Can't get my Puff Pastry shells to rise
I baked Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Shells according to what I thought were the directions. Temperature set at 425 degrees. I brushed the top with egg wash -- and only the top. When they baked, there were a beautiful brown, but only 1 rose like the picture on the box.
The others were beautiful golden brown, but either flat or lop-sided. They were cooked all the way through -- just not puffed up into a shell.
I put the pastry in the oven after I had thawed them in the refrigerator overnight.
What is my problem. Why did only one of the shells rise??
Please Please help.....
Best Answer
The Pepperidge Farm site offers some tips for baking related to the rise:
Always preheat your oven for a minimum of 15-20 minutes before baking, because Puff Pastry depends on even heat to rise and puff. Place pastries 1 inch apart.
If you want a flaky thin and crispy pastry that's not very puffy, prick the unbaked Puff Pastry all over with a fork, which lets steam escape while baking.
To create a tart with an extra puffy crust: take a knife and score two lines around the edge, then prick the area inside this border with a fork.
I would begin by verifying that these tips were observed. Also, I would verify that your oven bakes consistently (i.e. no hot/cold spots). Preheating can be very helpful in resolving this. Also, you can put in a pizza stone or other heat regulating product, and monitor the temperature with a probe thermometer in water in different areas of the oven.
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Quick Answer about "Can't get my Puff Pastry shells to rise"
One of the most common reasons that your puff pastry didn't rise is the baking temperature. Puff pastry needs to be baked in a very hot oven of about 400 degrees. This high heat is necessary to create enough steam in the oven, so the dough rises.How do I get my puff pastry to rise?
Temperature is a key factor in baking up puff pasty that actually puffs. Set the oven dial too low, and the pastry is likely to fall flat. Follow this tip: As a rule of thumb, a higher oven temperature (400\xb0F is ideal) results in puff pastry with a higher rise.How do you fix puff pastry dough?
Possible Solutions. 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.Should I Thaw puff pastry shells before baking?
It needs to be thawed before it can be baked into something delicious, and doing so overnight in the fridge is the best approach. This allows the pastry to become pliable without softening too much.How much should puff pastry rise when properly prepared?
Moreover, the heat cooks the flour in the d\xe9trempe, which becomes harder since the water evaporates. The final result is flaky (thanks to the butter), with many visible layers: if the dough is properly prepared, puff pastry should rise up to 6-8 times its initial volume.Can - Mother Sky (1970) [HQ]
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Answer 2
My mother made these for years, and I make them now, and we NEVER thaw them. We always cook them from a frozen state, and they come out fine. I've found that the only time they don't rise properly is when they're old, so check the expiration/best by date.
Answer 3
If your fridge is cold then overnight may not have been long enough, and it could be that some were still frozen. I'd say that was the most likely culprit.
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