Light Rough Puff Pastry
Originally published January 2016
I know what you're thinking. Me, too. I made some, um, let's not call them resolutions—suggestions, yes, that sounds better. I made some suggestions to myself to let go of the decadence December brought to my eating habits. I also decided I needed to get much better about being physically active. I never had to think about that when I lived in a city. Ever since leaving Brooklyn two years ago, physical activity beyond the steps taken from apartment door to car door, is something I have to plan. But see, that's where this recipe for Light Rough Puff Pastry comes in. Life is supposed to be lived in moderation, right?
I began tinkering around with rough puff pastry and making galette des rois last January. By time my testing was done, the train had left the station on the Epiphany, so I've been saving these two recipes for you AN ENTIRE YEAR. Do you know how much patience that took people? Well, a lot, in case you needed me to clarify. During those trials last year, I found that I actually preferred this lighter version, using half the butter than normal (puff pastry is generally a 1:1 ratio of butter to flour). I know, I was surprised, too. Sometimes more isn't better, at least not when the pastry is being used to envelope a sweet, creamy almond filling, as is the case with making a Galette Des Rois.
Admittedly, I was nervous about trying my hand at puff pastry. That might seem surprising for a somewhat experienced baker like myself, but butter is expensive. And French butter—well, that's veering into second mortgage territory.
Surprisingly, making your own is incredibly easy (no, really). Especially when you go with this Light Rough Puff Pastry recipe (ready to use in only 1 hour!). It's not overly fussy, and a lot less expensive than procuring a good quality brand of store-bought puff pastry (good-quality being the key word for me). So, there you have it. Do with this recipe as you may. As for me, I've got one or two more Galette Des Rois to make!
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