feuilletée

Feuilletée, often translated as puff pastry, is a laminated dough composed of flour, butter, water, and salt. Its characteristic flaky texture is achieved through a meticulous process of repeatedly folding and rolling the dough with layers of butter. This creates numerous thin layers of dough separated by butter. When baked, the water in the butter turns to steam, which expands and pushes the dough layers apart, resulting in a light, airy, and crisp pastry.

The creation of feuilletée is a labor-intensive process. The dough is typically made by combining flour and water to form a basic dough, while a block of butter is prepared separately. The butter is then enclosed within the dough, and the entire package is repeatedly rolled out and folded, a technique known as "turning." Each turn doubles the number of layers, and several turns are required to achieve the desired fineness of the layers. The dough must be kept chilled throughout this process to prevent the butter from melting into the dough, which would hinder the lamination.

Feuilletée is a versatile ingredient used in both sweet and savory dishes. In its simplest form, it can be baked into light, crisp sheets that are often served as a base for desserts or as an accompaniment to savory dishes. It is also the foundation for a wide array of pastries, including croissants (though croissants technically use a yeast-leavened dough with butter lamination, often referred to as pâte feuilletée levée), mille-feuille (Napoleon), turnovers, vol-au-vents, and palmiers. Its ability to puff dramatically makes it ideal for creating impressive presentations.