Troubleshooting Guide - Puff Pastry Slab / Preformed
Not seeing desired results for frozen puff pastry slabs? Get help below!
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Not seeing desired results for frozen puff pastry slabs? Get help below!
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Possible Causes | Possible Solutions |
|---|---|
| Dough was temperature abused | Keep unused product covered during storage. Keep product frozen until ready to use. Do not refreeze dough after thawing |
Possible Causes | Possible Solutions |
|---|---|
| Work surface is tacky | Lightly dust the work surface with flour prior to handling but be sure to brush off excess flour before filling, cutting or folding, since flour will prevent layers from sticking together. |
| Work surface or dough is too warm to handle | Puff Pastry works best when cold. So chill your tools—knife, pastry/pizza cutter, cookie cutters, even pastry board and baking pans in the fridge—while thawing your pastry. |
Possible Causes | Possible Solutions |
|---|---|
| Dough was not thawed enough to handle / Dough had dried out while working with it | Puff sheets need to be thawed but still cold before handling. If any cracks form while you're working with Puff Pastry, just rub with a little water and press to seal the dough together. Keep dough covered at all times. Dough should not be left uncovered for longer than 15 minutes |
Possible Causes | Possible Solutions |
|---|---|
Dough is rolled too thin | Carefully roll dough |
Possible Causes | Possible Solutions |
|---|---|
| Puff Pastry can puff up to 8 times its original thickness. That means even a sheet rolled to a thin ¼-inch thickness will rise 2 inches | Roll dough thinner before using For a flatter pastry without much puff—like a Napoleon—prick the dough all over with a fork, place parchment paper on top, then place several sheet pans on top of that to weigh it down. |
Possible Causes | Possible Solutions |
|---|---|
| Fat is melting and steam pockets cause the bubbles | If large bubbles appear on the surface while baking Puff Pastry, prick with a fork to deflate them. |
Possible Causes | Possible Solutions |
|---|---|
| Products made from puff pastry sheets, slabs and squares were not crimped properly | Use an egg wash to help seal filled pastries and connect Puff Pastry pieces: mix 1 egg plus 1 tsp. water, brush between layers, then seal edges together. To seal stuffed Puff Pastries, pinch the edges together or press with the tines of a fork, just as you'd seal a piecrust. |
Possible Causes | Possible Solutions |
|---|---|
| Dough was allowed to thaw and butter wept from dough | Keep thawed dough pieces refrigerated until ready to us |
| Dough was proofed prior to baking | Puff pastry dough does not require proofing. Product will "puff up" while baking. Bake pre-formed puff pastry from frozen |
Possible Causes | Possible Solutions |
|---|---|
| Dough was rolled out too hard and compressed the layers | Avoid pressing too hard when rolling out the ends and edges to avoid pressing the edge layers together |
| Dough is too soft, causing layers to stick together | Dough should be cool and firm when it is rolled out. When cutting Puff Pastry, the sharper the knife or pastry cutter, the better. A dull edge can cement layers together and prevent pastry from rising. |
| Egg wash has gotten on the edges of the dough | When using an egg wash, be sure it doesn't run down the cut sides of the pastry, as that will make edges stick together and stop the pastry from rising. |
| Dough is coming to the end of its shelf life | Check the production code date on the box. Discard expired dough. |
| Hot filling has been placed on the dough | Cool fillings prior to placing on the puff pastry dough. Hot fillings can cause the fat in the dough to melt thereby sealing the layers of the dough together. |
Possible Causes | Possible Solutions |
|---|---|
| Oven temperature was too high | Double check accuracy of oven temperature |
| Product was baked too long | Baked as directed |
| Egg wash was used on top crust | Spray tops with water when adding coarse sugar toppings |
Possible Causes | Possible Solutions |
|---|---|
| Puff Pastry is underbaked | Follow package directions for proper oven settings and proper baking times. Check oven for accuracy using an oven thermometer. |
| Dough is coming to the end of its shelf life | Check the production code date on the box. Discard out of date products. |
Possible Causes | Possible Solutions |
|---|---|
| Product not baked long enough | Bake puff pastry until sides and bottom are dry and top is rich golden brown |
| Too much product on the pan / Product steamed during baking | Leave ½ -1 inch space between smaller pieces of puff pastry and at least 2 inches between puff pastry so product has room to expand and heat can get evenly around to bake the entire product |
Possible Causes | Possible Solutions |
|---|---|
| Product was temperature abused after baking | Store fully baked puff pastry at room temperature For best results, do not refrigerate, freeze or store fully baked puff pastry in a closed container after baking |
Possible Causes | Possible Solutions |
|---|---|
| This is normal for a flaky, fully baked puff pastry | When serving Puff Pastry, cut with a serrated knife for the most even, attractive presentation. |
Possible Causes | Possible Solutions |
|---|---|
| The fat in pastry has bloomed in the freezer | To recrisp Puff Pastry, place them in a 350° F convection oven for 3-4 minutes. Serve immediately or discard any leftovers. |
