argentine variant is a medialuna "de
grasa" (of grease), which is not sweet.

FRANCE
Croissant ordinaire or croissant au beurre: Made with pure butter.
Croissant Amande: Almond croissants are not simply croissants topped with almonds and
powdered sugar. This delightful treat is also filled with almond paste (which is made from sugar,
almond mill and butter and/or cooking oil). The result is a crispy, nutty, yet soft in the middle
treat

Pain au Chocolat: Cousin to the croissant and my personal favorite French pastry, a pain au
chocolat is basically a croissant-type puff pastry containing strips of chocolate (usually dark
chocolate). Literally translated as chocolate bread pains aux chocolates are a favorite in France
and are best when served hot with the chocolate melting into the pastry in the middle.

Danish
Copyright 2000 Sarah Phillips CraftyBaking.com All rights reserved.

Classic Danish pastry is crisp, tender, light and slightly flaky and
is simply referred to as "Danish." Genuine Danish is true pastry, falling somewhere
between croissant and brioche, but contains about twice as much fat as croissant dough and
American-style Danish. Plus, it contains an egg, which croissant does not. American-style
Danish is far more sweet and cakey in texture.
SARAH SAYS: Danish pastry, however, actually originated in Austria. How it got to Denmark
is subject to debate.
Danish is made from laminated yeasted dough into which butter is layered, similar to the method
used for puff pastry and croissant. However, because it contains yeast, Danish require proofing
before baking, so they can be layered as puff pastry.
SARAH SAYS: The folding process is repeated three times, eventually forming the requisite 27
layers that are one of the hallmarks of true Danish pastry.

Before baking, a traditional filling called Remonce, made of equal parts almond paste (or
marzipan), sugar, butter and vanilla, can be spread on the rolled pastry dough. The other type of
Remonce used is a creamed mixture of butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Other fillings can be
fruit jams and preserves, such as blueberry, apricot, sour cherry or other fruit, or cream cheese,
vanilla or chocolate custard, nuts and raisins. Danish comes in all sorts of shapes, such as bear
claw (Cockscombs), slips, snails, braids, envelopes, and twists, to name a few. Pretzel shapes,
called kringles, are so popular that the pretzel has become the universal symbol for Danish
bakeries.

When baked, Danish should have a crisp outer crust and a rich,
tender,often described as "juicy" interior. The pastry should have a slightly layered interior, but
not be as light nor quite as flaky as croissant. The layers of butter help separate the dough into
the tender flakiness that distinguishes good Danishes. It rises because of the yeast in the recipe,
as well as from the steam.

When baked, the butter worked into the layers of dough gives off moisture, and the resulting
steam causes the thin layers of dough to puff and rise. In order to work, The butter used must be
cold and malleable, perfect at 60 degrees F when rolled into the pastry; too cold and it breaks
through the dough; too warm and soft, and it gets absorbed into the flour, destroying the layering
and causing greasy results.
Puff Pastry
Copyright 2000 Sarah Phillips CraftyBaking.com All rights reserved.

Originating in France, they call Puff pastry, Pte Feuillete or

leafed pastry because of its many leaves or layers. Puff pastry is the king of pastries -- crisp,
buttery, flaky and especially light. It is used to make a variety of creations including croissants,
Napoleons, Palmiers and Allumettes. Since Puff Pastry doesn't contain sugar, it makes a perfect
wrapping for various savory and sweet foods such as meats, cheese and fruit. It can be made at
home or purchased from the supermarket in the freezer section as ready-made.

Puff Pastry is a laminated dough, like Danish and Croissants. except it contains no yeast (or
chemical leaveners). There are two portions to Puff Pastry - it begins with basic dough called a
dtrempe (pronounced day-trahmp) that is rolled out and wrapped around a slab of butter, called
the "butter block." The dough is then is processed through its many "turns" or folds (each series
of rolling, folding, and turning) and lengthy rests to distribute the butter evenly in sheets
throughout the dough. All types of laminated dough contain butter or butter with shortening
which has a leavening effect and produces a flaky consistency after baking.(Flour can also be
added to the roll-in.) The rolled-in butter creates the distinct layers that contribute to these unique
dough types.

SARAH SAYS: The average puff pastry is given a minimum of 6 turns or folds, has 729 layers.
& turns gives the dough 2,187 layers!
 Puff pastry contains no rising agent but steam from moisture and
air expanding in the heat of a hot oven, rising to about 8-times its original height; that is, a
quarter-inch thickness of puff pastry dough will blow up to 2 inches high! When puff pastry
bakes, the pastry sheets puff upwards and outwards, and separate into many layers,
where they bake into thin, fragile crispy and buttery layers of pastry delight. The unique
flakiness comes from the laminated dough process by folding fat into the dough; folding, rolling
and turning through manipulation. The moisture for steam comes from the dough itself and from
the butter (20%). Any trapped air present created from manipulating the dough also expands
when heated. The pressure is contained within folded dough layers because the fat layers are
sandwiched in between.

For baked Puff Pastry to be a success, the oven must be well-preheated and hot when it is placed
inside. Butter is an excellent heat conductor and quickly turns any moisture in the dough to
steam and heats the air. The super-heated steam also helps to dry the layers of pastry and help
set its flour starches quickly. The pastry layers hold as thin sheets because of the way in
which its gluten is developed.

QUICK PUFF PASTRY

Quick Puff Pastry, which uses the shortcut method called rough puff, blitz and half pastry, is a
way to abbreviate the longer process of making puff pastry, although it does not rise as high.
However, it tends to distort less and is tenderer. It is ideal for crisp, buttery pastries and crusts,
cheese straws, and cream horns, or use it as a crust for tarts, quiches, and pot pies.

The technique to make is a cross between classic puff pastry and basic pie crust, all with the goal
of distributing bits of butter throughout the dough. The secret to success is to work quickly to
keep the butter from melting. The butter is cut into the flour as if making a pie crust and then a
scant amount of water is added and combined to make a smooth, workable dough. The dough is
then processed through a quick series of "turns" (each series of rolling, folding, and turning) as
you would for the classic recipe, although not nearly as many. The dough is not rested in
between, making the process quicker.

RECIPES
Chausson aux Pommes: It is a classic and is usually found at almost any patisserie across
France. It is made with a puff pastry crust much like a croissant and filled with chunky, apple-
sauce like filling. They are best when served warm and there is just something so delicious about
the flaky pastry against the soft, gooey apple filling that makes these an all-time favorite treat.

Kouign Amann: The name, pronounced kween ah-MON, derives

from the Breton (French) words for cake ("kouign") and butter ("amann"). It is a round crusty
cake, made with dough containing layers of butter and sugar folded in, similar in fashion to puff
pastry (laminated dough) albeit with fewer layers, and is more rustic in appearance. The resulting
cake is slowly baked until the butter puffs up the dough (resulting in the layered aspect of it),
leaving a sweet, buttery center and with a crisp caramelized sugar coating.

Mille-feuille: This pastrys name literally translates as thousand sheets and is a pastry made
from several layers of puff pastry alternating with a sweet filling (usually pastry cream, whipped
cream or custard). Every patisserie in France will have its own version of this pastry, including
differently flavored creams and topped with different icings. You will typically find mille-
feuilles topped with drizzles of chocolate and a light vanilla icing.
 Napoleons: A traditional Napoleon is a French dessert made
from layers of puff pastry spread with a vanilla pastry cream. The top of the rectangle or
triangular shaped sweet is drizzled with chocolate and or dusted with powdered sugar.

Palmiers: Palmiers are crispy and delicate leaf-shaped cookies made from puff pastry. They are
made by rolling out pastry dough, sprinkling it with sugar and then folding it several times. The
two sides of the pastry are then rolled inwards to meet at the center and the cookie is

baked until crispy and caramelized. These are the perfect balance
of crispy and flaky and always see to be just sweet enough.

Tarte: The French answer to American pies, you will find a huge variety of tartes in all shapes
and size with all kinds of fillings. They are usually made with a thin, flat layer of puff pastry and
then are topped with fruit. You will sometimes see a layer of custard in between the pastry and
the fruit, but French tartes are always open faced. One of my personal favorite is an apple tart,
which usually manages to have the finest slices of apples layer over the pastry. You will find
tartes of all sizes and fillings and you can almost never go wrong with a well made tarte.
Phyllo, Fillo, or Filo Pastry
Dough
Copyright 2000 Sarah Phillips CraftyBaking.com All rights reserved.

Phyllo, Fillo, or Filo, which means "leaf" in Greek, is tissue paper-thin like sheets of dough made
from flour, water and a bit of oil. However, Phyllo dough was not born in Greece rather in
Istanbul during the Ottoman reign. The name "Phyllo" is Greek but the dough technique itself is
Turkish. Strudel dough is thought to be a variant, although made somehwhat differently.

Of all Turkey's delicious sweet confections, the most famous is baklava. This exquisite flavored
pastry has been made in Anatolia for many centuries, and its ancestor is widely believed to be a
dish made by the Assyrians at around 8th century B.C. They were the first people who put
together a few layers of thin bread dough, with chopped nuts, dried fruit in between those layers,
added some honey and baked it in their wood burning ovens. This earliest known version of
baklava was baked only on special occasions. In fact, historically, baklava was considered a food
for the rich until mid-19th century.

Phyllo has been incorporated into American cuisine with open arms. It is used here in traditional
recipes, as well as in new and innovative desserts. It can also stand in for its difficult cousins
strudel dough and puff pastry, although Phyllo is flour and water dough. In fact Strudel and
Baklava dough making are very similar in technique. Like strudel dough, Phyllo sheets are
layered and brushed lightly in between with melted butter or oil that result in a puffed-up height
and are crisp, light and flavorful.

Phyllo can enclose a huge variety of fillings, both savory and sweet. It can be assembled in a
variety of shapes and sizes such as cones, tubes, pie shells, pizza crusts, pouches, roles, strudels,
or triangles. Phyllo can be twisted, folded, rolled and pressed into pie, tart and even muffin pans
as a substitute for pie and pastry dough. It can be shredded and used for making "nests" filled
with fresh fruit or ice cream. Phyllo can be cut easily to make bite-sized appetizers or left large
to make a strudel. It can play a supporting role in Venetian Napoleons, separating layers of
mascarpone cheese and sweetened strawberries that are laced with port and balsamic vinegar.

Phyllo dough can be used in a lot of new recipes, such as

chocolate phyllo. It is made by sprinkling sifted cocoa powder and confectioner's sugar (25:75)
in between the buttered layers or on top. Because they contain little fat and can be brushed in
between with small amounts of butter, low-fat dessert recipes, such as the Apple Phyllo Tart
Recipe, are quite delicious.

Sold in 1-pound packages containing about 20 sheets of dough, Phyllo is almost always frozen. It
is found frozen in the freezer section of the grocery store. Grocery store brands such as Athens,
Apollo, and Pepperidge Farms are all good. Sizes vary from brand to brand, and the sheets may
need to be trimmed to fit the pan.

Fresh phyllo is available in some Greek, Middle Eastern, upscale and international markets in
large cities and through direct factory shipment. Fresh dough offers big advantages. Since the
pliable sheets have been refrigerated but never frozen, they have a superior texture and are easier
to handle while buttering and shaping. Fresh phyllo dough and prebaked phyllo shells are
available.

SARAH SAYS: You can also make you own phyllo dough, which I have done and it's truly an
incredible experience. It's an enormous amount of work to make: a regular-sized ball of dough is
stretched thinner and thinner by the backs of many hands into a thin sheet of dough as long and
wide as a dining room table cloth. You won't believe how thin you make the sheets; like tissue
paper, so thin and transparent that you wonder how it stays together without tearing.

The tricky part is when you stretch the phyllo dough when you make your own -- you don't want
to puncture it when it becomes paper thin. Remove all hand and wrist jewelry and turn rings
stone side into palm when stretching. Use the back of your hands, particularly your knuckles, to
stretch it. And be sure to place the stretched dough over a dry towel on the table so that you can

roll it up easily.
HOW PHYLLO DOUGH SHEET STRETCHES AND STAYS TOGETHER: It's the gluten
formed in the dough from wheat flour and moisture, mixed together that holds it together.
Because there is oil in the recipe, it's not an effective as a classical shortener, such as stick butter
or shortening, so long strands of gluten are formed in the dough. These strands are then stretched
thinner and thinner until the sheets are as thin as tissue paper!

TIPS FOR SUCCESS

Always buy the "freshest" frozen dough possible. If your grocer does not sell a lot of phyllo
dough, you may be buying a package of dough that has sat in a freezer case for too many
months. Similarly, replace any packages that have sat too long in your own freezer. Almost any
phyllo recipe can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated or frozen. Although a layered dish
such as baklava needs to cool several hours, most pastries are baked just before serving to be the
freshest, and flakiest.

Assemble everything before unwrapping the thawed or fresh phyllo dough -- have the butter
melted and cooled, baking sheets and equipment ready to use.

The challenges of working with phyllo dough are threefold:

First, if not defrosted properly, the pastry sheets can stick together from too much moisture.
Frozen phyllo dough must be thawed at least 12 to 24 hours before you start the recipe. For best
results, remove the dough, still in its package, from the freezer and place directly in the
refrigerator to thaw; do not open the box because the sheets won't thaw properly. Also, do not
thaw at room temperature because the sheets tend to stick together. If thawed too quickly or if
the sheets are cold when you unfold them, they will crack.

Secondly, the pastry dries out rapidly and cracks because it is so thin and has almost no fat.
When ready to use the phyllo dough, unwrap it from its box and unfold it carefully. Take what
you need and then some extra; do not separate the sheets when counting -- just estimate. Phyllo
dough dries out quickly and can crack when exposed to air, which takes only a couple of
minutes. Place immediately onto a large piece of plastic wrap on a smooth, clean surface. Cover
right away with a large piece of plastic wrap. Place a damp kitchen towel (wet it, then wring it
out) on top of the plastic. Rewrap the extra dough tightly in plastic wrap, set it aside until
finished. When done, you will return it to its original box and place in the freezer or refrigerator
for longer storage.
Finally, the sheets are paper-thin and tear easily. But, proper handling and some practice will
make these problems manageable.
Traditionally, every phyllo sheet is brushed with melted butter or oil. One by one, each phyllo
sheet is removed from the stack and placed in a pan or work surface. The removed sheet must be
prepped immediately by buttering, otherwise it will dry out quickly. Then, another one is placed
on top and then buttered, again up to multiple layers depending on the recipe. The result is a
puffed-up height and the baked sheets become a flaky, delicate and golden brown pastry.

Dont panic if a sheet tears, splits, or develops a hole. Trim or patch any bad spots, or cover the
damage with another sheet of dough. Once its baked, no one will notice. Phyllo dough can be
forgiving that way.

Storage: Keep the box because unused phyllo dough can be refrigerated or refrozen. You can
wrap any leftover phyllo tightly with plastic wrap, place in its original box and keep in the
refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. For longer storage of up to 2 - 4 months, refreeze phyllo. Wrap it
tightly in plastic wrap and overlay with foil, place in original box.

Layering Phyllo
BUTTER THE PHYLLO LAYERS
Begin buttering the dough in between each layer or as directed by the recipe. Do not overdo it,
since too much butter yields greasy pastries. To apply: dip a soft pastry brush in the liquid butter
or oil and brush lightly, starting with the edges first so they won't dry out and crack. Quickly
move to the middle and then work back towards the edges, brushing any part of the dough that
hasn't been previously buttered.
SARAH SAYS: Spray the butter through a clean plastic bottle! Fill it with a 3-to-1 ratio of
melted butter to vegetable oil. You need the oil to keep the fat fluid, best for spraying. Should the
butter congeal, microwave the plastic bottle for a few seconds. Let cool slightly before using.

Always replace the plastic wrap and towels over the remainder so it wont dry out: When
removing a phyllo sheet, the key is to be gentle. If all the sheets seem stuck, then the dough may
have partially defrosted at some point and the dough may be unusable. A damaged portion can
usually be trimmed and discarded. You can still use the good parts.

After buttering, place the next sheet on top, using both hands to hold it. Immediately butter
again. Small wrinkles and cracks are common. If the sheets crack, you can always patch and
piece phyllo dough on whatever you're making, but make sure you always butter in between any
layer or patching piece. To prevent weak spots and further tearing, butter any cracks carefully,
and try not to position tears on top of each other.

Butter or oil options: There are several.

Clarified butter: Clarified butter is traditionally used in phyllo recipes, which is simply melted
butter with all the milk solids removed; it also creates an extra crisp and flaky pastry.
SARAH SAYS: Use approximately 1/2 cup butter (or oil) for 16 sheets of phyllo dough, or 1/2
Tbsp. of butter per phyllo sheet. (8 Tbsp. = 1/2 cup = 1 stick butter). However, I usually make a
couple of tablespoons more than the recipe calls for, which has never been wasted.

Browning the butter first will give the baked dough a much deeper buttery flavor:
SARAH SAYS: For 2 tablespoons brown butter, place 3 tablespoons unsalted butter in a small
or heavy saucepan or skillet over moderately low heat. Cook slowly until the butter smells like
roasting nuts and the solids in the bottom of the pan are golden brown. Tilt the pan, carefully
skim off the white residue on the surface of the butter and discard. Spoon the clear butter into a
small bowl, leaving the solids behind.

Oil: Some savory recipes specify brushing the dough with olive, flavored or vegetable oil instead
of with butter. You can also combine fats; try use melted butter with as small amount of walnut
oil for a nuttier taste.

FILLINGS
Pre-cooked or baked fillings: Make sure your filling is prepared and completely cooled before
beginning to use the phyllo sheets because the dough has little fat and moisture can make it
soggy. It should also be chilled and not excessively moist, as in the Apple Phyllo Tart Recipe. A
filling that is even slightly warm will wilt the pastry and make breaking and tearing more likely
to happen.
SARAH SAYS: To seal in the fillings, lightly brush egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 - 2
tablespoons water) in between the sheets just on the edges. You can then twist or fold the ends.
The wash will bake and seal the ends.

Sprinkles: are fillings. They are put in between the layers for a different effect. Examples are
sugar or confectioner's sugar, chopped nuts, toasted coconut, bread crumbs, and ground almonds.
For sweet recipes, sugar or confectioner's sugar can be sprinkled over the butter before the next
sheet of phyllo is placed on top. The last sheet can have sugar sprinkled on top of the butter. The
baked phyllo will be sweet and crunchy and will get less soggy when used with creamy fillings
and fruit compotes.

Chopped nuts, toasted coconut, bread crumbs, and ground almonds can be used on top of the
butter in between the layers or just sprinkled on top for additional flavor and texture. Bread
crumbs are good to use to prevent a too-wet filling from making your Phyllo dish soggy. Bread
crumbs or chopped nuts add more body to strudel rolls and result in a nicer finished appearance.

FINISHING TOUCHES
End each recipe with a good coating of oil or butter. This will prevent drying and ensure a
golden crust.

If you are planning to slice the recipe after baking, score phyllo before putting into oven. This
will allow you to slice through cleanly after baking. Electric knives work wonderfully when
slicing through phyllo, even when they aren't scored before baking. If making baklava, cut in the
traditional triangles before baking or freezing.

HOW TO SERVE / STORE A PHYLLO RECIPE

Almost any Phyllo recipe can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated and/or frozen. For best
results, bake the Phyllo and optionally fill before serving to be the freshest, and most flaky. Do
not microwave anything made with phyllo dough, as it becomes limp and soggy. Heat and
humidity and the texture of some fillings may cause the phyllo to become soggy if it isnt served
promptly. Serve baked pastries warm, or at room temperature.

Shaped: You can bake Phyllo shapes in advance. Store in an airtight container until ready to
assemble the recipes.
Freeze already baked and cooled Phyllo shapes, well wrapped for at least a month. If you have
many, pack in layers, separated by waxed paper and wrapped tightly. To thaw, place in a 325
degrees F oven until warm. If they are defrosted, reheat at 350 degrees.

Shaped and Filled: Place the filled pieces on baking sheets sprayed with nonstick spray, cover
with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to bake for several days, depending on the filling. If
the filling is soggy, it is best baked right away.

To refrigerate, wrap well in plastic wrap or if freezing also place in an airtight freezer bag.
Before baking, filled phyllo pastry can be frozen for up to one month, depending on the filling,
but allow extra time in the oven.

If frozen, to bake, do not thaw as the filled phyllo dough will become soggy; simply place in a
well preheated oven straight from the freezer or after filling. Reheat previously baked dough on a
baking sheet in a 350-degree F oven, until crisp and the filling is warm.

Suggested equipment needed

One or more packages of frozen phyllo dough. If you need all the sheets in one package, buy a
second for extra insurance.

Chilled filling and other ingredients

Kitchen shears or scissors for trimming any excess phyllo dough. Be careful when using a sharp
knife because if pulled, it tears the phyllo sheet. I have also successfully used a pizza cutting
wheel when the Phyllo is flat and I am cutting into strips.

Pastry brush - Use a soft bristle brush to spread butter over Phyllo, not a hard bristle brush. A 1-
1/2 - or 2-inch flat brush is large enough to cover a sheet of dough quickly, but not too big to use
when buttering small pastry shapes. Oil can be sprayed with a refillable spray bottle.

Ruler to measure the phyllo before cutting

Light, cotton dish towel for covering unused phyllo sheets with.

Plastic wrap. Parchment paper, waxed or aluminum foil -- is the primary tool for rolling when
making fragile strudel. It comes in sheets or rolls about 1215" wide. Check the width of the
phyllo before buying paperit should be at least as wide as the phyllo dough. If you dont have
parchment paper, wide foil is a distant second choice. It can work in a pinch, but its stiffer and
not as helpful in the rolling process.
Baking sheets - Like most baked goods, Phyllo must be baked on a flat surface I like to use a
cookie sheet (the kind with only one raised side) so I can slide the unbaked and filled shapes
from the counter to the cookie sheet.

Strudel
Copyright 2000 Sarah Phillips CraftyBaking.com All rights reserved.

Strudel dough is a variant of phyllo, although made somewhat

differently. It is also known as a pastry, made from multiple, thin layers of dough, used as a
wrapper to roll around a variety of fresh firm fruit pie fillings and savory preparations and then
baked.

Taking the advice from my colleague, friend and professional baker, Rose Levy Beranbaum, I
also recommend using unbleached all-purpose flour from King Arthur or Gold Medal for
superior recipe results. In a pinch, you can use commercial phyllo dough as a strudel substitute,
although the results will not be as tender as making your own.