Buzz
I enjoy all types of flaky, buttery pastries, but that doesn’t mean they are all identical. Puff pastry and phyllo dough are two popular options with distinct characteristics. Both are delicious and easy to find in many grocery store freezer sections, but knowing the differences is key. To ensure you pick the right dough for your recipe, it's important to understand a few important points.
What exactly is puff pastry?
Puff pastry, also known as pâte feuilletée, is a layered dough made by folding butter into dough in a specific pattern, typically through rolling and folding multiple times. This process creates thin layers, but not so thin that the butter merges with the dough. The layers of butter remain separate from the dough, so when baked, the water in the butter evaporates quickly, forming air pockets. This results in a delicate, puffed pastry with numerous steam pockets that expand rapidly during baking.
Puff pastry is rich in butter (which is crucial for its puffiness), making it incredibly tender and flavorful. Most dishes that use puff pastry are small snacks, such as vol au vents or mille feuille desserts. While it's possible to make puff pastry at home, it’s a lengthy and sometimes tedious process. I prefer to buy it frozen from Trader Joe’s because their all-butter variety has a superior flavor compared to cheaper options made with shortening.
How to Use Puff Pastry
When using puff pastry, ensure it’s properly thawed (if it was frozen) but still cool to the touch. This dough is delicate, and the heat from the air or your hands can cause the butter to soften. If it gets too soft, return it to the fridge briefly to firm it up. Over-softening can ruin the layers, preventing it from puffing properly. Use a sharp knife or cookie cutter to slice it cleanly, ensuring you cut through the layers without pressing them down. If using an egg wash before baking, avoid applying it to the edges, as it will cook at a lower temperature and may prevent the pastry from expanding as it should.
What is phyllo dough?
Phyllo, or filo, is an ultra-thin, fragile, unleavened pastry dough designed for layering. While it can be made from scratch, many prefer to buy it due to the large quantities required and its tendency to dry out. Unlike puff pastry, phyllo dough doesn’t puff up on its own; fat must be added between the layers. Unlike puff pastry, which has a unique fat layering structure, phyllo’s layering depends on the recipe. Each sheet is brushed with a thin layer of fat before being stacked with another layer of dough. This process is repeated anywhere from five to more than fifteen times. When baked, the butter melts into the phyllo, helping it brown and adding flavor.
Phyllo dough on its own is quite plain and dry. However, when brushed with butter, it becomes more flavorful, though unlike puff pastry, the butter doesn’t significantly alter the structure of the dough after baking. The dough becomes crisp as it dries in the oven, and its edges caramelize better due to the Maillard reaction. The sheets of dough, however, don’t trap steam like puff pastry. This is not a flaw, but rather how phyllo is meant to behave. With every bite, the delicate layers shatter, and the thin flakes melt in your mouth. Phyllo is commonly used in delicious dishes such as spanakopita and baklava.
How to Use Phyllo Dough
Before you begin working with phyllo dough, ensure your entire setup is prepared. Have a pastry brush and your melted butter or oil ready in a bowl to be applied to the dough. If you’re using store-bought dough, make sure it’s fully thawed according to the package instructions. Unwrap the dough and place it between two damp tea towels immediately. The dough is fragile and can dry out quickly, becoming impossible to handle if it’s not flexible. The damp towels will help prevent this, but be careful not to make them too wet, or the dough will become soggy and stick together. As you build your dish, check the dough’s moisture level and ensure it’s neither too dry nor too wet.
When to Choose Puff Pastry or Phyllo Dough
Both puff pastry and phyllo dough result in flaky, buttery layers after baking, and both are delicious when used correctly. However, they are not interchangeable. Puff pastry is pre-layered, and all you need to do is thaw and bake it. Phyllo dough, on the other hand, requires more attention: you need to butter, layer, and assemble it yourself, giving you control over flavor, butter content, spices, sweetness, and the number of layers. Additionally, you can layer phyllo sheets in a decorative way, creating a flowing, handkerchief-like look that I particularly enjoy.
When following a recipe, always use the dough specified, as the instructions are tailored to it. However, if you're experimenting on your own, you have some flexibility. Think about the texture you want to achieve and the filling you'll use. Puff pastry is soft, rich, and absorbent (sometimes overly so), while phyllo dough is crispier, drier, and a bit more rigid. Try both, use the tips shared earlier, and you're sure to create something truly delicious.
