This buttery, flaky dough serves is the foundation for a variety of desserts that can elevate any celebration. Puff pastry, with its light and airy layers, is the perfect canvas for an array of fillings, from fruit compotes to rich creams. Each dessert showcases a unique combination of textures and flavours.
Some of the classic French desserts from the intricate mille-feuille to the comforting chaussons aux pommes have puff pastry as their base. These elegant creations with sumptuous fillings are bound to leave your guests in awe. Mastering the art of making the perfect puff pastry though needs some amount of practice and artistry.
When working with puff pastry remember that the dough works best when kept chilled. Warm dough can lose its structure and result in less flaky layers. High-quality butter in your puff pastry improves the flavour and texture of the final dessert. Be careful and avoid overworking the dough, as it can compress the layers and reduce flakiness. Puff pastry needs a hot oven, usually heated to around 200°C to create the steam that makes it rise. Here are seven delectable French-inspired puff pastry desserts to impress your guests.
This classic dessert features layers of puff pastry alternating with silky pastry cream, typically flavoured with vanilla. Also known as the “Napoleon,” mille-feuille translates to “a thousand layers.” A thin layer of fondant or a dusting of powdered sugar sits on the top layer. The dessert is sometimes finished with a chocolate drizzle. It is delicate and usually the centerpiece of a dessert table.
This upside-down caramelised apple tart is the perfect example of how puff pastry is an important part of the most popular French desserts. Apples are stewed in butter and sugar, then covered with a sheet of puff pastry and baked until the pastry turns crisp. Serving it with cream or scoop of vanilla ice cream makes the creaminess and the crunch come together resulting in a delicious dessert that blends warm and cold, smooth and crunchy.
Remember the Little Hearts biscuits that were popular in the 90s? They were inspired by Palmiers, or “elephant ears,” which are simple cookies made by folding puff pastry into a heart shape and coating it with sugar. As they bake, the sugar caramelises and you get a crispy sweet treat. They’re considered versatile enough to be served with coffee or champagne.
Vol-au-vents are delicate puff pastry cases traditionally filled with savoury mixtures, but their sweet adaptations are just as delicious. These are light, hollow pastry shells and when you want to serve them as dessert, you can fill them up with whipped cream, chocolate mousse, or fresh fruit compote. Dust them with powdered sugar or a drizzle of honey to create your own customised version of this dessert.
These moon-shaped pastries are popular in France and are filled with spiced apples encased in a puff pastry. The apples are often cooked with cinnamon and sugar before being sealed in the pastry. Their portable size makes them a hit for winter celebrations or tea-time indulgences.
This lesser-known dessert from France is a round, domed puff pastry dessert filled with almond frangipane. The top of the pastry is beautifully designed with patterns and brushed with an egg wash for a glossy finish. The combination of buttery pastry and nutty filling makes it irresistible.
While éclairs are traditionally made with choux pastry, a puff pastry variation can be a creative interpretation. The puff pastry dough is shaped into éclair forms and baked until crisp, then filled with rich chocolate ganache or coffee-flavoured cream. A shiny glaze completes this dessert.