Puff

by Martha Holmberg

Puff pastry is the flaky crispy secret to savory appetizers elegant entrÈes and decadent desserts. And with quality pre-made puff pastry available at local supermarkets it's a breeze to make the dozens of impressive recipes in this cookbook. Instructions for making puff pastry from scratch will ensure French boulangerie results. The author gives sage advice on techniques for getting the most out of the dough plus which ingredients and equipment should be stocked in the pantry. With treats like Ham Gruyère and Dijon Palmiers and Roasted Tomato Tarts Puff is a breath of fresh air in the kitchen.

Genres: Cookbooks, Nonfiction

144 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2008

Reviews

[Aasinathena · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good collection, however it's not all.

[Dray · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this kind of niche cookbook which explores in depth one ingredient or technique in cooking or baking. this is well written, quite wide in applications and discusses puff pastry in depth.

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are three ways to make puff pastry dishes at home: using dough prepared at home in the classic manner, using dough prepared in the "quick-and-easy" homemade manner, and using the blocks of prepared dough available in the frozen foods department of one's grocer's. Holmburg's little book on puff pastry invites the home cook to try all three (and offers non-threatening instructions for preparing pâte feuilletée -- the real deal -- without tears). Puff pastry suffers from a reputation for being fussy and difficult. This is a myth propounded and promoted by pâtissiers to keep home cooks out of the kitchen and in their shops. This collection of fifty recipes spans sweet and savoury. It offers appetizers, main dishes and desserts. In addition to the predictable inclusions, she presents recipes for unusual such as a twist on classic Southern Americam ham biscuits with honey-mustard creme fraiche, a take-off on samosas with a cilantro-chile dipping sauce, a "melted" leek tart with fennel sausage and goat cheese, and even a puff-pastry variation on churros!