Cheese Sticks

Pâte feuilletée, or puff pastry, is often considered one of the most challenging yet rewarding doughs to master in the culinary world. Known for its delicate layers that puff up beautifully in the oven, this dough relies on a precise technique to create the "leaves" or layers without the use of yeast. Though made with just three basic ingredients—flour, water, and butter—it demands patience and skill to perfect.

The magic behind puff pastry lies in the layers of butter trapped within the dough. As the dough bakes, the water in the butter turns to steam, causing the layers to separate and rise, creating the signature light, flaky texture. While mastering puff pastry can be tricky, with the right technique and a bit of practice, you can create this stunning dough for all kinds of delicious treats.

The formula for puff pastry:
400 g flour + 200 g water (half the flour) + 300 g butter (flour + water divided by 2) + salt (optional)

Puff pastry's number one enemy is heat. Working quickly, and never doing more than two turns at a time, you must keep the butter cool enough so that it doesn't leak out during rolling.

Recipe: Cheese Sticks

400 g flour
200 g water
6 g salt
300 g butter
100 g Gruyère cheese

You can find the recipe for Allumettes au fromage (Puff pastry strips with cheese) here along with more background information. It was part of Week 2 at Le Cordon Bleu in Basic Cuisine.

Links
Video (in French but shows the technique) 
Eggbeater's Puff Pastry 
50 Flaky, Crunchy, Delicious Appetizers, Entrées (affiliate link)

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